Recommendation 1
The IOPC recommends that West Mercia Police should introduce Risk Management Plan training or produce an aide memoire to assist in the creation of Risk Management Plans, including definitions or examples for the different levels of risk, low, medium and high.
At the end of May 2022 West Mercia Police were made aware of a concern for welfare of a male. Officers attended and located the man, who was attempting suicide. A note was recovered from his home address in which he threatened to kill his neighbour as a result of ongoing issues between the two.
The man was taken to hospital for assessment and was later arrested and taken to custody.
During interview, the man said he did not mean the threats and he was suffering with his mental health. The man was offered support and it was agreed the man could be released and the investigation discontinued. The neighbour supported this and said he did not think the threats were credible and the man needed to get support for his mental health.
A Risk Management Plan was set up in light of the threats. The risk level was set as medium.
The IOPC investigation found that officers were unable to provide confirmation of the definition of ‘medium’ risk. Therefore, it was not possible to say whether this was the appropriate level for this matter. Furthermore, officers claimed to have had no training or received any guidance in respect of Risk Management Plans. The force’s Professional Standards Department were unable to provide any current guidance and confirmed there was no training in place.
Providing training or an ‘aide-memoire’ (possibly linked on-screen during the creation process) to assist officers in creating Risk Management Plans, including the definitions of risk levels, will help to achieve a universal appreciation of risk levels and ensure that officers and staff understand the risks associated with matters and the most appropriate risk level is applied in each case.
Addressed to: West Mercia Police
Linked bodies:
West Mercia Police