Two police officers dealing with the case of a missing British woman were caught lying on a sofa and watching Netflix, according to a report.
Surveillance footage shows Greater Manchester police enjoying some downtime at Abbygail Lawton’s Wigan home as she suffers a mental health crisis.
One of the officers is seen using his set of dumbbells to get in some reps while his partner is seen scrolling on his phone.
“You think they’re there to help you but then they do that, it’s ridiculous,” Lawton told the BBC.
“You expect the police to work hard and protect the public, it’s not what you expect, not very professional.”
The two officers were called to the 21-year-old’s home on January 3 after concerns were raised about his welfare.
A spokesman for the department told the BBC that police – who have not been identified – were ordered to remain at the property in case Lawton returned, while other officers conducted a wider search for the missing woman.
Surveillance footage captured two Greater Manchester police officers enjoying a break at Abbygail Lawton’s Wigan home while she suffered a mental health crisis last month. Abbygail Lawton/Facebook One of the officers is seen using his dumbbell set to get in some reps while his partner is seen scrolling on his phone. Abbygail Lawton/Facebook
Lawton, however, told the outlet he had disappeared during a previous mental health crisis — but officers were waiting for him in their cruiser after cleaning up his home.
She said she was alerted to moving around her home through her CCTV app and could see the two men watching TV and using her personal property after they arrived at 10pm.
They hung out until 1:30 a.m., Lawton said, more than two hours before other officers found him.
He was reportedly booked for wasting police time and held in custody for 12 hours.
Lawton said he’s disappeared during mental health crises before — but officers waited for him in their cruisers after cleaning up his home, and didn’t spend their time on the couch. Abbygail Lawton/Facebook Lawton was finally found by police late at night, hours after two policemen left her home. Abbygail Lawton/Facebook
Lawton, “disgusted by their behaviour,” filed a formal complaint with GMP, adding that the officers’ actions had caused her “mental trauma and distrust” of the police.
A spokesman for the department told the BBC that while it was “understandable” the publication of CCTV images “without explanation could undermine public trust and confidence,” the two officers had not breached any law enforcement standards.
“They remained at the location primarily to protect the woman in case she returned to her home address,” GMP said.
Lawton, “disgusted by their behaviour,” filed a formal complaint with GMP, adding that the officers’ actions had caused her “mental trauma and distrust” of the police. Abbygail Lawton/Facebook
“Officers were consulted and understood that, although the television had been left on and the dumbbells were left, they should have avoided watching them or using them while they were deployed to the location.”
The team’s Professional Standards branch, however, said the pair “should reflect and learn from the complaint.”
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
