An officer filmed deliberately driving a police car into a cow has been removed from frontline duties, Surrey Police have said.
It comes after the farmer’s partner told Sky News he should “lose his job” over the “disgusting” incident.
“I fully appreciate the distress our handling of this incident has caused and will ensure that it is thoroughly and diligently investigated,” Deputy Chief Constable Nev Kemp said.
“At this time, the officer who was driving the police car has been removed from frontline duties pending the outcome of these investigations,” he added.
Home Secretary James Cleverly called for a “full, urgent explanation” after a video of the incident in Staines-upon-Thames on Friday was widely shared.
The animal, a 10-month-old breeding heifer called Beau Lucy, has no broken bones and is recovering in a barn with other calves but could still die of shock, the farmer’s partner Kate said.
She called the footage “horrific” and said it “looked like they tried to kill it”.
“Honestly, when I saw the video, I thought he should lose his job. I just thought it was disgusting, I couldn’t believe it,” she added.
The video shows the cow falling and skidding metres down a road after being hit by the vehicle.
As it seems to be trying to get back on its feet, the car approaches for a second time.
The cow’s head and part of its torso then appears to be stuck underneath the front of the vehicle as two officers get out. A second police car can be seen on an adjoining street.
‘Extremely concerned about public safety’
Surrey Police said the cow suffered “a large cut to one leg and cuts and grazes” and was being monitored by a vet.
The force said the decision was taken to stop the animal using a car after officers “tried a number of options to safely capture the cow” over a period of hours and were “extremely concerned about the public’s safety”.
Efforts had been made to find a vet and identify the owner but were unsuccessful, said Deputy Chief Constable Kemp.
“Why these were unsuccessful and what more could and should have been done will form a key part of the investigation,” he added.
A referral has been made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct and an internal standards department.
Kate told Sky News the cow “wasn’t that out of control, just spooked”.
She said Beau Lucy, along with other cows, were on the well-fenced Staines Moor and believes she may have escaped by swimming across a river, adding: “I couldn’t believe she ended up where she did.”
