Hampshire Police under inspection following Henry Nowak stabbing death
A national inspection into Hampshire Police has been launched after the murder of 18-year-old student Henry Nowak, who was handcuffed by officers as he lay dying.
Hampshire Police face independent review after Henry Nowak murder
A formal inspection into Hampshire Police's response to serious violent incidents has been launched in the aftermath of the murder of Henry Nowak, BBC reports.
The 18-year-old university student was stabbed in Southampton by Vickrum Digwa, who subsequently lied to police and falsely claimed he had been the victim of a racist attack. Officers initially arrested Nowak and placed him in handcuffs as he lay dying from his injuries.
His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) will assess the force's processes, training and how officers are supported to make sound and impartial judgements. The inspection was formally requested by Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones.
"This inspection will provide an independent assessment of the force's training, processes and culture, including the handling of allegations of racially aggravated assault," Jones said. "Henry's family deserve answers, and the public deserve reassurance that their police service is equipped to recognise victims and provide the highest standard of care when it matters most."
Nowak, from Chafford Hundred in Essex, had been a first-year student at the University of Southampton at the time of his death. Digwa was sentenced to life imprisonment in June with a minimum term of 21 years, after the judge rejected his claim of self-defence.
Video footage of Nowak in handcuffs, released previously, prompted national outrage and sparked violent disorder in Southampton. The case has since fuelled wider public debate over policing, race and knife legislation.
Inspectors will examine the end-to-end police response process through the control room, covering call handling, dispatch and initial attendance at incidents of serious violence. The review will also look at decision-making and risk assessment training, with a focus on how officers are supported to make bias-free decisions and identify when immediate action — such as first aid — is required.
Jones said the public "must have confidence that police officers receive the right information, the right training and the right support to make critical decisions."
The inspection will not examine the conduct of individual officers who responded to the 3 December incident, as that matter is the subject of a separate investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct. The Commissioner's office confirmed the scope of the review was carefully designed to avoid interfering with other judicial or conduct proceedings.
Source: Google News IE — Crime (en)