Armed Police Actions Justified: IOPC Report Confirms NO Wrongdoing in Hackney 'Water Pistol' Incident

A High-Stakes Incident: How Police Officers Balanced Safety and Scrutiny in Hackney

An Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation has cleared armed officers of any wrongdoing after they arrested a 13-year-old boy who pointed a water pistol designed to look like a gun at a member of the public in Hackney, east London. This incident, which occurred over 18 months ago on 19 July 2023, has kept the officers involved in a state of limbo, with their careers effectively put on hold during this extended period. The situation garnered widespread media attention, much of which centred on unfounded allegations of racial bias and discrimination. However, the IOPC's findings have ultimately confirmed that the officers' actions were reasonable given the circumstances they faced.

Incident Overview

The situation unfolded when an officer reported seeing a male on a bicycle pointing what appeared to be a handgun at a female on Buxted Road. The officer described the weapon as "blue and white" and "shaped like a Glock," prompting the declaration of a firearms incident. Tactical firearms units from the Metropolitan Police and the City of London Police were deployed to locate the individual.

Shortly before 16:00, armed officers intercepted a 13-year-old boy cycling alone on Buxted Road. Using their vehicle to stop him, they knocked the boy into a wall, surrounded him with weapons drawn, and arrested him. The boy was handcuffed and questioned about the weapon, which he said was a water pistol left at home. Witnesses at the scene, including a member of the public, corroborated this. The boy was subsequently searched, no firearm was found, and he was de-arrested after his mother arrived to confirm the toy's nature. The boy sustained minor injuries and was treated at a hospital for bruising.

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The Context: A High-Risk Area

Hackney has long grappled with gun crime, with weapons often disguised to avoid detection. In 2020, Hackney recorded the highest rate of gun crime among London boroughs, with 122 firearm offences concentrated in areas such as London Fields. This prevalence of gun crime underscores the challenges faced by police officers in distinguishing between genuine firearms and replicas or toys. Nationally, the issue is also reflected in a 24% increase in recorded imitation firearm offences in England and Wales for the year ending September 2023, as highlighted by the National Crime Agency.

According to a firearms expert consulted during the investigation, the boy's water pistol closely resembled self-loading pistols sometimes modified to fire live ammunition. The officer who reported the boy's actions stressed that the decision to respond as though it were a genuine firearm was informed by this knowledge and the belief that the public's safety could be at risk.

Experts confirmed that the water pistol resembled firearms which have in the past been converted from starter pistols like the one in the image above

There is no way that police officers should be expected to assume that items made to look like guns are anything other than genuine firearms until proven otherwise. This is a basic principle of policing and a critical component of ensuring public safety—a fact that anyone applying common sense should be able to grasp. In high-risk situations, hesitation or erroneous assumptions can have catastrophic consequences, reinforcing the necessity of treating all potential threats seriously until they can be definitively ruled out.

Notably, the IOPC investigation found no evidence that the boy's ethnicity influenced the officers' actions. The officer who initially witnessed the incident described the boy as approximately 16 years old and maintained that his actions were based solely on the perceived threat.

IOPC Findings and the Officers' Actions

The IOPC reviewed body-worn camera footage, police reports, and eyewitness accounts. The investigation confirmed that the decision to deploy armed officers and the tactics used, including "close quarter containment," were justified. This approved technique, authorised by a tactical firearms commander, was deemed appropriate given the situation's apparent urgency and danger.

A ‘water pistol’ similar to the one used by the male

The IOPC also investigated allegations of adultification and discrimination raised by the boy's mother—who was not present when he pointed the pistol at a member of the public—but found no evidence to substantiate these claims. The report underscored the seriousness of the boy's actions, noting that pointing a realistic-looking weapon at someone required a swift and decisive response. "Officers cannot assume that an object resembling a firearm is not a genuine weapon," the report stated, highlighting the importance of vigilance in areas where gun crime is a serious problem.

Media Criticism and Public Perception

The incident initially generated significant media coverage, with some outlets, such as The Independent, amplifying the mother's allegations of racial bias and criticising police actions. However, the IOPC's findings have debunked claims of discrimination, instead highlighting the officers' adherence to protocol in responding to a potential firearms threat.

This disparity between early reporting and the eventual findings underscores a broader issue of how anti-police narratives surrounding policing incidents are shaped. Time and time again, we see examples where mainstream media outlets hastily adopt a narrative that assumes police misconduct without waiting for evidence.

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Even when facts later emerge to exonerate the officers involved, some outlets continue to perpetuate the initial narrative, ignoring the realities faced by police officers on the ground. This tendency not only misinforms the public but also erodes trust in some sections of the mainstream media by promoting a skewed perspective.

Critics have long argued that sensationalist reporting can and does undermine public trust in the police, particularly when such reports fail to consider the broader context—in this case, the prevalence of gun crime and the deceptive nature of some weapons.

A Complex Balancing Act

This case illustrates the difficult decisions police officers face in high-stakes situations. In areas like Hackney, where gun crime is a serious issue, officers must balance their duty to protect the public with the risk of appearing heavy-handed. The IOPC's thorough investigation—involving expert opinions, video evidence, and interviews with officers and witnesses—validates the decisions made by those involved in this incident.

The findings serve as a reminder of the challenges police officers face who must act swiftly under uncertain and potentially dangerous circumstances. The incident also highlights the need for responsible reporting, ensuring that public discourse is informed by facts rather than speculation or bias.

Supporting Our Police: Justified Actions in Hackney 'Water Pistol' Incident

The recent Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) report on the Hackney incident involving a 13-year-old with a water pistol is a clear vindication of the ARV officer's actions. This case illustrates not only the complexities of policing in high-risk environments but also the necessity for public support and understanding of the police's role.

First, let's address the facts: an officer witnessed what appeared to be a serious threat—a young male on a bicycle pointing an object resembling a Glock pistol at a female. Given Hackney's notorious history with gun crime, the officer's decision to treat this as a genuine firearms incident was both logical and necessary. The area's statistics, with 122 firearm offences in 2020 alone, underscore why officers can't afford to second-guess when faced with such scenarios. The increase in imitation firearm offences across England and Wales further corroborates the need for immediate, decisive action (become a Premium Subscriber to continue reading)