Met Police Officers Found Guilty of Misconduct Over Strip Search of Child Q
Three Metropolitan Police officers involved in the strip search of a 15-year-old girl at a Hackney school in 2020 have been found to have committed gross misconduct and misconduct following a disciplinary panel ruling this week.
The search of the Black teenager, referred to publicly as Child Q, took place without the presence of an appropriate adult and resulted in the girl being exposed during a search in the school’s medical room. No drugs were found.
Key Disciplinary Findings
- Gross Misconduct was found proven against Trainee Detective Constable Kristina Linge and PC Rafal Szmydynski, for breaches relating to authority, respect and courtesy, orders and instructions, duties and responsibilities, and discreditable conduct.
- Misconduct was found against PC Victoria Wray, for similar standards but at a lower level of severity.
- Allegations relating to racial bias, adultification, and dishonesty in record keeping were not proven by the panel.
The officers, all formerly based with the Central East Command Unit, now await sanctions following the conclusion of the disciplinary hearing.
Police Reaction
Commander Kevin Southworth issued a public apology on behalf of the Metropolitan Police:
“What happened to Child Q was truly regrettable. While the officers did not act correctly, there were also organisational failings. We have worked hard to put in place stronger policies, better training, and more rigorous oversight.”
He acknowledged the significant damage caused to public trust, especially among London’s Black communities.
Reforms Triggered by the Child Q Case
Since the incident, the Metropolitan Police has overhauled procedures involving More Thorough Intimate Part (MTIP) strip searches on minors:
- Inspector-level authorisation is now required for all such searches.
- Mandatory safeguarding referrals must be made for every MTIP search.
- Over 20,000 frontline officers have undergone new training on child safeguarding, trauma-informed practice, and the risk of adultification.
- Public dashboards now track data transparently, showing:
- A 38.2% decrease in MTIP searches on under-18s (June 2023 – May 2025).
- A 63.6% positive outcome rate, indicating stronger oversight.
Between May 2021 and May 2023, MTIP searches on children dropped from 232 to 101 per year — a 56% decrease.
Wider Policing Context
Despite reforms, the Met defends its retention of search powers amid persistent youth violence:
- Over 1,600 under-18s were arrested for weapon possession in the last five years.
- 499 children were recorded as victims of knife crime in the same period.
The Met continues to work with Hackney’s community-led stop and search scrutiny panel, youth advocates, and schools across the capital to restore trust and accountability.
Community Impact & National Learning
The Child Q case has influenced national debate and policing policies:
- Several police forces across England have updated internal training and oversight procedures in line with lessons from the Met.
- Youth organisations continue to call for legal safeguards, external scrutiny, and trauma-informed standards during police searches involving children.
Child Q and her family, through their legal team, welcomed the misconduct findings but reiterated calls for lasting structural change within the force.
