Recommendation - West Yorkshire Police, July 2021
In September 2020, West Yorkshire Police received a call from a neighbour who reported that screaming could be heard next door and that this had happened the previous night. The caller told police that their neighbour was a vulnerable man. Officers arrived at the location and attempted to engage with the man. As no offences had been committed, the police left without speaking directly with the man. The control room despatcher did not relay information concerning the man being viewed as vulnerable. This may have altered the attending officers' decision to leave the location and/or make further attempts to engage with the man.
IOPC reference
Recommendations
The IOPC recommends that West Yorkshire Police (WYP) develop a policy which clearly defines the role of the control room despatcher. The policy should include what information the despatcher is expected to relay and what actions should be completed on receipt of specific information.
This recommendation is made following a Death or Serious Injury investigation after a call to police relating to a Concern for Welfare regarding the caller's neighbour. The caller provided the Control Room with information stating that the neighbour was vulnerable and suffered from mental health issues. Officers attended the location and attempted to engage with the male, however he refused to open the door or speak with the officers. As no offences had been committed the officers left the location. The control room despatcher did not inform the attending officers that the male was considered vulnerable, had this information been relayed, it may have altered the officers' decision to leave the location and/or make further attempts at engagement with the male. The development of a policy which determines the role of the despatcher should include what information they are expected to relay and what actions they should complete on receipt of specific information.
Not accepted:
The recommendation has once again been considered. Earlier representation was made under the consultation phase after views from a representative from the Contact Senior Management team were sought.
The views provided were that it was believed that West Yorkshire Police already have a good identification as to the role of Dispatcher in place, with a solid role profile, and duties performed within the role clearly identified.
It was accepted that despite this, we are not always going to get things right or be able to ensure that every eventuality is captured within that role profile, or indeed any policy.
Contact Senior Management accept the IOPC’s position nonetheless and will work to refresh the instructions to Dispatch staff. The Individual learning has also been progressed as previously identified.
It is hoped that a refresh of THRIVE as well as the new call handling kit that is currently being implemented, will assist in areas such as this, as the technology will assist the user in better identifying risk through better searching of available data.
The following additional response was received on 19 October 2021
The recommendation has once again been considered. Earlier representation was made under the consultation phase after views from a representative from the Contact Senior Management team were sought.
The views provided were that it was believed that West Yorkshire Police already have a good identification as to the role of Dispatcher in place, with a solid role profile, and duties performed within the role clearly identified.
The role profile has however been re-visited, the outputs are clearly outlined in PDR (with a sample number being checked to ensure compliancy) and the objectives of the role are clearly defined there also. All the objectives relate to the core role of Dispatcher (and extend into the Supervisor role profile also).
The training for Dispatcher is also sufficient, Contact Senior Management have checked this input with our PDU, and as they recruit from call handler into Dispatch (for support staff at least) they have a thread running through this transition that assists in the Dispatch role for support staff.
Areas for development have been identified around THRIVE and Re-THRIVE within Contact, and there is a plan to increase compliance in these areas.
The training and refocus mentioned during the consultation phase is well underway and it is anticipated this will lead to increased compliance as well as a better focus on vulnerability.
Whilst we cannot rule out human error (as was the case on which this recommendation was based upon), our Contact Senior Management representative is confident in the training, objectives, PDR and Role Profile for a Dispatcher.
For instances such as this case, this is where timely individual feedback comes in, but risk is also being stressed within Contact Team accountability Meetings (TAMs)
In addition, and longer term, Contact are looking to increase their work in this area via better use of technology (so assisting the Contact staff in their decision making and identifying risk through better searching of available data) and additional refresher training in key areas.