No further action to be taken after cow hit by police car in Staines-Upon-Thames
The cow, Beau Lucy, is well and remains at the farm with her herd
Surrey Police have said that no further action will be taken after a cow was injured by a police car in Staines-Upon-Thames back in June.
They say that the incident has been thoroughly investigated as both a criminal and internal misconduct matter and has now concluded
The force have said that whilst the footage was distressing, those involved "acted within their duties" and the tactics adopted were both lawful and necessary to prevent harm to the public and property"
The investigation reviewed over 250 pieces of video footage, 75 witness statements and obtained the expert opinions of animal welfare specialists.
Surrey Police also say that the cow, Beau Lucy, is well and remains at the farm with her herd.
Deputy Chief Constable, Nev Kemp, said; “We appreciate the strength of feeling which remains in relation to this incident, which is why we committed to conducting a diligent and thorough investigation to determine whether any criminal offences had taken place in relation to the actions taken by Surrey Police on the night.
“This involved gathering substantial amounts of video evidence, as well as speaking to witnesses, and animal welfare specialists to help inform the SIOs decision making. After investigating for five months, the SIO found that while there is necessary organisational learning in relation to how we handle loose livestock, no criminal offences were made out and therefore no further action should be taken against those who were involved.
“This determination was supported by the Head of Professional Standards for Surrey Police who subsequently reviewed whether there was any potential misconduct. They determined a need for individual learning, but that no further action is taken in relation to misconduct. The driver of the vehicle will return to frontline duties in due course.
“This incident has highlighted several issues in relation to how the police respond to a loose livestock incident and therefore, as a Force, we want to do what we can to reduce the possibility of any event like this happening again, not just in Surrey but anywhere in the country. We have reviewed the recommendations made by the SIO and experts in this area, and will be working to address these promptly, sharing any best practice with Forces across the UK.