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Two Black track athletes called out London cops for racial profiling after being stopped and searched for no apparent reason in 2020 - now, the officers involved in the incident are finally facing a misconduct hearing, NBC News reports.
Professional sprinters Bianca Williams and her partner Ricardo Dos Santos were in the car with their three-month-old baby when London Metropolitan police signaled for the couple to pull over. The five officers involved proceeded to handcuff Williams and Santos and search their vehicle for drugs and weapons.
London Metropolitan police officers found none of the items they were searching for.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct is now acting on the complaint Williams filed against the officers for the 2020 stop and search.
“I welcome this decision and hope this opens the door for the Met to start being more honest and reflective about the culture of racism which is undoubtedly still a reality within the organization,” Williams said in a statement.
The police force said they stopped the Black athletes because their car was allegedly "being driven in a manner that raised suspicion." The Independent Office for Police Conduct, which handles police complaints in London and Wales, has formed a disciplinary panel "that will decide whether allegations that they breached professional standards are proven.”
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said he was "disturbed" by the stop and search adding that the London Metropolitan police need "a more effective plan to tackle the serious cultural issues within the force."
The cops apologized to Williams and Santos and acknowledged their current policies have a "disproportionate impact on some communities.” The London police force has allegedly clarified its framework on when it's appropriate to use handcuffs before an arrest, NBC News reports.
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