After writing a comprehensive impact statement outlining my recent experience in March of this year I had hoped a thorough investigation by Kent Police would help bring closure, but it hasn’t. I feel more aggrieved by their total lack of compassion, pragmatism and disregard for my truthful account.
To recap, I was out one early Sunday evening jogging. I had nothing on me such as a handbag keys or phone. During my warm up walk I was approached by an angry man in a van accusing me of being near his car on his drive. He wouldn’t accept I knew nothing about it as I hadn’t been on his drive. He then persisted to tail me with his van as I began my routine jog. He called the police which I thought might help resolve the situation, but after feeling freighted and scared he might attack me I ran and sought refuge in a local train station office close to my house.
A Kent police office barged in saying to the station guard that I was a car thief and not in fear of my life as I had stated. I challenged this and we were back and forth with him suggesting the man had every right to chase me (because I had tried to steal his car) and that I was fit and strong so could defend myself against any attack in any case. I was totally broken by this onslaught of accusations and the inherent dismissal of my vulnerability/humanity. He went to speak to the man and then returned to continue the same narrative without asking a single question as to my version of events. It was truly horrific.
Eventually I was able to establish that I lived a few minutes away and he took me home. He and the false accuser who turns out to be a neighbour from the next road stood on my drive, even then the officer failed to acknowledge this was an unsubstantiated allegation. He put it down to a 'misunderstanding', but I was not misunderstood, I was out jogging as a law abiding, regular citizen free to jog. In fact I am a victim of being chased and intimidated by a stranger and then incorrectly termed a car thief by the police officer. During the investigation of my complaint the police officer in question had the affront to state that he was in no doubt that I was on the man’s drive- because why would he lie, however he considers it a misunderstanding therefore no further action should be taken.
I am left with more questions than answers
If the police officer is in'no doubt' that I was on the man’s drive why didn’t he caution me for trespassing?
Given the man said he himself didn’t see me on the drive and there was no damage to the car- how can the officer be in ‘no doubt’ that I was indeed on the drive?
The drive in question is cocooned by a single story high bush, so I would have had to intentionally walk around a bush to go on the drive. Why would I be on a random drive if I was out jogging?
What exactly is the misunderstanding?
Why is the officer unable to accept my truthful account?
Why is it impossible for him to view me as a potential victim, even after it was established I lived a few doors away?
‘It just doesn’t make sense. I am not a car thief...we are in dangerous territory when a Police Officer cannot admit he is wrong’
Portrayed as the aggressor
The officer’s account in the investigation was that when he entered the station office I started talking animated and gesticulating with my hands. While he was trying to explain things to me I kept speaking over him and not letting him finish his point. At points we were both speaking at the same time. My reaction to him telling the station guard I was a car thief and that I was not in fear of my life was surly enough to evoke a strong defensive response by me which his account did not capture. He made it appear that he was calm and rational while I was rather combative and confrontational. He denied threatening to arrest me- which he clearly did because I responded ‘You can’t arrest me, I’ve done nothing wrong’.
In all of this I have not had my humanity validated. I have not been exonerated because a 'misunderstanding' is not definitive. How can an allegation with no evidence, intent or motive be left wide open? He considered the disgruntled accuser in his pyjamas more credible than me- for reasons I struggle to understand.
Racially Bias Policing
The investigation determined no breaches of legislation, ECHR or policy and there was no indication of discrimination, bias or prejudice because there were no words used which would be deemed discriminatory and no actions which show prejudice or bias. GIVE ME A BREAK!
The whole system stinks. Throughout this whole saga I have not been treated equally to my white accuser. The embodiment of black people being seen first as criminals, rather than victims has played out at every stage from start to finish.
Result
No Action taken
No support offered
Failed to recognised a (potential) victim
No action taken against the false accuser
No recognition of the emotional and psychological impact on me