Independent Review of Deaths and Serious Incidents in Police Custody: A Critical Analysis

This report examines the findings of the Independent Review of Deaths and Serious Incidents in Police Custody, led by Dame Elish Angiolini. It delves into the key issues surrounding deaths in police custody, including the use of restraints, the role of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), and the concerns of families. The report highlights the need for significant improvements in police training, procedures, and the investigation of such incidents to ensure greater accountability and prevent future tragedies.

Incident Report: Aspects of Policing in the UK
Report of the Independent Review of Deaths and Serious Incidents in Police Custody
1

Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Review of deaths and serious incidents in Police custody..............................................................3
Policing restraints............................................................................................................................4
Quality of IPCC and families concerns...........................................................................................4
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................6
References........................................................................................................................................7
2

Introduction
Over the last years, the police service in the UK has activated in the climate of increasing inquiry
of organizational preparations, and effectiveness. While the official figures have shown a drop in
the crime in the UK, the dissemination of crime shows a more complex pattern with a violent
crime where violent crime is growing rapidly. The increase in crime is challenging and occurs in
the background of economic severity where the criminal justice is expected to make a difference
between what is right and what is wrong? The incident report presents the review of the wide
range of circumstances revolves around deaths and serious incidents in the police custody. The
review has considered the major issues that surround the death and serious incidents in the police
custody. It focuses on the events that lead to such incidents and existing procedures which are
designed to minimize the risks. It also looks at the various investigations which ensue by the
police in order to minimize the risk as far as possible occurring in future. It is important to ensure
that when such incidents occur, the actions put in place are different, effective and expertise
public confidence.
Review of deaths and serious incidents in Police custody
As per the report presented by Angiolini, (2017), it is seen that every death in the custody of
police is a tragedy but it is deceptive to conclude that death can be avoided. These incidents have
been continuously repeating that makes it evident that there is much more can be done to prevent
these days from occurring. People who spend time in police custody are vulnerable or
marginalized within society and might suffer from mental health problems, repeated offenders;
many have shame for their actions. These types of deaths in the police custody trigger the need
of investigation that reflects on the experience of the detainee, prevent recurrence. The apparent
failure to encounter the objectives over a number of years compelled the family members of
those who died in police custody to campaign into the public arena at their great personal and
emotional cost. Deaths in the custody investigation offer an opportunity for the critical
investigation of the police custody. The objective has not achieved fully and there is a need for
substantial change to follow the moral and legal obligations of policing with greater ease and
flexibility.
3

Policing restraints
On the basis of the review by Angiolini (2017), it is found that people who died in police custody
in England and Wales are mostly the male within the age group of 30-50 and belong to the white
ethnic background. It is also similar in other countries. It is found that drugs and alcohol are one
of the major causes of around half of the deaths. Use of restraint by the Police against detainees
was also identified as the cause of death as found in the post-mortem reports in the 10% of
deaths in the custody of police in the years between 2004/05 and 2014/15. A large number of
proportion of deaths was due to the use of restraints at some point of detention. The use of
restraint was more severe in the case of Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) individuals
died in police custody. Also, the people with mental health problems found dead as a result of
the police force (Angiolini, 2017).
Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC)
In respect with the increasing death and serious incidents in the police custody, Independent
Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) was created for the investigation of the police actions. In
order to ensure that IPCC can achieve an advanced and flagrant independence ex-police officers
are considered as team investigators and act as formal consultants and training sources. The main
focus of IPCC is on the cases involves in the death or serious incidents in the police custody that
clearly determined the specific demand for skilled resources and expertise within the
organization. As per the review by the lawyers and the police officers, IPCC does not always
fully independent of the police culture. It is divided into parts due to the involvement of the
formal police officers employed by the IPCC for the investigation. For the success of an
independent investigation body, it is important to have the trust of the families and the full
cooperation and coordination of the police forces.
Quality of IPCC and families concerns
While acknowledging the concern by IPCC in 2014, it has dedicated to increasing the range of
the investigators, encourage the recruitment of the investigators from the non-police backgrounds
and place restrictions into the forces. The families continuously reported on the concerns of
partiality that lays negative impact on their satisfaction level. Many of the families reflected the
4

work of the IPCC as an initiative to cover the mistakes done by the police and had an undue
effect on the investigation. As per their opinion, IPPC was constructed to shows that police were
not doing anything wrong. Also, the quality of the IPCC investigators was questioned by the
families and there were the acquisitions of bias, inconsistent findings and negligence of the
investigators while investigating the incidents. Some of the families also had a positive
experience with the investigators and what they did identify was good communication, hard
work, commitment, independence and empathy (Gov.UK, 2018). The families found the officers
dealt with the detainee with mental health problems was poorly trained and lack of experience. It
improves the efforts of the police force while dealing with the people with mental health
problems. As per the claims of the families, taking such people into custody without trained
professionals and specialists rather than to a place of safety is totally unfair and unethical
(Gov.UK, 2018).
The reason behind the delay and issues with the excellence of investigation by the IPCC are
associated with the creation of the specialist’s deaths and serious injuries and by the necessary
changes which reflect on how the cases are investigated and supervised. For the proper and
effective investigation, it is essential to ensure an experienced officer as a matter of agency.
The review has found that for the progress of the investigations in a timely manner and ensures
that all the police agencies and organizations should work together effectively and efficiently, it
is crucial for the agencies like IPCC to review the emerging evidence following a death in the
custody of police and must implement an early review to discuss the nature and extent of the
incident. For the proper and effective investigation, it is essential to ensure an experienced
officer as a matter of agency. It is found that there is need of independent investigation for those
who died in police custody in order to motivate the families and ensure that no one in the future
will endure what is experienced by their loved ones (Police.UK, 2018).
5

Conclusion
The incident report is based on the independent review of the deaths and incidents in Police
custody in the UK published by Dame Elish Angiolini. The report has critically focused on the
events that lead to the serious deaths of the people in the police custody and the actions taken to
minimize such incidents. Also, the concerns of the families of the deceased have also been a
consideration in order to execute an in-depth investigation of the matter. In order to improve the
situation of serious death incidents in the custody, it is essential for the police officers to seek
specific training and should be also trained in the de-escalation techniques. Also, the police
officers dealing with the people with mental health problems should be accompanied by the
medical staff.
6

References
 Angiolini, D, E., 2017. Report of the Independent Review of Deaths and Serious Incidents in
Police Custody. Available at
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/
file/655401/Report_of_Angiolini_Review_ISBN_Accessible.pdf.
 Police.UK, 2018. Force Websites. Available at https://www.police.uk/contact/force-websites/.
 Gov.UK, 2018. Independent Police Complaints Commission. Available at
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/independent-police-complaint-commission.
7