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POLICE STOPIn October, a 14 year old black mixed-race boy was on his way to meet his mum in Chorlton to get food.
She called him at 9.40pm, both confirmed they were on route, he started to run as he was going to be late. At 10pm, her son had not arrived.
On her 6th call an adult answered. The mum asked who it was, stating she wanted to speak to her son, but was hung up on.
Little did she know that since talking to her son, GMP had stopped him, stating a member of the public had seen ‘someone of his description’ trying car doors.
Little did she know that since talking to her son, GMP had stopped him, stating a member of the public had seen ‘someone of his description’ trying car doors.
As he had been running to meet his mum, two cars and four officers pulled over, got out and immediately arrested him.
He said ‘I want my mum here. She’s round the corner. I haven't done anything. I’m 14. I want her to be here. Can I call her, I know she's just going to turn up?’
He said ‘I want my mum here. She’s round the corner. I haven't done anything. I’m 14. I want her to be here. Can I call her, I know she's just going to turn up?’
In cuffs, the boy continued to ask if he could call his mum who would be worried, he could feel his phone going off in his pocket.
Officers hung up the phone. They did a search on him/his address and nothing came up. An officer stated:
‘We didn’t believe you were 14’.
Officers hung up the phone. They did a search on him/his address and nothing came up. An officer stated:
‘We didn’t believe you were 14’.
The boy asked if he could sit down because he was feeling shocked, to which an officer responded:
‘You should feel shocked, it will teach you not to do it again’.
The boy responded:
‘Do what again?! I haven’t done anything!’.
‘You should feel shocked, it will teach you not to do it again’.
The boy responded:
‘Do what again?! I haven’t done anything!’.
He remained in cuffs until he asked for them to be taken off.
After being uncuffed, the boy was given his phone back and he wanted to record what was happening. An officer said:
‘We have been fair to you, so now you be respectful to us and don’t record this’.
After being uncuffed, the boy was given his phone back and he wanted to record what was happening. An officer said:
‘We have been fair to you, so now you be respectful to us and don’t record this’.
When his mum got through, officers told her they weren’t entirely sure where they were.
A friend drove her round until she found her son and the police. She arrived at the time that her son was in cuffs, now also with plain clothed officers present.
A friend drove her round until she found her son and the police. She arrived at the time that her son was in cuffs, now also with plain clothed officers present.
Her son was let go and we will pass the family on to legal support.
Police leave these interactions ignoring the damage caused.
Meanwhile, young people are left traumatised and parents are left having to pick them up, whilst also preparing them for when this will happen again.
Police leave these interactions ignoring the damage caused.
Meanwhile, young people are left traumatised and parents are left having to pick them up, whilst also preparing them for when this will happen again.
The boy reflects:
‘They treated me like a criminal and wouldn’t believe me when I said what I was doing and how old I was’
‘The phone screen would have said MUM and had a silly picture of my mum on it when the officer chose to hang up’
‘They treated me like a criminal and wouldn’t believe me when I said what I was doing and how old I was’
‘The phone screen would have said MUM and had a silly picture of my mum on it when the officer chose to hang up’
‘I was very scared about what was happening. I didn’t understand what was happening. I just wanted my mum to be there because she would know what to do’.
The family are doing okay, but understandably still working to move past it. We will continue to support.
The family are doing okay, but understandably still working to move past it. We will continue to support.
To add, we have collar numbers, further details and legal support for work behind the scenes.
We share when families want it shared anonymously and to ensure people remember these things happen week in week out.
We share when families want it shared anonymously and to ensure people remember these things happen week in week out.
