Two Metropolitan Police officers have been sacked after being found guilty of gross misconduct over the stop and search of two black athletes.
Olympic sprinter Ricardo dos Santos, 28, and his partner and Team GB athlete Bianca Williams, 29, made a complaint to the police watchdog, believing they were racially profiled during a “disturbing” stop and search.
PC Jonathan Clapham and PC Sam Franks have today been sacked after a disciplinary hearing found their actions, for lying about smelling cannabis during the stop and search, amounted to gross misconduct.
Three other officers were cleared of any wrongdoing.
The police followed the athletes as they travelled home from training in their Mercedes with their baby son, who was then three months old on 4 July 2020.
The couple were handcuffed and searched on suspicion of having drugs and weapons after they were pulled over outside their property, but nothing was found.
Speaking outside the hearing, Mr dos Santos said: “If we can’t trust in the police to be honest and accept when they have done wrong… what hope is there.
“The case has taken a big toll on our family and our careers, but it is crucial that those people who have a voice use it.”
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‘Allegations based on racist stereotypes’, says athlete Ricardo dos Santos.
Acting Police Sergeant Rachel Simpson, PC Allan Casey, PC Jonathan Clapham, PC Michael Bond and PC Sam Franks had all denied the accusations against them, including allegations they breached police standards over equality and diversity during the stop and search.
PCs Casey and Bond, and Sergeant Simpson, were found not to have breached any standards.
The Independent Office For Police Conduct (IOPC) brought the case against the five officers and said the detention of Mr dos Santos and Ms Williams was “because they were black” and was “excessive, unreasonable and unjustified”.
Karon Monaghan KC, for the IOPC, told the panel at the start of the hearing there is “institutional discrimination” in the Met Police.
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The IOPC’s case relied on wider documents and reports that indicated black people are “much more likely” to be stopped and searched in London more generally, and that black people are “routinely treated” with “more suspicion and hostility” by police officers and “stereotyped as criminal”.
Mr dos Santos accused the officers of detaining him for “DWB – driving while black” and told the panel he had been “afraid” for the safety of his partner and his son during the encounter with the officers.
Ms Williams cried as she watched footage of her partner being pulled from the driver’s seat and handcuffed.
She denied suggestions her partner could have acted differently to avoid police attention, insisting that “he can’t change the colour of his skin”.
All five officers gave evidence over the course of the misconduct hearing.
Officers followed Mr dos Santos because of the “appalling” and “suspicious” nature of his driving and were doing their duty when they conducted the stop and search, the panel heard.
