It is understood the report will also find there was no legitimate grounds for officers to place their baby son’s details on the Met’s MERLIN safeguarding database, which stores information on children who have become known to the police.
The IOPC will also be highly critical of the fact the couple were handcuffed by officers – who claimed they could smell cannabis – while their baby son was left alone in the car.
If any of the officers involved in the search are found guilty of gross misconduct by a disciplinary panel they could be sacked.
Six officers were initially placed under investigation for potential misconduct over claims they had failed to be courteous and respectful and also over their use of force.
But the IOPC investigation was later upgraded to potential gross misconduct after the watchdog said new evidence had come to light relating to matters of equality and diversity.
Investigators have also been looking into claims that the accounts provided by the officers following the incident were inaccurate.
The damning findings are the latest blow for the Met’s reputation coming after another IOPC report in February revealed appalling racist and misogynistic messages shared amongst officers based at Charing Cross police station.
The incident took place in the Maida Vale area of west London as the couple were driving their Mercedes car in the middle of the afternoon.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/04/26/police-face-gross-misconduct-proceedings-stop-search-athlete/
