Summary
A school staff member called the police because she thought a student, known as Child Q, had cannabis. The police carried out a strip search on the 15-year-old girl without an adult present, but no drugs were found. A panel is reviewing the actions of the officers involved to see if they followed the rules.
Key Facts
- Child Q is a 15-year-old student who was strip-searched by police at her school in east London in 2020.
- A school staff member reported Child Q to the police because she believed the girl smelled of cannabis.
- The police officers involved did not have permission from a higher-ranking officer to conduct the search and did not ensure an adult was present.
- No drugs were found during the search.
- Child Q felt "demeaned" and "physically violated" by the experience.
- The school staff member believed she was following procedures by contacting the police.
- The misconduct panel is examining whether the officers broke professional standards.
- If found guilty of gross misconduct, the officers may lose their jobs.
