Mr Burgess - was he a threat?

“ Protocols and process-mapped decision-making models. ‘Accredited professional practice’ in action ... The slow, strangulated death of commonsense.” Dominic Adler.

Last week, two British police officers were cleared of assaulting a wheelchair-bound, one-legged, 92-year-old man holding a cheese knife. They'd discharged pepper spray in his face. They’d hit him with a baton. They’d fired a taser at him.

He died 22 days later in the hospital, although this appears to be unrelated, or so we are told. 

No matter how you look at it, the optics are terrible. Although they have avoided criminal convictions, I suspect that the police careers of PC Rachel Comotto and PC Stephen Smith are effectively over. Both are facing internal disciplinary procedures. 

The incident, captured on video, lasted under two minutes and understandably sparked widespread outrage in 2022. Initially, I aimed to write a humorous article referencing the infamous Monty Python self-defence sketch. 

However, this case raises significant questions that are not the most obvious ones regarding the use of force and proportionality. Furthermore, I do not approach this subject as an armchair critic.

I have disarmed knife-wielding individuals under challenging circumstances, including a man who killed his child and attempted suicide. As I will discuss later, training has its limitations as it cannot adequately prepare one for the confusion of an incident.

Moreover, I feel uneasy about second-guessing the actions of these officers based on video evidence without considering the on-ground pressures they faced. Nevertheless, I must step beyond that hesitation to analyse this event. Having established that caveat, let us delve in.

The background: Two officers were called to a care home after a Mr Burgess, who has dementia, allegedly threatened the staff, claiming that he would kill them. Before proceeding, I urge you to watch the video and consider the arguments I will present below. Caution: it is not a pleasant watch. 

At first glance, most people would likely assert that the officers overreacted by using force recklessly, which was disproportionate to the threat. This stance would be further compounded by what happened next: the officers evidently made joking comments. I fully understand such public reactions. 

My initial reaction was one of shock and dismay at the officers' actions. However, after stepping back and taking a broader view of the situation, my position changed slightly. This is not to suggest that the officers acted without fault; far from it. Allow me to explain.

Police officers, when called to a scene, react according to their training and utilise the tools that society provides them. In this instance, the two officers responded to a report of a man brandishing a knife and threatening staff. By the time they arrived, the man was confined to a wheelchair, though he still held the knife.

What can be observed in the video? There is a distance between the officers and Mr Burgess, who is seated in a wheelchair with the cheese knife in his right hand. Maintaining distance is crucial in knife incidents. I did not notice the wheelchair until it was pointed out to me. 

Looking at the situation, I conclude that Mr Burgess poses no immediate or serious threat to the officers. However, that was only after watching the video in the comfort of my home without the attendent lead-up.


PC Smith engages with Mr Burgess and asks him to drop the knife. It is evident that Mr Burgess is confused — it is unclear whether he understands. PC Comotto has her taser drawn and also issues warnings. 

Now, at this stage, let us pause the scene. I would inquire whether the officers thoroughly assessed the situation they faced. Did they consider that the man was in a wheelchair and had only one leg? Or, as PC Smith stated in court, was he focused on the knife? Did they understand that Mr Burgess's dementia may limit his ability to grasp what was occurring? 

Still, based on what the officers were observing, they should have been able to determine that this man did not pose an immediate threat to them. Keep your distance, and you remain safe.

That may have been an appropriate moment to pause, step back, and reassess. Indeed, had the officers withdrawn and locked the door, Mr Burgess was going nowhere. Instead, the officers acted.

Other options that come to mind include grabbing a blanket to throw over Mr Burgess or using shields.

However, in the heat of the moment and having been called, the officers seemed to be in a hurry to resolve the situation. PC Smith discharged pepper spray directly into Mr Burgess's face; then drew his baton and tried to strike the knife away, but he was unsuccessful.

At this point, the female officer discharged her taser, yelling "taser taser taser" after she'd fired. The video ends.

It is essential to remember that knives can be extremely dangerous, and officers are trained to maintain their distance from individuals wielding knives. Nevertheless, in this particular case, a calm assessment could likely determine that the cheese knife did not pose a substantial threat to the officers.

Additionally, police training often includes scenarios that escalate, necessitating the use of non-lethal weapons to resolve the situation. As I mentioned earlier, officers react as they have been trained to do. Thus, I would like to ask whether de-escalation is taught or integrated into the process. If it is, it was not apparent that the officers applied de-escalation in this situation.

We may gain some insights into the officers' attitudes from the light-hearted remarks they are reported to have made after the event. More details on this matter may emerge during the disciplinary hearings the officers are currently facing. However, this inappropriate banter may amount to a stress response following a challenging situation. It's difficult to say.

I have experience in dealing with culprits wielding knives and threatening harm to themselves, others, and officers. In 2002, I spent over an hour negotiating with a distressed woman who brandished a chopper while holding her baby, as her drugged-up husband lay on an adjacent couch.

She was standing in the doorway of her tiny flat as I led a group of officers who were blocking a very narrow corridor. It was hot, sweaty, and tense. The yelling child was distressing for all of us.

At various points during the incident, the woman threatened to harm herself, the baby, and her husband. We'd barricaded ourselves behind large shields for protection. As she continued to speak, we gradually moved into the doorway, relaxing our posture. 

For a moment, the lady became distracted by the moans of her husband and turned away from us. At that point, I acted. I don't recall making a conscious decision; all I remember is seizing an opportunity. I lunged forward, slapped her across the side of the head, and she went down in shock. The chopper fell onto the couch as we pounced. 

Nothing about my approach is covered in training. However, my team and I resolved the situation without anyone being harmed. At times, one must be flexible and avoid being too rigid in one's actions. That is the reality of police work, centred around the overriding principle of protecting life.

Anyway, had it gone wrong, no doubt I’d be in trouble.


In endless nights of rumination, I am certain the two officers involved in Mr Burgess's case have reconsidered their actions. They have undoubtedly reflected on how events might have unfolded differently. 

There is some evidence of their confused approach in the testimony provided by PC Rachel Comotto. In court, she stated that she discharged her taser to save Mr Burgess from PC Stephen Smith's actions. That assertion is frankly preposterous. As the prosecutor pointed out, she could have asked her colleague to stop. 

Ultimately, the jury acquitted the officers. The jury heard evidence the officers acted in accordance with protocols. 

I feel a measure of sympathy for the officers. I would like to know whether they had adequate training and equipment for the role they encountered. Specifically, is de-escalation included in their training, and are shields available for use in such circumstances? 

Lastly, what pressure did they experience from the fact that the nursing staff called them in? As the agency of last resort, police officers can often find themselves in the invidious position of being the solution to all problems. 

Then you have the "hero complex”, which manifests as an officer's strong desire always to be the rescuer or saviour, even when it is not appropriate or necessary. This can lead to overzealous actions and risky behaviour. 

Commentor Domanic Adler, an ex-UK officer, believes the Burgess case reflects “ Protocols and process-mapped decision-making models. ‘Accredited professional practice’ in action, I suppose. The slow, strangulated death of commonsense.” I think he’s right. 

To further complicate matters, and at the other extreme, consider the case of PC Lorne Castle, a highly decorated officer who was dismissed for allegedly showing disrespect towards a knife-wielding culprit he had arrested. I understand he is now appealing the matter.

Good luck, Sir.