BYSTANDERS who filmed an injured policeman in Coventry instead of helping him have been condemned by force members.
An officer was hit by a car while on his motorbike during a pursuit on Stoney Stanton Road yesterday (August 29).
The West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, David Jamieson, was among those to criticise people who stood by and filmed on their mobile phones.
He tweeted: “You guys do a great job. I want you to know how disappointed I am to hear some bystanders filmed rather than helped.”
It is believed the officer was chasing a yellow ‘off road bike’ but was not seriously injured after the accident.
The West Midlands Police Road Harm Reduction Team tweeted following the incident.
It said: “Very disappointed to report that when one of our team was knocked off his bike while pursuing a stolen bike the first thing that people thought to do was to record the incident on their mobile phones rather than help the rider. Luckily we were close!”
The West Midlands Police Force Contact team branded the response of by-standers as ‘absolutely disgusting behaviour’.
In a tweet it continued: “For those filming our injured colleague: the difference between us and you is if you ever need our help in the future, we will still respond.”
The injured officer received messages of support in many quarters and the force contact team warned Twitter users that incidents such as this are becoming ‘all too common’.
It added police officers are just humans underneath the uniform and do not deserve to be mistreated.
But some Twitter users responding to the force’s updates also raised concerns about the performance of the police and the conduct of some of its officers.
In an update this morning the harm reduction team tweeted: “Thank you for the huge outpouring of support for our colleague after yesterday’s incident. He has no long lasting injuries and is recuperating at home.”
A West Midlands Police spokesperson said: “Officers on a routine operation in Coventry yesterday observed a yellow off road bike speeding down the road.
“An officer on a motorbike pursued the bike also believed to be stolen, but it failed to stop and he was accidentally hit by a passing car.
“He was taken to hospital to be treated for minor injuries and bruising and is recovering at home.
“The officer would like to thank the member of the public who stopped to help him when he came off his bike.
“Anyone who witnessed this incident, or who has any information on the bike, is asked to call police on 101, quoting log number 972 of 29 August.”
