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Jacques Szemalikowski |
Head contests findings of riot police inquiry
Independent body to hear appeal
A HEADTEACHER has appealed against a decision by internal police investigators to reject his complaint about officers’ behaviour during a flare-up outside his school gates.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) will now look into the behaviour of Territorial Support Group officers – commonly referred to as riot police – during the skirmish outside Hampstead School, in West Hampstead, 16 months ago.
Jacques Szemalikowski, head at the Westbere Road school, lodged a complaint after students and senior teachers alleged that police racially targeted students and were heavy-handed. It was not upheld by the Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS).
A similar complaint made by Sashon Martin-Edwards, then 15 and a student at Hampstead School, and his father, Roy Martin, was rejected by the IPCC last year. They are currently preparing a civil action against police.
Eight people – including Mr Martin-Edwards and his father – were arrested as a result of the incident. Four males aged between 17 and 25 were formally warned for public disorder offences, while two others, aged 18 and 40, who faced similar charges were fined.
No further action was taken against a 14-year-old bailed for unrelated matters. Another 14-year-old pleaded guilty to possession of a knife.
Outlining the grounds of his appeal, Mr Szemalikowski said: “The DPS has said there is no complaint to answer and I’ve submitted an appeal on behalf of the governors and students. Had I thought there was no case to answer I would never have made the complaint in the first place.
“We felt the police were inappropriate and I want it looked at through appeal.”
He said there were “serious flaws” with the DPS’s decision, and claimed that teachers’ witness statements had not been collected. The DPS maintained that footage from a police CCTV van, sitting outside the school at the time, “could not be obtained”.
Mr Szemalikowski said it was important to show pupils that the school did not have double standards. “We are very clear on our expectations of pupils,” he said. “To give that credibility we have to have clear expectations of everyone else.”
He revealed that parents were deciding whether to replace the school police officer, who left after the riot.
He said: “We’re having that discussion. It’s an ongoing dialogue in light of everything. There are some parents who are concerned about the role of the police officers in school.”
PC Craig Shenkin – who was commended for his action during the incident – left Hampstead School for “operational” reasons, Mr Szemalikowski said.
An IPCC spokesman said: “We received Mr Szemalikowski’s appeal on December 21. We’ve asked the Metropolitan Police for papers and are considering the appeal.” |
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