New guidance for policing leaders on preventing deaths

The guidance draws on the findings and recommendations from our 2022 report on avoidable police deaths, which you can read here. We worked with the APCC to ensure the guidance reflects and responds to the vulnerabilities of those who come into contact with the criminal justice system. 

Lynn Emslie, IAPDC Chair, said:

“The APCC’s guidance is an important next step in our collective efforts to prevent deaths at the point of arrest, during, and after police custody. The latest data show just how important this work is. We saw a significant and troubling increase to 23 deaths in custody in 2022/23, more than double than in the previous 12-month period. Similarly concerning is the consistently high number of deaths following release from custody which are often not afforded the same attention and scrutiny. In 2022/23, 52 people died by suicide within the first 48 hours of release from police custody – equivalent to one suicide every week.

“We know that people often come into contact with the criminal justice system at a time of acute vulnerability – with a disproportionate number of police-related deaths involving individuals experiencing mental health and/or substance misuse problems. It is the principal duty of the government, and its services, to safeguard the lives of those under its care. This guidance sets out some of the necessary steps and precautions that all police forces must take to fulfil their core duties – protecting life and keeping the public safe.

“I encourage all new and returning Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to implement the recommendations and good practice set out in this guidance and take the opportunity to prioritise the prevention of deaths in their Police and Crime Plans. PCCs play a fundamental role in influencing priorities, coordinating relevant services, and – in a context where all forces are operationally independent – facilitating the sharing of good practice across geographical boundaries. They also have important oversight and scrutiny roles, and it is this leadership role that is key to developing and maintaining a ‘zero-tolerance’ approach to police custody deaths following Dame Elish Angiolini KC’s landmark review into deaths and serious incidents in police custody.

“As ever, the perspectives of bereaved families and a preparedness to learn from their experiences must be at the heart of all that we do, both at local and national level, to prevent the further loss of life. Finally, I am thankful to PCC Emily Spurrell and her dedicated staff for spearheading this important work and building on the recommendations of the Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody’s report on avoidable police custody deaths. My Panel and I will continue to work closely with the APCC to drive this work forward.”

You can read the APCC’s guidance here.