West Mercia Police has defended officers' actions after footage of a topless man being arrested in Worcester city centre went viral, sparking concern about the use of force. The force said the clip, which shows the suspect being 'taken to the ground' on Saturday afternoon (July 4), captures only 10 seconds of a wider incident and that the man was not knocked unconscious, contrary to online speculation.
Incident Details
At around 4.15pm, officers responded to multiple calls reporting a man acting aggressively in the area. Callers said he had headbutted another man, who was not known to him. The victim suffered a broken nose and required hospital treatment. The suspect was arrested on suspicion of assault and for being drunk and disorderly, and has since been bailed to return to the police station in August.
Police Response to Footage
A police spokesperson said: 'The footage being shared online captures only 10 seconds of the officers’ attempts to calm and arrest the suspect. From the angle shown, it is not possible to see that the officer maintains control of the man’s arm and shoulder as he is taken to the ground, which is a tactic used to detain someone who is resisting arrest or behaving aggressively, as safely as possible.'
The force acknowledged the arrest tactics may 'appear alarming, particularly when just seconds of a wider incident are seen' but said its officers were 'trained to use only the necessary level of force to protect the public, those involved and themselves'.
Review by Professional Standards Department
The incident has been reviewed by the force's Professional Standards Department, which 'found the force used to be proportionate in the circumstances, taking into account the details of the full incident'. The man sustained a minor graze to his face during the arrest, but was not knocked unconscious.
