Recommendation - Merseyside Police, March 2023

The IOPC recommends that Merseyside Police should amend their graded response policy to include that operators should conduct PNC checks and consider relevant warning signals when determining whether deployment for a welfare check is required. This recommendation has arisen following an IOPC review of a DSI matter. An individual called the emergency services to report a crime and also voiced thoughts of self-harm and suicide. The operator deployed an ambulance to their address, graded a Category 2 response, which on this day meant there was a one and a half hour wait. Before the ambulance had arrived, the ambulance service had contacted the police to request assistance attending the address, as the individual had called back and informed the ambulance service that they had taken an overdose and they were in possession of two knives. Officers were deployed and the individual was found conscious, but it appeared he had taken a large amount of various medications and had a knife next to their bed. On the PNC record, it stated that the individual had warning markers for self-harm and suicide. This information was available to the operator, but appears it was not reviewed. The Investigating Officer was contacted, and although it is expected that this information should be checked, this is not currently contained in policy. Do you accept the recommendation? Yes

Accepted

Force response