Wiltshire Police’s professional standards department is investigating 10 official complaints about policing surrounding a brawl in Lacock.
The meet of the Avon Vale Hunt in Lacock on December 27 erupted into violence between hunt supporters and hunt protesters.
The complaints have been sent to the professional standards department by the office of the county’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Philip Wilkinson.
They relate to other allegations that one of the two police officers present at the hunt meet outside Lacock’s Red Lion Inn was personally connected to the Avon Vale Hunt.
An OPCC spokesperson said today: “Due to volume of correspondence received in relation to 27 December’s hunt meeting in Lacock, our assessment process is still ongoing.
“So far, 10 official complaints have been referred to Wiltshire Police’s Professional Standards Department in connection with that date, with the nature of these complaints relating to the policing response and allegations surrounding personal information relating to a Wiltshire Police officer.
"We will update further once we are in a position to do so.”
The investigation follows an online petition, signed by more than 8,000 people, to the Home Secretary calling for an explanation of the policing of the meet.
The petition, which is also directed at Wiltshire Chief Constable Kier Pritchard and Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson, was started by a member of the anti-hunt lobby.
The petition alleges that one of the officers present at the meet was personally connected to the Avon Vale Hunt.
Last week PCC Wilkinson asked the Chief Constable to “conduct a thorough review” of the incident to establish if lessons can be learned for the policing of other such events and said it would determine whether a “fuller investigation into police conduct is warranted” and if a complaints procedure needed to be followed.
Wiltshire police have arrested three people on suspicion of affray, two from Westbury and one from Melksham, in connection with enquiries into the incident.
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On January 7, Wiltshire PCC Philip Wilkinson said: “I have been kept fully updated in relation to the incident in Lacock on 27 December and I have asked the Chief Constable to conduct a thorough review of what happened before, during and after the incident in order to identify any lessons that Wiltshire Police will use to inform, and improve, the policing of similar events in the future.
“The Chief Constable and I are determined that Wiltshire Police will enforce the law impartially, without fear or favour, against whomsoever should break it.
“My office is now assessing, from the volume of correspondence received, whether a legally eligible complaint has been made and whether a fuller investigation into police conduct is warranted. If this is deemed to be the case, then the complaints process will be followed.”
Two police officers attended the meet of the hunt at Lacock, at which more than 50 hunt protesters and around 100 hunt supporters were present.
The online petition, which was started by somebody calling themselves Fox UK, asks why more officers were not assigned to police the event and states, “What assurances can Wiltshire police give that all future public events will be policed with fairness, impartiality and with public safety in mind?”
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