Three Met cops who strip-searched black girl, 15, GUILTY of misconduct – but are cleared of racially profiling her
THREE Met Police officers who strip-searched a black 15-year-old girl after wrongly suspecting she had cannabis have been found guilty of misconduct.
The teen, known only as Child Q, was removed from an exam at her school in Hackney, East London, by the female cops.
She was forced to remove her sanitary towel during the "disproportionate" and "humiliating" strip search.
The ordeal sparked fury after the Met were accused of targeting the girl because of her race.
PC Kristina Linge and PC Rafal Szmydynski were today found guilty of gross misconduct following a tribunal.
PC Victoria Wray was found to have committed misconduct, the panel in South East London found.
The panel heard how black schoolchildren were more likely to be treated as older and less vulnerable than their white peers.
But the hearing did not find that the officers were influenced by Child Q's race nor was the girl's age a factor in her treatment.
Cdr Kevin Southworth said: "The experience of Child Q should never have happened and was truly regrettable.
"We have sincerely apologised to Child Q since this incident happened.
"Again, I am deeply sorry to Child Q and her family for the trauma that we caused her, and the damage this incident caused to the trust and confidence black communities across London have in our officers."
Police were called to the school in December 2020 after believing the teen girl may have been in possession of drugs.
She was forced to expose her intimate parts while no appropriate adult was present.
No drugs were found during the search, which was described as unjustified, inappropriate, disproportionate humiliating and degrading.
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