British police have launched a serious criminal investigation to uncover the details surrounding a deliberate collision involving a police patrol that targeted a runaway cow in the streets last month. This incident has sparked a wave of controversy and anger among residents, some of whom accused police officers of using excessive force and unjustified violence against the cow.
According to a report by the British newspaper "Metro," the police have classified the incident as a "criminal case and internal misconduct" and have since initiated an investigation. The police in the Surrey area, near London, knocked on around 290 doors along the road where the collision occurred, in which officers struck a cow named "Bo Lucy" with their vehicle in the early hours of June 15, 2024.
A video of the incident widely circulated online the following morning, prompting then-Home Secretary James Cleverly to state that it "appears to have been unnecessarily harsh." The police reported that they contacted 75 witnesses and are currently reviewing more than 250 video clips sent by members of the public.
The officer involved in the incident was placed on leave the day after the event, while the police began their investigations. The cow, "Bo Lucy," remains under the care of its owner after sustained injuries from the collision.
Details of the incident reveal that the cow initially escaped from its home farm around 9 PM on June 14, with reports indicating it was loose for about three and a half hours until approximately 12:30 AM the following day. The cow's owner, named Rob, stated: "I think she will limp for a month due to the injury. She has no fractures but has a significant scrape on her leg. We touched her head yesterday, and it was clear she was in pain."
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Constable Nev Kemp stated that the latest update "highlights the importance of a thorough investigation, as it ensures a clear understanding of all potential criminal matters and misconduct," adding that "this does take time, of course." He continued: "Since the incident, we have received over 20,000 messages on social media and 2,000 complaints from the public, highlighting the strong sentiment regarding this issue."
He emphasized: "Therefore, it is crucial to conduct a precise investigation so that we can provide the cow's owner and the public with answers regarding how this incident occurred and the events leading up to it. We remain committed to providing important updates regarding this incident on our website as soon as they become available."
