Police in Bristol taser their own race relations officer in the face

Police officers in Bristol tasered their own force’s black Race Relations Advisor in the face – after mistaking him for a wanted man.

Judah Adunbi, 63, a grandfather who works to smooth relations between police and the black community, was tasered after being approached by a female and male officer outside his home.

Embarrassed police chiefs have admitted the local community in Easton, Bristol would “have concerns” about the incident.

The astonishing confrontation was caught on video.

MORE: Is Mark Zuckerberg so busy he cannot update his own Facebook page?

MORE: Eight people, including baby, found alive in Italian avalanche hotel

Adunbi was hit with the taser after refusing to give his name to the two officers.

The footage shows that as he tries to enter his home, he is approached by the officers and asked to tell them his name.

Adunbi replies: “I’m not telling you my name. I’ve done no wrong.”

The police then shout “Taser” and shoot the electric gun at his face despite a neighbour shouting that Adunbi was simply trying to get into his home.

Adunbi said he thought he was going to die when he was hit by the taser.

“I felt that was it because of the way I fell back,” he said.

“The way I fell backward on the back of my head. I was just paralysed. I thought that was it. I thought they were taking my life.

“At first you don’t accuse someone of being someone else. You ask questions.

“The first thing they should have done is come to me in a polite manner. The way they approached me – they were accusing me. That is wrong”.

He added that he found the situation especially hard as he has dedicated years to try and help ease the tensions between the black community and the police.

He said: “It’s a little distasteful in my mouth.

“To know that I’m one of the founder members of the Independent Advisory Group, which was created some years ago in order to improve better relationship between the AfroCaribbean community and the constabulary, and to be treated like this it’s difficult.”

Both officers involved remain at work and police said they have voluntarily referred the incident to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Chief Supt Jon Reilly said: “After reviewing what happened, we voluntarily referred a complaint about this incident to the IPCC.

“Although we don’t have to refer an incident in which a taser has been discharged to the IPCC, we want to be as open and transparent as possible.

“I’ve met with Mr Adunbi and we had a constructive conversation. We’re aware of concerns within the local community and we take these concerns very seriously.

“I understand the community are going to have concerns. And we’d really like to answer those, but as there’s an ongoing investigation that’s very difficult for us to do. “