National recommendation - National Police Chiefs' Council, April 2019
Recommendation date: 12 April 2019
Response due: 7 June 2019
Published: 12 April 2019
Custody and detention
Death and serious injury
The recommendation below arises from a Death or Serious Injury review by one of our Casework Managers of a police investigation into the circumstances in which a detainee self-harmed: the detained person, who used a disabled toilet near the custody desk, removed the alarm cord in the toilet, concealed it on their person and used it as a ligature when back in their cell, causing themselves to become unresponsive.
Recommendations (1)
Recommendation 1
Accepted
Recommendation
The IOPC recommends that the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) ensures that all forces are made aware of this risk and the injury caused by the use of an alarm cord as a ligature in this case. All forces should … Read more
Force Response
Accepted action: The NPCC will communicate the recommendation with a note advising all forces to review their own custody facilities as a matter of urgency to ensure that any cords that could present a similar risk are replaced with alternative … Read more