Police officer ‘relieved’ after being cleared over Taser use

Acting Sergeant Claire Boddie is “relieved” to have been cleared of gross misconduct after mistakenly firing a Taser at a race relations adviser.

The experienced officer, who joined the police as a special constable in 1994, has been authorised to carry a Taser since 2012.

Alan Bell, secretary of Avon and Somerset Police Federation, said Pc Boddie could now concentrate on “doing what she is good at”.

“Obviously she is relieved,” Mr Bell said.

“Police officers do expect to be scrutinised for the decisions they made, however 18 months, a criminal trial then a gross misconduct hearing does put a lot of pressure on someone.

“She can concentrate on doing what she is good at – that’s being a police officer.”

Mr Bell said the incident in January last year could have been resolved quickly if Mr Adunbi had identified himself to the officers.

“He doesn’t have the right to threaten police officers. He doesn’t have the right to act aggressively.

“That’s what he was arrested for – his behaviour – when it would have been a lot easier to say, ‘No, this is my name, you have done this to me before’.”

Pc Boddie, who has not been the subject of any previous misconduct proceedings, has continued working with the force since the incident.

“For the past 18 months, Claire has been subjected to some vile comments on social media, she has been subjected to being scrutinised in the press,” Mr Bell said.

“There’s also been posters stuck all around Bristol basically targeting race relations in the police, where she has been made out to be something that she is not.

“Race was never an issue with this, it was a case of mistaken identity.”