New IOPC data published
On Thursday 22 September, the IOPC published data in relation to deaths in custody during 19/20. As detailed below they follow a relatively similar trend from last year.
There were 18 deaths in or following police custody during 2019/2020, an increase of one from 2018/2019 and in line with the average figure for over the last decade. Locations include:
- 3 people died at the scene of the arrest
- 7 people died in hospital after being taken ill at the scene of arrest
- 6 people died in hospital after becoming unwell in a police cell
- 1 person died in hospital after becoming ill in a police vehicle
- One death took place within a police custody suite.
The circumstances of the death in the custody suite is described as follows:
A man was arrested and taken into custody. While in custody his mental health appeared to deteriorate. The man was moved to a CCTV cell and officers restrained him while he was being placed in the cell. The man was seen by a healthcare professional13 (HCP) and later, he was also seen by force medical examiner (FME) who advised that he needed a mental health assessment. A short while after the mental health assessment was carried out, the man was found unresponsive in his cell. CPR was carried out and an ambulance was called, but he was pronounced dead. His cause of death was reported as alcoholic ketoacidosis.
Mental Health & Drugs / Alcohol
11 of the 18 people who died in or following police custody had mental health concerns. The types of mental health concerns included: bipolar, depression, schizophrenia, psychosis, agoraphobia, anxiety and self-harm or suicidal tendencies.
14 had links to drugs and/or alcohol meaning that at the time of their arrest they had recently consumed, were intoxicated by, in possession of, or had known issues with alcohol and/or drugs.
Ethnicity
14 of the 18 deceased were white and 3 were black. 1 did not have an ethnicity disclosed. In 18/19 16 of the deceased were white with 1 being black.
Gender and age
17 of the 18 deceased were male. 1 was female. In 18/19 15 were male with 2 being female.
Ages ranged from 20 to 71 years.
Use of force
8 of the 18 deceased had some force used against them either by officers or members of the public. 6 were white and 2 were black. In 18/19 – 6 people were restrained. All were white.
Reasons for detention 19/20
| Reason for detention | Number of fatalities |
|---|---|
| Violence-related (non-sexual or murder) | 7 |
| Drug/alcohol-related (excluding drink driving)* | 2 |
| Breach of bail/failure to appear in court | 2 |
| Mental Health Act 1983 | 2 |
| Sexual offence** | 2 |
| Breach of the peace / anti-social behaviour | 1 |
| Other | 2 |
| Total fatalities | 18 |