Police launch internal investigation over arrest of black man in Leeds
The footage of the incident in Leeds city centre on Monday was shared online.
West Yorkshire Police has launched an internal investigation after footage of a black man being arrested in Leeds city centre on Monday was shared online
3 officers can be seen arresting the suspect on Albion Street, with pepper spray being used as he resisted.
At 5.46pm yesterday, police were contacted by Leedswatch CCTV reporting a man who had been acting aggressively and had been removed twice from the Trinity shopping centre by security staff.
He was then reported to be sat on a bench drinking alcohol in breach of the Public Spaces Protection Order which is in place in the area.
Officers attended and located the man in Albion Street, and a local PCSO confirmed to them details of the prior incidents at the shopping centre.
Officers spoke to the man for more than eight minutes and attempted to establish his identity as a suspect for those offences but he repeatedly refused to provide his details, which is an offence in these circumstances.
When officers tried to arrest him, he resisted and incapacitant spray was deployed and physical control was used to detain him.
The man was taken into custody on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly in a public place.
He was subsequently given a community resolution for that offence, which is an out of court disposal that can be issued when the offender admits their guilt and accepts responsibility
He received no injuries during his arrest or detention and was released from custody earlier this morning.
A referral has been made to West Yorkshire Police Professional Standards Directorate so that the circumstances can be formally reviewed.
Chief Superintendent Damien Miller, Leeds District Commander, said: “We are aware that this man’s arrest has been the focus of speculation on social media, but we hope that by providing further context people will now have a fuller understanding of the circumstances leading up to officers detaining him.
“We recognise the understandable concerns that exist around police interactions with people from ethnic minority communities, and we continue to work closely with those communities through our Independent Advisory Group to improve trust and confidence, scrutinise police actions and decision making and increase transparency.
“We are also liaising with the organisers of a planned protest in relation to this incident to ensure they have the full context and understanding of what occurred. This includes inviting them to meet with us and view the officers’ body-worn footage in full.”