Two British police officers will be investigated over potential misconduct in the wake of the death of 18-year-old Henry Nowak, who was handcuffed and arrested by officers as he was on the ground dying of a stab wound to his chest.
In December of last year, Nowak was murdered with a traditional Sikh blade in Southampton by 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa, who falsely told police that he had been the victim of racial abuse by his murder victim.
When police arrived on the scene, Nowak told officers in a strained voice that he could not breathe and that he had been stabbed. Infamously, a male officer was recorded on bodycam footage replying: “I don’t think you have, mate”. Nowak was then handcuffed as he lay on the ground and lost consciousness.
Additional bodycam footage later revealed that not only did police not handcuff the killer, but they also took Digwa’s fake claims of racism as the truth.
Transcripts went on to show that the male officer and a female officer did not realise that Nowak had actually been stabbed for nearly eight minutes.
On Wednesday, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said that it would open an investigation into two officers who allegedly failed to provide medical aid to the dying teen, choosing instead to arrest him, the BBC reported.
“There’s also an indication one of the officers may have breached the standard relating to authority, respect and courtesy, for appearing to dismiss Henry saying he had been stabbed,” the watchdog said.
The investigation was prompted in part as a result of complaints made by Nowak’s family, who claimed that their son had been subjected to “inhumane and degrading” treatment, while his killer was afforded “decency”.
The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary previously apologised to the family for how its officers treated Nowak. The manner in which the police conducted themselves sparked protests and riots in Southampton, while many across the country alleged that it demonstrated Britain is operating under a two-tier justice system.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage asserted that the culture of anti-white racism and the elevation of ethnic minorities through Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives played a role in the death of Nowak.
The IOPC said that its investigation will examine whether race or religion had an impact on how the police handled the situation.
IOPC director of engagement Derrick Campbell said: “Our investigators met with Henry’s family earlier this month, where we were able to discuss our investigation with them in depth, now that criminal proceedings have concluded.
“Two officers will now face gross misconduct investigations. There is clear evidence that public confidence in the force may have been seriously harmed by this incident, and that is a factor we must consider when assessing the evidence.
“The serving of gross misconduct notices does not necessarily mean that disciplinary proceedings will follow. At the end of our investigation, we will decide whether any officers should face disciplinary proceedings.”