Response to 999 calls - West Yorkshire Police, October 2017

A woman telephoned West Yorkshire Police (WYP) on 999 at around 6.20am on 25 October 2017 and reported her ex-partner had taken her house keys. About 10 minutes later, she called WYP and said he had returned her keys, left her home and that she no longer required assistance. WYP intended to visit the woman within 48 hours to conduct a welfare check but no officers were available to deploy at that time.

At round 3.40am on 28 October 2017, the woman called WYP and reported a verbal dispute with her ex-partner. WYP graded the incident as requiring a ‘priority’ response, meaning officers should attend within one hour. Officers arrived at her address around 5.50am; when no-one answered the door, the officers left. About 30 minutes later, the woman called WYP again and said her ex-partner had injured her and might still be in the house. WYP graded the incident as requiring an ‘emergency’ response. Eight minutes later, the same officers returned to the woman’s house and, after forcing entry, found her ex-partner hanging inside. The officers immediately commenced cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but the man consequently died of his injuries.

The couple were known to WYP; there had been previous domestic incidents at the woman’s address and there was a MARAC (multi-agency risk assessment conference) action plan in place for the couple, which was on their police records.

Our investigators reviewed the associated incident logs, radio communications, 999 calls and MARAC plans. They also obtained statements from the woman caller, police staff and the two officers who went to the woman’s house.

After a thorough examination of the evidence, we were of the opinion that WYP officers and staff had graded, and responded to, the woman’s calls in line with local and national policy.

Based on the evidence, we found no indication that any person serving with the police considered in this investigation may have behaved in a manner which would justify the bringing of disciplinary proceedings or committed a criminal offence, and that there was no unsatisfactory performance by any officers identified during the investigation.

WYP concurred with our findings and agreed to review their recent policy change that removed most MARAC warning markers from incident logs, an issue identified during the investigation.