Source · IOPC Learning Case

Recommendation - West Mercia Police, March 2020

West Mercia Police Ref: 2019/123235 Recommended 5 Mar 2020 Response due 30 Apr 2020

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 woman went missing while being spoken to by mental health professionals. West Mercia Police was informed and, after a search, the woman was found close to a river. She saw officers and entered the water. She was later found dead.

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Recommendations

1 total

Recommendation 1

The IOPC recommends that West Mercia Police revises its risk assessment to consider the availability and distribution of water kits, including whether they may be carried in response vehicles. As a result of reviewing a DSI investigation it became apparent that police water safety kits are not available for all response officers if needed. In this particular case, a female went missing whilst being assessed by mental health professionals who were intending to detain the female under the Mental Health Act. Police were called and after a search they found her close to a river. Upon sighting the officers the female entered the water. The Police Sergeant who was reviewing the missing person search over the airwaves had confirmed that the water safety kit was located in the Sergeant's Office at the police station. The water safety kit contains 2 lifevests and a 15 meter throw line. The officers at the scene were unable to enter the water to try and assist the individual as it was considered too dangerous with no equipment to ensure their own safety. Had the officers had immediate access to a water safety kit they may have been in a position to take further action and may have been able to save the individuals life.

Addressed to: West Mercia Police

Linked bodies: West Mercia Police

Accepted

Force response

Do you accept the recommendation? Yes Accepted action: We welcome the learning recommendations from the IOPC. Given the large geographical area, and number of response police vehicles, a decision was made to locate the water kits at strategic positions across the force area, rather than have a kit in every vehicle. This recent IOPC recommendation will be considered as part of our Uniform and Equipment Group, which is the group that strategically reviews such matters. In terms of the wider learning, the force has already cascaded a 60 second learning document on the water safety policy and equipment to ensure the workforce are informed of the most recent information.