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Officers actions in water pistol arrest incident were reasonable, investigation finds

Factual summary of a published IOPC investigation, covering the incident, key findings and outcome.

All IOPC reports
Published
2024-12-13
Investigation type
independent
Force involved
Metropolitan Police Service

What was investigated

An IOPC investigation into an incident where armed police arrested a 13-year-old boy who had been playing with a water pistol, has found that the actions of the officers involved were reasonable in the circumstances. The incident occurred on 19 July 2023 in Hackney, east London, and involved complaints of adultification and discrimination against the child, who is Black.

Key findings

  • Officers' actions were deemed reasonable given the circumstances.
  • The child was believed to have a real firearm based on officer reports.
  • No evidence was found to support claims of racial bias in the officers' actions.
  • The water pistol had a color and shape that could resemble a firearm.
  • The police vehicle's use of tactical contact was deemed appropriate in this situation.
  • The decision to handcuff the child was reasonable given the belief of a firearm.
  • The officer involved denied allegations of adultification and discrimination.
  • The police took steps to protect the child's welfare.

Outcome

The investigation concluded that the officers acted within their duties and found no indications of misconduct. The Metropolitan Police has apologized to the family for the distress caused.

Read the full report on policeconduct.gov.uk

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Reviewed by the BlueLineHub Editorial Team
Last reviewed: 13 July 2026 · Next review due: 13 January 2027

This is a factual summary of a report published by the Independent Office for Police Conduct. Individuals are referred to exactly as the source report anonymises them. BlueLineHub is independent and not affiliated with the IOPC · Summarised 2026-07-13.