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A police officer from Surrey who ran into a calf in the summer will return to frontline duties following the completion of an internal investigation, the force said.
An investigation into the incident found the tactic was “both legal and necessary to prevent damage to the public and property.”
The incident happened at around midnight on June 15 when a 10-month-old calf was hit by a police car driven by officers called to reports of an animal on the loose in the market town of Staines-on-Thames.
Footage of the incident quickly spread online, leading to widespread condemnation of the officer driving the carwith many saying the act seemed excessive and cruel.
Surrey Police said their investigation, which included 250 pieces of video footage and 75 witness statements, found there was no reason to take further action in either a criminal investigation or an internal misconduct proceeding.
Deputy Chief Constable Nev Kemp said: “We appreciate the strength of feeling that remains in relation to this incident, which is why we are committed to carrying out a thorough and thorough investigation to determine whether any crimes have been committed in relation to the actions taken by the Police in Surrey at night.
“This involved gathering significant amounts of video evidence as well as speaking to witnesses and animal welfare professionals to help inform the senior investigating officer [SIO]decision making. After investigating for five months, the SIO found that although there was a need for organizational training in relation to how we deal with cattle at large, no crimes had been committed … and therefore no further action should be taken against those who were involved.
“This decision was supported by Surrey Police’s head of professional standards, who subsequently reviewed whether there was potential misconduct. They found that there was a need for individual training, but that no further action was taken in relation to misconduct. The driver of the vehicle will return to frontline duties in due course.’
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