23 yr old black man tasered by police paralysed from the waist down.

“A police officer has been placed under criminal investigation after a man was shot with a Taser weapon and left paralysed from the waist down.

The man, 23, was shot by an officer using a stun gun as he jumped over a wall and fell as officers tried to detain him in Haringey, north London. The incident happened on 4 May and is being investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). The man was arrested for drug-related offences (small amount of cannabis) and has been in hospital ever since.

The IOPC said the incident started when police on patrol approached a man, in his 20s, on Burgoyne Road, close to Finsbury Park. The IOPC said the man “suffered a life-changing injury” and added: “We understand that the man ran off and police officers chased and then Tasered him as he jumped over a wall. The man fell and suffered serious injuries. He was arrested for drug-related offences and was taken to hospital where he was assessed as having a life-changing injury.”

The IOPC said that after it had examined the initial evidence one police officer was now subject to a criminal investigation for the alleged offence of causing grievous bodily harm.

The police watchdog said the officer “will be asked by IOPC investigators to give a written account under caution. The officer has also been served notice of investigation for gross misconduct.” It stressed it did not mean the officer had done anything wrong.

Sal Naseem from the IOPC said: “Having examined a range of evidence including body-worn video, witness statements and medical evidence, we have taken the decision that this is now a criminal investigation. A criminal investigation does not mean that criminal charges will necessarily follow.

Police and the government believe Taser weapons are a vital tool for officers. But they have been controversial because of claims of deaths linked to them, and alleged disproportionate use against black people.

In the Haringey case the IOPC are expected to examine if deployment of the Taser weapon was lawful and proportionate. They will also see if due regard was taken of the risk posed by firing the electric stun gun as a suspect clambered over a wall. The IOPC are accused by some in policing of subjecting officers to long investigations for little reason. Those who help families accuse the police watchdog of failing to be effective and hold state power to account.

The veteran community activist Stafford Scott said: “Community tensions are building. Even though we are on lockdown my phone hasn’t stopped ringing.

“No one appears able to hold the police to account for their use.

“We are angry but not surprised whatsoever, as it is our experience as a community that the MPS [Metropolitan police service] is an institutionally racist organisation that shows no signs of, or willingness to change.”” - Guardian excerpts