Police officer who rammed cow with patrol car acted ‘lawfully’, force concludes

A police driver who faced a fierce backlash when he rammed a cow has been cleared of any potential wrongdoing after an investigation found his actions “both lawful and necessary”. 

Shocking footage from the incident on 15 June shows a police vehicle hitting a cow in Staines-upon-Thames, causing the 10-month-old cow, named Beau Lucy, to fall and skid metres down the road.

Surrey Police has said an investigation looking at whether the actions of those involved on the night amounted to the offence of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal found they had acted “within their duties”.

A statement reads: “The tactics adopted were both lawful and necessary to prevent harm to the public and property.

“As such, no further action will be taken in either the criminal investigation, or the internal misconduct matter.”

Beau Lucy, who suffered cuts in the incident, has recovered well and remains at the farm with her herd, the force added.

Surrey Police Deputy Chief Constable, Nev Kemp, said the force carried out a “diligent and thorough” investigation as it appreciated “the strength of feeling which remains in relation to this incident”.

The investigation was led by Surrey Police’s professional standards department and overseen by a Sussex Police Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) from the Surrey Police and Sussex Police Major Crime Team.

After reviewing more than 250 pieces of video footage and 75 witness statements, the SIO found “no criminal offences were made out and therefore no further action should be taken against those who were involved”, the deputy chief constable added.

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There is, however, “necessary organisational learning in relation to how we handle loose livestock”, he said, before adding the force had “already made changes to our protocol for loose livestock”.

The driver of the vehicle which hit the breeding heifer will be returning to their frontline duties in due course, the statement adds.

The incident stirred widespread criticism of the officer’s handling of the situation, with the then-home secretary, James Cleverly, calling for a “full, urgent explanation” after the video made the rounds online.