Introduction from Michael Lockwood, Director General
We recently published our annual ‘Deaths during or following police contact’ report for 2019/20.
Published for the 16th year, the statistics provide an official record setting out the number of such deaths, the circumstances in which they happen, and any underlying factors. Figures across the different categories can fluctuate each year, and any conclusions about trends need to be treated with caution.
Every death is a tragic loss for the families and loved ones involved, and can have a profound effect on others.
Police have hundreds of thousands of interactions with the public each year. Where deaths do occur following contact with police, it is important we have in place robust systems of investigation and accountability, identifying learning where we can so changes can be made to reduce future risks.
I know from meeting bereaved families the importance of seeing something positive come out of their tragic loss – that lessons can be learnt to reduce the chances of other people dying in similar circumstances.
It is really disappointing that year-on-year we continue to see drug and alcohol abuse and mental health issues feature so prominently. This highlights the need for systemic changes which are beyond the remit of policing.
Far too often officers are left dealing with vulnerable people in mental health crisis or medical emergencies whose needs and risks have not been adequately managed. Police must be properly trained and equipped to recognise vulnerability and manage the risks and challenges they face. But if we truly want to prevent further deaths and harm, we must look beyond policing to resources in community, health, welfare and specialist services.
It is not acceptable that we continue to see these issues every year and a more joined-up response is needed between agencies.
The statistics include deaths which have occurred across a range of circumstances including deaths in or following custody, police shootings, road traffic incidents, as well as a number of cases where police have been called in relation to concerns for someone’s welfare.
The number of deaths in or following custody has remained relatively stable this year – an increase of one - and in line with the average figures for the last decade. It is welcome that police-related road traffic deaths, particularly those involving pursuits, have decreased substantially from a high the previous year. Even so, there were 19 pursuit-related deaths which highlights the importance of continued scrutiny in this area.
The report, additional data tables and our presentation on the most recent statistics on deaths during or following police contact are available on the IOPC website.
We will continue to identify themes and issues and influence change where needed to ensure there is learning.
Michael Lockwood
Director General
In September, we welcomed Claire Bassett, our new Deputy Director General, Operations. Claire leads our operational delivery and performance, as well as Strategic Plan work to design our future ways of working. You can read more about Claire and her background on our website.
Helping improve policing practice
The complaints and investigations we work on provide useful insights and learning that can inform policy, practice and processes. This is important in helping to reduce the risk of events recurring, in protecting people from harm or in better supporting police in their work at a local or national level. Some examples of learning from our recent work includes:
- National recommendations to improve public understanding of how National Police Air Service (NPAS) helicopters operate in emergencies were accepted. This follows our investigation into their use during the Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017. The complainant believed the use of helicopters encouraged some Grenfell residents to remain in the Tower in the hope of rescue. Our final report recommended all emergency services call handlers must be aware that NPAS helicopters do not have rescue capabilities and must explicitly inform callers they cannot conduct rescues.
- Following our investigation into police contact with a woman who was assaulted by a serial perpetrator of domestic abuse, we recommended that the Metropolitan Police Service take steps to make safeguarding teams and departments aware that special schemes can apply to serial perpetrators of abuse. No special scheme indicators applied to the man’s address to alert police to the risk he poses to women, in particular his partners.
- A national recommendation on police officer training is being developed to improve the way officers deal with people who present as unwell or suffering a medical emergency. We’ve been working with the College of Policing (CoP) and National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) to see how the learning we identified from a July 2019 incident can be incorporated into every officer’s training and update any relevant guidance. This could form part of scenario-based training as early as April 2021.
In July 2019, Youness Bentahar was restrained during an arrest in Poplar and appeared to have a seizure, with evidence suggesting some of the officers were unsure it was genuine. However, this did not impact on the care he received, as a support team of other police officers arrived quickly and provided medical treatment before handing him into the care of paramedics.
Investigations following deaths, serious injuries and police use of force
Police forces must refer to us all deaths or serious injuries that happen during or following police contact. Investigating these matters is one of our key functions.
- We are conducting an independent investigation into a shooting inside a Croydon custody centre, which tragically resulted in fatal injuries to an officer and critical injuries to a man. Our news pages will provide updates as this progresses.
- We are investigating police contact after a man died in Peterborough. Cambridgeshire police officers were called to reports of a man behaving erratically in the street. Officers attended the scene and attempted to detain the man. A short time later he became ill and died at the scene. We are gathering as much evidence as possible to establish and examine what happened.
- We are independently investigating a pursuit involving Nottinghamshire Police where a motorcyclist died following a collision in Mansfield. The police referred the incident to us because before the collision, the motorcycle was pursued along with another motorcycle and quad bike after failing to stop for an unmarked police car.
- A Greater Manchester Police officer was dismissed without notice after a police disciplinary panel concluded he used excessive force on a man in Deansgate Locks. We investigated a complaint made by a man who was injured when the officer struck him with his baton during his arrest. Our investigation took five months.
- We have informed a Sussex Police officer that he is subject to a misconduct investigation and will be asked by our investigators to give an account of his use of force while arresting a man in Brighton.
- A West Yorkshire Police officer will be interviewed by our investigators on suspicion of common assault and also investigated for gross misconduct. This follows an incident during which a 17-year-old boy was restrained on the ground by officers outside Leeds United football ground.
Read more about our work on police use of force on our website.
Investigations into other serious and sensitive matters
We have expanded our investigation into allegations of misconduct in public office after inappropriate photographs were taken at a murder crime scene in Wembley. Evidence has emerged revealing further allegations of misconduct linked to a single London police station. We began a criminal investigation following a referral from the Metropolitan Police Service in June.
We are investigating the actions of three former Greater Manchester Police officers and their involvement in Operation Augusta. Operation Augusta was a 2004 police and social services investigation into child sexual exploitation in south Manchester. Greater Manchester Mayor’s Office published a review of this investigation in January 2020, which raised concerns about the conduct and decision-making of some of the officers involved.
A former Cheshire Constabulary Police Community Support Officer has been jailed for eight months following our investigation into allegations that he abused his position for sexual purpose. He was charged after we referred our evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service. He resigned from the force and pleaded guilty to two counts of misconduct in public office.
A former Dyfed Powys Police officer received a suspended jail sentence after pleading guilty to computer misuse and data protection charges, following our investigation. He was sentenced at Aberystwyth Magistrates Court to six months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, and ordered to undertake 120 hours of community service.
A Hertfordshire Constabulary officer was dismissed without notice following our investigation and a subsequent police disciplinary panel hearing. In July, the officer had pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office in connection with an 11-year relationship he had with a woman and was sentenced to 15 months in prison.
A West Midlands Police officer has received a final written warning for gross misconduct. A hearing, arranged by the force, was told that he had used discriminatory language towards a group of travellers in Birmingham.
New poster from our Youth Panel – tips on positive interactions with young people
In 2018, the IOPC established a youth panel to help us understand why young people have lower confidence in the police complaints system, the barriers that prevent their engagement, and potential solutions to increase trust and confidence.
One of the panel’s first tasks was to organise a series of meetings across England and Wales, where they met with more than 800 young people to seek their views on why confidence in the police complaint system was low, and what the barriers to complaining were. The feedback from those sessions informed a report: IOPC Youth Panel: Key Findings & Recommendations 2019.
We have shared with forces a new poster created by our panel. It sets out tips for officers when they come into contact with young people. The poster is also available in Welsh.
The content was first published in an edition of our Learning the Lessons magazine. We received feedback from the British Transport Police that having this as a separate item would be a useful way of further disseminating these messages to officers and staff.
The panel also recently produced a guide for young people, explaining their right to complain if they’re unhappy with how they’ve been treated by the police. The guide is also available in Welsh.
We will continue to ensure that the panel’s insights are fed back into policing practice to strengthen relationships between the police service and young people.
Workshops on reviews with police and crime commissioners
As a result of legislative changes launched in February 2020, police and crime commissioners took on the new function of conducing reviews for certain complaints.
We held eight workshops across England and Wales to support their understanding of reviews and how to identify the correct organisation to review specific complaints. Of those who responded to our feedback survey, over 88% felt their understanding of reviews had improved and over 85% felt more confident in applying the new legislation to their review decisions.
Explaining our role to new starters at professional standards departments
We conducted two sessions with new starters at police professional standards departments to explain our role and our work to oversee the police complaints system.
We also ran a session to explain our role for students completing a police constable degree apprenticeship at Chester University.
Investigations started and completed
Between April 2020 and September 2020, we completed 81% of the investigations we closed in 12 months or less, compared to 76% in the same period last year.
We continue to focus effort on closing older cases, which has had an impact on our recent performance data.
Appeals
This figure may change as a result of data being recorded after the figures are collated.
The % of upheld appeals is worked out from the number of appeals upheld over the total number of valid appeals completed.
PDF version of our August performace data.
PDF version of our September performance data.
Find out how we are performing against our targets.
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Read previous issues on our website.