A panel has determined that two Metropolitan Police officers involved in the “humiliating” strip search of a 15-year-old schoolgirl engaged in gross misconduct.
The findings were substantiated against trainee Det Con Kristina Linge and PC Rafal Szmydynski, while PC Victoria Wray was found to have acted with misconduct. This incident involved the girl, referred to as Child Q, who was searched at her school in Hackney, east London.
The black schoolgirl, who was mistakenly suspected of carrying cannabis, was on her menstrual cycle when she was compelled to reveal her private parts without the presence of a suitable adult in December 2020.
The panel noted disparities in how black schoolchildren are perceived, often being seen as older and less vulnerable than their white counterparts. However, age and race were not deemed relevant to the treatment of Child Q in this instance.
Cdr Kevin Southworth expressed regret, stating, “The experience of Child Q should not have occurred, and we deeply regret it. We have offered our sincere apologies to Child Q since the incident, and I am profoundly sorry to her and her family for the trauma inflicted, as well as for the damage done to the trust that black communities across London have in our officers.”
During the proceedings, the search was characterized as unjustifiable, inappropriate, excessively humiliating, and degrading.
Panel chair Cdr Jason Prins remarked that the search was “improper and conducted without an appropriate adult” and that Child Q’s status as a “vulnerable or potentially exploited child was not sufficiently taken into account.” He noted that “the potential impact of a 15-year-old undergoing puberty was overlooked.”
The panel heard that the officers failed to secure the necessary authorization from a sergeant or higher before proceeding with their actions, violating police policy. It was also stated that insufficient consideration was given to Child Q’s age and gender, particularly after she had removed her sanitary towel.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) criticized the decision to carry out a strip search on Child Q based on suspicion of possessing a small quantity of cannabis as “entirely disproportionate.”
