Northamptonshire Rights and Equality Council and StopWatch are deeply concerned by recent reports regarding the treatment of Samuel Ackon by Northamptonshire police force. Mr Ackon, a 22-year-old Black physical education student, was mistaken for a drug dealer and subjected to excessive force by officers in plain clothing. Video footage appears to show him being chased, slammed into a gate, and repeatedly punched while on the ground. After subjecting him to a strip search which made Ackon feel ‘degraded’, he was later released without charge.
The College of Policing is clear in its guidance that stop and search is most effectively used in an intelligence-led way with strong grounds for suspicion. Code A of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 also states that officers must not conduct searches involving exposure of intimate parts of the body simply as a routine extension of a less thorough search. Additionally, the professional practice standard for police use of force makes plain that police use of force must be reasonable, proportionate and only used as a last resort where non-violent alternatives remain ineffective. Where this standard is not abided by, action taken by officers can constitute a violation of the human rights of the person subject to police use of force.
This incident raises serious questions about the accountability of the officers involved, the use of disproportionate force, and whether racial profiling played a role in this encounter. Northamptonshire police force records show that in 2022/23, Black people were stopped and searched 3 times more often than white people. Only 6% of searches conducted resulted in arrests for drugs possession. It has also taken place in a context where police use of force incidents have increased by 8% nationally, the rate at which Black individuals are subjected to force is 3 times higher compared with white individuals, while they are searched 4 times more often.
The fact that Mr Ackon was treated in such a way having been spotted making an act of generosity suggests that the officers involved lacked the necessary attention to detail over and careful consideration of the circumstances facing them, thereby failing to meet the threshold for police conduct outlined in policing guidance. A thorough investigation must be conducted to find out why this was the case and appropriate disciplinary action is taken against the officer involved. It is crucial that this happens to prevent such incidents reoccurring and to restore trust in the force, especially in light of the strikingly low levels of trust and confidence in the police among Black communities.
We hope to see transparency in this process and accountability for the actions taken.