Three Met Police Officers Found Guilty Gross Misconduct Over Child Q Strip-Search

A disciplinary hearing has found two Metropolitan Police officers guilty of gross misconduct and a third officer guilty of misconduct for conducting a humiliating and disproportionate strip search of a 15-year-old Black schoolgirl, known as Child Q, at her Hackney school in December 2020. The search, carried out while the girl was menstruating and without an appropriate adult present, was deemed unnecessary and caused significant trauma, with no drugs found. The officers involved were found to have breached professional standards, and the panel is now considering sanctions. Commander Kevin Southworth apologized for the incident, acknowledging organisational failings in training and oversight, and highlighted reforms including stricter safeguards and a significant reduction in such searches. This case has caused widespread anger in the Black community and damaged trust in the Metropolitan Police. Separately, a Wiltshire Police officer, PC Stephen Proctor, was found guilty of gross misconduct for sending misogynistic and offensive images via WhatsApp, leading to his resignation and placement on the national barred list, barring him from future policing roles.