UK Police Officers Accused of Torture

Reports are emerging in the UK of alleged torture techniques used on 5 suspects arrested in connection with drug offenses. Six members of the Metropolitan Police Force in London are currently under investigation regarding the matter.

It was a fellow police officer who first made the allegations that have led to the current investigation into the conduct of 10 officers in total. Eight of those officers, including the six facing the torture allegations, have been suspended from duty and the remaining two officers are only permitted to carry out restricted duties. The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is now carrying out the investigation after having the matter referred to them by the Metropolitan Police's own Directorate of Professional Standards. In addition to the charges of the use of torture techniques, there are further accusations of corruption, theft of suspect's property and evidence fabrication. Enfield, a borough in North London, was the scene of the two drugs raids that took place on November 4 2008 and that have led to the current investigation. It was the borough's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in which the suspended officers worked when the alleged offenses took place and another consequence of the ongoing inquiry is that a new Borough Commander will be appointed in due course. In reporting on the matter the Guardian newspaper states that Scotland Yard, headquarters of the Metropolitan Police, has used the term "waterboarding" to describe the treatment meted out by their officers. The BBC merely quotes Scotland Yard as describing the matter as one of "real concern" but not going into any specific detail. The Guardian went on to add that unnamed sources, in attempting to play down the seriousness of the allegations, have described it as

more Life on Mars than Guantanamo Bay

Life on Mars is the science fiction cum police drama TV series first shown in the UK in 2006 and later adapted for American TV. Whether Scotland Yard did or did not describe the techniques used on the suspects as "waterboarding", where descriptions of the actual technique used do appear they talk of suspects having their heads held under water. The BBC makes mention of one man having his head put down a toilet and the toilet being repeatedly flushed. London mayor Boris Johnson is also reported as having called the allegations "extremely serious" and needing to be "thoroughly investigated". The comparisons being made between the allegations in the UK and the debate currently being held in the US as to both the effectiveness and the legality of the CIA's waterboarding techniques are perhaps understandable. But, unless further allegations come to light, it may be that the UK incidents are the actions of a few misguided individuals rather than a policy supposedly sanctioned at the highest level of Government. However, in both instances, the credibility of law enforcement agencies appears to have been undermined. The drugs charges due to have been laid against the 5 people, one woman and four men, arrested during the police raids in Enfield have now been dropped because any trial would have resulted in the torture allegations becoming known and their investigation being compromised.