A dad claimed he's "been treated like a criminal" after armed police carried out a warrant while his crying son was home alone.
Andrew Ward has made a formal complaint regarding the conduct of Merseyside Police officers who executed a warrant on his home to secure CCTV footage following a shooting. Mr Ward lives on Grenfell Road, Clubmoor, where a man was shot inside an address on March 25.
A 20-year-old man went to hospital in the early hours on March 26 with a gunshot injury to his shoulder, which was not believed to be life-threatening. Merseyside Police detectives appealed for witnesses to the incident and said the man was "refusing to cooperate".
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Crime scene investigators carried out forensic examinations and carried out house-to-house enquiries over the weekend. Mr Ward, 45, told the ECHO his family was away when the shooting happened, but their security alarms were triggered by police officers searching their garden.
When Mr Ward returned home he called police to ask how he could get compensation for the damage to his bins. The dad-of-two added police proceeded to ask about CCTV, but he said he didn't want to be involved because he "didn't want his house and family in a damaging position".
On March 28, Mr Ward was at work when his son, 11, got home from school to find seven police officers outside his home. Mr Ward told the ECHO: "I was told by neighbours that police had been at my house banging on my front door. When my son came home the officers followed him up the path.
"When my son went through the front door an officer put his foot in front of the door to stop him closing it. They didn't identify themselves – they could have been some clowns dressed the part trying to go in and rob the place."
Mr Ward spoke to officers on the phone and found out seven officers, including "four armed Matrix officers," had arrived to execute a warrant for his CCTV. The dad also claimed officers told him "they could have cut a hole in his door" to execute the warrant.
Mr Ward's brother arrived at his house to look after his son, who was reportedly in tears due to the police's arrival. The police started looking around the family home in search of the CCTV – and when Mr Ward's wife arrived, officers handed her paperwork which said 'no occupier' for the signature.
Mr Ward told the ECHO: "The police used bully tactics to get my CCTV. My youngest son was in tears and very traumatised by the whole situation after being held hostage by the people employed by the public to protect us.
"I have my neighbours asking why there were armed police at my front door. This has had a massive impact on myself and my family, causing untold mental scarring on my young lads, as well as massive stress on mine and my wife's health. It's bad enough we've had a shooting on the street where my kids live."
Mr Ward said as well as the original damage to his bin area, the police also damaged his front door and carpets during the search warrant. He has lodged a formal complaint and asked for police to release the bodycam footage obtained by the officers.
A spokesperson for Merseyside Police told the ECHO: "We can confirm we have received a complaint from a member of the public regarding a warrant carried out at a property in Grenfell Road, Clubmoor, in conjunction with an ongoing investigation. The matter will now be investigated by Merseyside Police's Professional Standards Department.
"We always expect the highest standards of all our officers and staff. As a complaint has been received, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time."
Mr Ward added: "I go to work and work hard to look after my wife and children. I'm a law-abiding citizen, but I've been treated like a criminal."
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