IOPC backs firearms officers in attempted ‘death by cop’ incident

Derbyshire Constabulary was called to Heanor early on August 26 last year after receiving reports of a man armed with a handgun.

Duncan Campbell, who placed the calls, was discovered near Heanor health centre and was shot once in the chest by officers who challenged him.

The officers then provided first aid until the ambulance arrived.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) found Mr Campbell was shot after raising his pistol despite being red dotted with a Taser and having been warned to drop his weapon, later discovered to be an air pistol.

It added that officers acted in accordance with all proper policies, and were treated as witnesses throughout the investigation process.

Mr Campbell was handed a suspended 16-month prison term last November after admitting having an air pistol and causing a police officer to believe unlawful violence would be used.

During the trial, prosecutor David Allan claimed he had tried to provoke officers to shoot him in “attempted death by cop”.

Mr Campbell told IOPC investigators he understood the difficult position that he put firearms officers in and that he felt genuine remorse for his actions.

IOPC regional director Derrick Campbell said: “Evidence gathered by our investigators indicated that the shot was fired when Mr Campbell raised his pistol despite being red dotted with a Taser as a warning and told by the officers to put the gun down.

“Fortunately, Mr Campbell survived but his actions could so easily have had tragic consequences.

“We found that the officers acted in accordance with national and local policies and used necessary and reasonable force when faced with a very difficult set of circumstances. This was acknowledged by Mr Campbell himself when he told us that he felt the police did everything that they should have done.”