Kent Police have come under criticism for posting tweets deemed insensitive while marking their forensic work on the death of Azra Kemal. The young woman tragically died after falling from a dual carriageway bridge in July 2020.
The tweets featured a high-five GIF from the film Top Gun and included the hashtag #crackingbitofkit, praising the efforts of police drones involved in the investigation. Azra’s mother, Nevres Kemal, described the posts as “horrendous” and questioned the police force’s morals and professionalism.
The controversial tweet was posted on the day Azra died, celebrating officers for identifying her within 90 minutes. Nevres Kemal expressed her shock, saying, “I could not believe that professional police officers would high-five themselves and pat themselves on the back, on the back of my daughter’s demise.” The family criticised the tone of the messages as callous and disrespectful.
Kent Police maintained there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding Azra’s death. However, the family was initially informed that investigations were ongoing. Despite this, the case was closed within 24 hours. The man who was travelling with Azra, initially considered a suspect, was released without any charges. The family believe that important forensic evidence may have been lost due to the premature closure of the investigation, leaving unanswered questions about the circumstances of Azra’s death.
Kate Ellis from the Centre for Women’s Justice has supported the family’s calls for justice. She criticised the rapid closure of the murder inquiry as “inadequate” and demanded a thorough forensic post-mortem to check for any signs of prior harm. An independent review conducted by Essex Police agreed that the case closure was rushed and suggested that keeping the suspect under investigation would have been more appropriate. The review also recommended a forensic post-mortem to clarify key details.
Kent Police defended their investigation, describing it as “comprehensive and thorough.” A spokesperson confirmed that no suspicious circumstances were found and stated that the investigation continued to support the coroner’s inquest, which ruled Azra’s death as misadventure. Despite this, complaints about the handling of the investigation led to an independent review, which found the police work acceptable. Following a judicial review appeal, part of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) probe has been reopened. The offensive tweets have since been removed, and another police force is now reviewing the complaint.
This incident has sparked outrage and highlighted the need for police forces to handle tragic cases with greater sensitivity. Families affected by such tragedies demand justice and respect, emphasising that the way police communicate during times of grief is critically important.
Originally published by UKNIP.
