Vickrum Digwa (left), Henry Nowak (right).
Body-cam footage released by police showed officers handcuffing Nowak, from Chafford Hundred in Essex, shortly before he collapsed and lost consciousness.
Digwa had told police that he was the victim of a racist attack. The inspection will examine the force’s “end-to-end process”, including control-room call handling, dispatch and officers’ initial response to incidents involving serious violence. The case also led to scrutiny of the police response on the night of the killing. He did not call an ambulance or police after the stabbing and instead filmed Nowak as he sat on the ground. The circumstances surrounding the police response have prompted separate investigations. The Independent Office for Police Conduct opened an investigation in July into two officers over potential gross misconduct relating to their interactions with Nowak. It is also examining whether race or religion influenced the officers’ decision-making. Hampshire Police is facing a separate inspection by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services after a request from Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones.
Nowak told officers at the scene that he had been stabbed. One officer was heard responding: “Don’t think you have a mate.”