The family of Marcus Meade, a 39-year-old father-of-two from Birmingham, have expressed anger and frustration over the pace of the investigation into his death. Meade was shot in the chest by an armed police officer following a five-hour stand-off at his home in Redditch on Christmas Eve 2024.
A spokesman for the family said interviews with three West Mercia Police officers, previously identified as being of interest to the police watchdog, had still not been completed. The spokesman claimed the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation was initially expected to take eight months, but it has still not concluded almost two years later.
Interviews delayed until October
Relatives were reportedly told that the interviews would be completed during August, but the process is now expected to run into October. The IOPC said written account statements had been provided by two of the officers. It was decided that it was inappropriate to interview the third officer because the watchdog required extra, detailed information, and the interview would happen as soon as possible.
The IOPC said it was "committed to ensuring our investigation is thorough and examines all the circumstances of this tragic incident." Desmond Jaddoo, who speaks for the family, said: "They are angry, frustrated and deeply disappointed. Nearly two years have passed since Marcus was killed, and we are still waiting for answers.
"We were told the IOPC investigation was expected to take around eight months. We are now approaching the second anniversary of Marcus’s death and another Christmas without him, yet the investigation remains unfinished. How much longer must this family wait? The IOPC has confirmed three officers were officers of interest and were intended to be interviewed. Yet, almost two years later, those interviews have still not all taken place. We were told they would be concluded during August. We are now being told October. This is simply not good enough for a family who have already suffered unimaginable loss."
Concerns over cooperation and transparency
Jaddoo added: "We have to ask serious questions about why this process continues to be delayed. We have legitimate concerns about whether there has been sufficient cooperation from all those involved, including West Mercia Police, the Police Federation and the officers concerned. We are not making accusations without evidence. What we are demanding is transparency. We want to know why these interviews have not been completed and why the timetable continues to move.
"Time matters. As time passes, memories can fade, recollections can become less reliable and evidence can become more difficult to establish. That is precisely why investigations of this nature must be conducted thoroughly but also without unnecessary delay."
IOPC responds to family's concerns
Derrick Campbell, IOPC Director of Engagement, told BirminghamLive: "We announced in March that three West Mercia Police officers were to be investigated over their planning and management of the firearms operation during which Mr Meade was fatally shot. Since then, we have been liaising with the force and representatives of those officers to obtain evidential accounts regarding the roles they played.
"In June and then August we received written statements – accounts that were provided by two of the officers – in response to the allegations made against them. However, we decided it was appropriate to interview the other officer as we required additional, detailed information. We wanted to conduct that interview before the end of August, but no date was provided by the officer’s representatives. We continue to liaise with the force and the officer’s representatives to identify an interview date as soon as possible.
"Our sympathies remain with the family and friends of Marcus Meade. We know they want answers and we are committed to ensuring our investigation is thorough and examines all the circumstances of this tragic incident."
Family demands accountability
The family previously called for West Mercia chief constable Richard Cooper to resign and demanded accountability in relation to the officer who shot Mr Meade. A petition supporting the family’s campaign attracted more than 3,000 signatures and was presented to the force.
Jaddoo said: "More than 3,000 people signed our petition because they believe Marcus deserves answers and his family deserves justice. This campaign is not going away. We will continue to ask difficult questions and demand accountability wherever the evidence leads.
"The public must have confidence that, when a person dies during a police incident, the circumstances will be independently, thoroughly and transparently investigated. While other families are preparing to celebrate Christmas with their loved ones, Marcus’s family will once again be facing an empty space at the table and remembering the terrible events of Christmas Eve 2024.
"And alongside that grief comes the continuing question: when will we finally get the answers we have been waiting for? We have been patient. We have cooperated with the process. But patience does not mean that we should remain silent when there are continuing delays. Marcus was a human being. He had a family who loved him. His life mattered. His family deserve the truth. They deserve transparency. And where the evidence establishes wrongdoing or failures, they deserve accountability. Marcus must not be forgotten."
