Police watchdog begins investigation into West Midlands Police 'restraint' video
The police watchdog has started its investigation into the force used during a West Midlands Police arrest which went viral online.
A video of the arrest in Sandwell, which has now been viewed more than 3.9 million times, shows an officer repeatedly striking a man on the head.
West Midlands Police referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct on Monday after one version of the video was viewed more than 1.4m times in less than 24 hours.
The clip, filmed on February 25, is only eight seconds long and does not show what happened before the man was subdued.
However a spokesman for West Midlands Police said the man had assaulted a doctor with a metal crutch during a mental health assessment before injuring three police officers with his walking sticks.
Officers used incapacitant spray - a can of which can be seen in the hand of the officer hitting the man in video - before handcuffing the man and arresting him on suspicion of assault. Footage from the officers' body cameras has not been released.
WATCH the video here:
IOPC regional director Derrick Campbell said: “The footage showing a man being struck over the head several times is disturbing and I am conscious of the widespread concern it has caused, and the impact on public confidence in policing such an incident can have.
"We need to understand the full circumstances and have started an independent investigation that will include looking at whether the use of force by officers was justified and proportionate.
“Police body worn video footage and statements from the officers involved have been provided by West Midlands Police and will be reviewed as part of our investigation.
"We would urge anyone who took phone footage and/or posted it on social media to contact us.”
Three officers suffered injuries to their arms, heads, face and hands during the incident, while two officers were treated for the effects of the incapacitant spray, according to West Midlands Police.
The doctor also sustained a minor injury.
The arrested man was medically examined and found to be injury-free but went on to be treated at a mental health facility, West Midlands Police said.
The video was initially wrongly linked to Humberside Police after six officers from the north-east force were suspended for breaching the force’s standards of behaviour.
