Response to concerns for welfare - South Wales Police, November 2017

In November 2017, South Wales Police received a telephone call at 2.12am from a member of the public, expressing concern for the safety of a relative. She said that both of this relative’s parents had died recently, and that he was struggling to come to terms with his mother having committed suicide. She added that a family member had been to the home of the man’s parents and had found his car outside, but did not want to go in for fear of what he might find.

Officers attended and forced entry to both the man’s parents’ address and his own home but did not find the man.

The man was initially assessed as a medium risk missing person. An inspector increased the risk assessment to high when it was established that the man was not with a friend, whom he was due to be visiting that afternoon.

At 7.49am, a friend of the man reported to police that he had found him hanging (clearly dead), in a nearby property.

Our investigators reviewed the police incident log and radio transmissions, and obtained witness statements from the officers involved in the search for the man.

The investigation found that South Wales Police was not in possession of any information linking the man to the property where he was found. South Wales Police was aware of a previous incident where the man had harmed himself, but this had taken place elsewhere. In addition, the man was not found at the same location where his mother reportedly committed suicide.

The Lead Investigator found no indication that any person serving with the police may have behaved in a manner that would justify the bringing of disciplinary or unsatisfactory performance proceedings.