Police probe after man is seen falling to ground
DERBYSHIRE Police have launched an internal investigation after video footage was posted on social media showing a man falling to the ground after an incident involving an officer.
The force says its professional standards department is dealing with the matter after receiving a complaint from a member of the public.
The footage, which appeared on Facebook, appears to show officers restraining a woman in High Street, Ripley, when a man walks up behind them.
The video then shows an officer turning around and appearing to connect with the man, who falls to the ground.
The footage relates to a disturbance which occurred on October 7.
A Derbyshire Police spokesman said: “We are aware of video footage of an incident attended by our officers in Ripley shortly after 1am on Sunday, October 7.
“The matter is the subject of a complaint from a member of the public and is being investigated by our professional standards department.”
The professional standards department at Derbyshire Police is based at its headquarters in Ripley.
It records and investigates complaints against officers and police staff from members of the public.
It also has responsibility for information security, vetting and criminal record checks.
If, after an investigation, it feels an officer has a case to answer for misconduct or gross misconduct, it can hold disciplinary hearings.
At a gross misconduct hearing, an officer can be sacked, given a written warning or a final warning – or the allegations against them can be found not proven.