Man becomes unwell in custody - Bedfordshire Police, June 2017

Bedfordshire Police officers were called to an incident in Luton on 3 June 2017 after a man had crashed his car into a parked car. He was breathalysed by officers, which showed he was just under the legal limit. He was arrested for potential theft of the car he was driving and taken to Luton custody suite, where his detention was authorised.

The custody sergeant assigned him level one observations (general observations), meaning he had to be checked on at half-hourly intervals. It was arranged for the man to see the healthcare professional (HCP); she fed back to the custody sergeant that he was alcohol-dependent and had other medical issues, including an enlarged liver. No review of the care plan was made and level one observations continued.

The man then fell while in his cell and lost consciousness for approximately 90 seconds. Custody staff attended immediately and began to administer first aid, before handing over to ambulance staff. The man was taken to hospital, and was later discharged, having received sutures to a head wound.

During the investigation, our investigators obtained witness statements from custody staff, custody records (including the risk assessment, medical form and detention log), and CCTV. The custody officer was served with a notice informing him that there was an indication of potential misconduct in relation to the level of observation and care planning. He provided us with a written response.

We identified that the custody officer had not followed relevant guidance and training when completing the custody record and carried out observations.

We were of the opinion that the officer had failed to perform their duties to a satisfactory level and recommended to Bedfordshire Police that this should be dealt with through unsatisfactory performance procedures.

After reviewing our report, the force agreed with our findings and advised that they would put in a place a development plan for the officer requiring him to refresh his knowledge of professional practice regarding custody.

We agreed that their proposal was appropriate.