Police afraid to use force after ‘woke witch hunt'
Police are 'concerned' about using force while making arrests after a 'woke witch hunt' resulted in a decorated officer being dismissed for gross misconduct.
Dorset Police Federation has called for 'urgent clarification' from senior officers about the implications of using force, including by those 'who make genuine mistakes when doing so'.
It comes after Lorne Castle was dismissed for behaving aggressively and using unreasonable force during an incident in Bournemouth in January last year.
Castle is alleged to have told a youth who was found to be in possession of a knife to 'stop screaming like a b---h' and threatened to 'smash him' before putting his hands around the boy's neck.
Campaigners have since hit out at Dorset Police, calling the force 'woke' and claiming Mr Castle had been 'thrown under a bus'.
Dorset Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers such as Mr Castle, said its members were now doubting themselves over whether they should manhandle suspects to overpower them.
A spokesman said: 'Dorset Police Federation has been overwhelmed by the response by our members since the outcome of this case – colleagues are understandably concerned about what the outcome of this case means for them and their use of force.
'It must be said that we note the strength of feeling from members of the public in Dorset over this incident as well.
'We are seeking urgent clarification from Dorset Police about the implications of using force for officers, including those who make genuine mistakes when doing so.
'We are also keen to review the sustainability of our training provisions around the use of force to ensure that it is fit for purpose. We want to ensure that our members feel that they will be supported when using force lawfully and proportionately.'
In a decade as a PC, Mr Castle was twice commended for saving the lives of members of the public. In 2023, he put his own safety at risk to rescue a woman from being swept away in a flooded river.
In 2021, he was made Dorset Police's officer of the year for his 'outstanding service' and for undertaking every shift 'with the personal commitment to make a difference and do the right thing'.
At the time of the arrest last year, the youth was wanted in connection with an assault on an elderly member of the public on Bournemouth seafront and for being part of a gang attack at a McDonald's restaurant.
As three officers struggled to restrain him and handcuff him, a three-inch knife fell out of his pocket. One end was a lock knife and the other a Stanley knife. The teenager claimed it was for use at his work.
Campaigners have hit out at Dorset Police over the officer's dismissal, with a petition on change.org calling for him to be reinstated. Some have also called for the Home Secretary to intervene.
Chris Amey, who served in the police for 30 years, has set up a GoFundMe campaign to pay Mr Castle's wages. He accused Dorset Police of pursuing a 'woke and weak' agenda.
Mr Amey, a retired chief inspector, said: 'Dorset Police have completely lost touch with reality and the community they serve.
'If you have been following this case you will see a significant overwhelming positive response from huge numbers of the general public, both via social media and in person to Lorne himself.
'It is fantastic to see that this woke and weak agenda will no longer be tolerated. I couldn't stand by and watch a good man and his family suffer at the hands of what can only be described as a 'witch hunt'.
'The decisions made in this case have serious and unprecedented consequences for all serving officers looking to proactively stop and search or arrest offenders in possession of bladed weapons. Are they all now expected to go up to such offenders and politely ask them if they'd kindly hand over anything nasty they might have on them?'
He added: 'The Home Office should be looking at this, and if I was the Home Secretary I would be really concerned about what's going on at Dorset Police at the moment. It was an abysmal decision to dismiss him. All common sense has gone out of the window.'
Mr Castle, a married father of three, has thanked people for the 'unbelievable amount of public support'.
He said: 'I can't say how much the messages and public support have meant. It's been a tough time, it's been hard on me and my family. I'm OK, I feel free for the first time since I joined this job. Who knows what the future holds, but I had to say thank you.'
A spokesman for Dorset Police said: 'An independent panel reviewed all the evidence in relation to this incident and found PC Lorne Castle had committed gross misconduct, having breached the standards of professional behaviour in respect of authority, respect and courtesy, conduct and use of force after he behaved aggressively and used unreasonable force while arresting a 15-year-old boy in Bournemouth town centre.
'We continue to support our colleagues where they use force in a lawful and proportionate way and the standards of behaviour, that the public expect, are upheld. We are working hard to maintain and improve trust and public confidence in policing and tackling unethical or unacceptable behaviour remains a Force priority.'
Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Sacked police officer says he is seen as ‘abuser' after ‘aggressive' arrest
A former police officer who was sacked because of his 'aggressive' detention of a 15-year-old boy has said he is being treated like an 'abuser' and is appealing his case. Lorne Castle was dismissed by Dorset Police after an independent disciplinary tribunal found that he had committed gross misconduct in relation to the arrest of the youth in Bournemouth town centre on January 27 2024. The ex-police constable had admitted misconduct in relation to breaching the standards of professional behaviour relating to authority, respect and courtesy, conduct and use of force but denied gross misconduct. Following the hearing, a Dorset Police spokesman said that Mr Castle had acted 'inappropriately' as he detained the teenager after receiving reports of two assaults in the seaside town. The spokesman said: 'Pc Castle was seen to use unnecessary and inappropriate words towards the boy and place both his hands on his throat. 'The panel found that Pc Castle failed to act with self-control, did not treat the boy with courtesy or respect. 'His shouting, swearing, finger pointing, taking hold of the boy's face and throat and suggested use of leg restraints was not necessary, reasonable or proportionate.' A video clip of the incident, released by the force on Tuesday, shows the officer tackling the boy to the ground before taking hold of the teenager's face and throat while repeatedly swearing and shouting at him. The boy can be heard shouting and crying 'what have I done' and 'what did I do' before the officer shouts 'stop screaming like a little b****, do you understand that? Shut up'. The teenager also screams 'my f****** neck, get off me, I don't want you on me', while Mr Castle is on top of him. The officer later shouts 'stop resisting or I'm gonna smash you, do you understand?' and says the boy is being arrested on suspicion of assault. Speaking on LBC radio, Mr Castle said that the suspect, who had been wearing a mask, had been 'an unknown risk' and was found to be in possession of a knife during the arrest. The 46-year-old father-of-three said: 'If I'd have known on those circumstances that he had a knife that would have probably been a firearms incident. 'The real danger is the unknown. We knew he was potentially violent, but we didn't know how violent. 'Now, the risk for any police officer is the moment you go to detain someone, until you know you've got them safely detained.' He added that it was a 'scary situation' because he was on the ground with the offender with other people nearby. Mr Castle said he had received thousands of messages of support but felt that people were questioning his nature despite previously having '10 years of exemplary service' and having previously received a bravery award from the Humane Society. A GoFundMe page set up for Mr Castle by a retired police officer has so far raised £49,616. He said: 'I've got a phenomenal family and everyone knows that but people are asking that question now 'am I some sort of abuser?' because I attempted to arrest someone who was potentially violent, who resisted and my risk analysis was 100% correct.' In a statement Dorset Police Federation criticised Dorset Police's decision to release the footage, saying the force had done so 'without also providing context or balance'. The federation added: 'Our view is that the showing of selective clips of an officer's body worn video is not a useful or responsible way to properly inform the public about an incident – and only serves to entice the public into making judgments without having the benefit of all the facts. 'This is not fair or just. ' Dorset's Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Farrell said: 'We are sharing body worn video to address concerns about misinformation and to reassure the public that, while tackling crime in Dorset, our officers will continue to be proactive and robust – but by using their powers proportionately and with respect.'
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Survivor of vicsious downtown L.A. machete attack speaks out
A trained and dedicated chef in Los Angeles who survived a gruesome and violent attack by a machete-wielding suspect, who had just killed another victim, is speaking out about the terrifying ordeal. The violence unfolded in the early morning hours of June 1, with the Los Angeles Police Department responding to reports of an attack near11th Street and South Grand Avenue downtown. At that scene, police located a victim suffering severe injuries from the attack. Only described as man in his 60's, the victim was rushed to the hospital where he later died. While detectives were on the scene investigating, reports of another machete attack, in the area of Broadway Street and Olympic Boulevard, came in. Police rushed to the second location and a man now identified as Kyle Levitt. Levitt told KTLA's Rick Chambers that he had been walking home from his job at a restaurant and was in the process of unlocking the building doors to his downtown L.A. apartment building when the attacker struck. 'By the time I looked up and saw the reflection in the door, I noticed a man running up behind me,' he explained. 'I put my arms up to say stop and that's when he hit me again.' Levitt sustained multiple serious injuries to his head, requiring staples, a blow to his right wrist that nearly severed his hand. 'My tendons were cut completely down to the bone. My artery was cut, and he was over me at this point and that is the first time that I'd seen that he had the knife in his hand,' he said. HIs attacker never spoke to him but had what Levitt described as 'crazy eyes,' making him think the man was going to swing the machete at him again. Teenage boy, 15, killed, 5 others hurt in parking lot crash at L.A. school 'For whatever reason, he didn't,' he said. 'He sort of stopped in that moment and registered, for whatever reason, that it was over and he ran away.' Someone inside the apartment building heard Levitt's banging on the door and came to his aid. He was rushed to the hospital where he has since undergone numerous surgeries to reconnect his tendons and save his hand. He didn't learn until later that just minutes before, less than a mile away, another man had been fatally attacked by the suspect. 'It was just this set of circumstances in which I was the lucky one,' Levitt said. During an intensive downtown manhunt for the suspect, police located and arrested him. They also recovered the machete believed to be used in the two attacks. So far, authorities have not released the identities of the suspect or the victim who was killed. A GoFundMe has been organized to help support Levitt for the estimated monthslong recovery and physical therapy leaving him unable to work. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Family says North Texas man was killed by car driven by his best friend
The man who was critically injured in a hit-and-run accident May 30 in west Fort Worth has died, according to his family. Daniel Lester was a beloved brother and father, and his family is 'shattered by grief' at the unexpected loss, his sister Presley Lester said in a GoFundMe. Daniel Lester, 30, died June 1 in the intensive care unit at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital, according to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office website. He was on life support following the accident, KDFW-TV reported, and his family chose to donate his organs. Officers were called to the hit-and-run crash at the intersection of Clifford Street and Western Trade Drive shortly after 11 p.m. They found Lester, who had been been struck by a car. Information from a witness helped officers find the suspect's vehicle, police said. Thirty-six-year-old David Hall was arrested Saturday and faces a charge of collision involving serious bodily injury, according to court records. Presley Lester told KDFW that Hall and her brother were best friends. Another friend who saw the accident told Daniel Lester's family that a truck narrowly missed hitting Daniel's car. Daniel got out of his car to confront the driver, and Hall was also at the scene. The driver of the truck fled, KDFW reported. Hall started to give chase and hit Daniel Lester in the process. 🚨 More top stories from our newsroom: → Warrant: Stranger shot 3 and 'walked away calmly' → Tarrant County approves new commissioners precincts → Woman's body pulled from Trinity River [Get our breaking news alerts.] Hall's attorney, MarQuetta Clayton, was not immediately available for comment Wednesday afternoon. Police said they couldn't confirm the relationship between Hall and Daniel Lester. Hall was held in the Tarrant County Jail after his arrest but has since bonded out. Additional charges against him may be possible after Daniel Lester's death. Presley Lester said in a public Facebook post Monday that her family believes that Hall hit Daniel by accident, but he still needs to face consequences. 'While it is understandable that he was frightened and shaken, abandoning a 'best friend' in a life-threatening situation is inexcusable, regardless of the potential repercussions,' Presley Lester said in her post. Daniel Lester leaves behind two young sons, according to the GoFundMe. His family is raising money to help with his funeral expenses.
