A police driver is under criminal investigation in relation to a collision in which an 11-year-old boy was seriously injured in Lancaster, the police watchdog has said.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct said it was investigating a Lancashire constabulary officer who responded to an emergency call on the evening of 25 May when the collision occurred. It had received a mandatory referral from the force to investigate the matter shortly afterwards.
A spokesperson for the IOPC said the child was taken to hospital with serious injuries and had since made steady improvements.
The IOPC attended the scene and obtained CCTV and bodycam footage, as well as witness statements, the spokesperson said.
“Based on our assessment of the available information, we have informed the police driver they are under criminal investigation for potential offences of causing serious injury by dangerous driving,” he said on Friday. “They have also been served a notice advising they are being investigated for potential gross misconduct in relation to the manner of their driving.”
The collision happened when the boy was crossing a road in the north of the city.
Catherine Bates, the IOPC’s north-west regional director, said: “This incident will have had a big impact on the young child and his family and friends, and my thoughts are with all those affected. I hope he continues to make improvements.
“Our investigation will look at the circumstances of the collision, including the actions and decision-making of the police driver and whether they were in line with policy and procedure.
“We have been in contact with the young child’s family to explain our role and we will keep them updated as our inquiries progress.”
A decision over any potential disciplinary proceedings would be made by the IOPC when the investigation was completed.
