IPCC: Reduction in deaths in police custody

DEATHS in police custody have halved over the last ten years, according to statistics published by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

In England and Wales, 15 people died in police custody in 2012/13, the same number as the previous year. It marks a 50 per cent reduction since 2002/03 when 30 people died.

The IPCC said that each of the deaths “is an individual tragedy” but nevertheless welcomed the reduction.

The figure included seven people who were know to have mental health concerns.

There was a considerable rise in the number of apparent suicides within two days of release from police custody – with 64 such deaths, the highest number recorded over the last nine years.

Almost two-thirds were known to have mental health concerns, an even higher proportion than in 2011/12, and seven had previously been detained under the Mental Health Act.

Dame Anne Owers, chair of the IPCC, said the figures pointed to a gap in mental health services.

“The police are often called in to deal with acutely mentally ill people, who may be a danger to themselves or others or who may be behaving in a disturbing or strange way,” she said. “It is clearly important that they are better trained in mental health awareness. But these figures also point to gaps and failings in the services that ought to support those with mental illness – before, instead of and after contact with the criminal justice system.”

The number of road traffic fatalities following police contact rose to 30, which was 11 higher than last year partly due to a number of incidents resulting in multiple fatalities. Around 87 per cent of those deaths followed police pursuits.

For the first time in the IPCC’s history, there were no fatal police shootings in 2012/13.

Three people died during or following police contact in South Yorkshire last year. This included one road traffic fatality, one apparent suicide after custody and one other death after police contact.