Call handling investigated after man’s death – South Wales Police, December 2021

Staff at a supported housing scheme contacted South Wales Police to report that a resident had become aggressive and caused damage to a door. The police graded the incident grade 2. This requires a priority response.

The police made further enquiries and it emerged that the man had not caused damage to a door and had returned to his bedroom.

The incident remained a grade 2 priority response as there was information the man had breached a court order.

Staff at the supported housing scheme made a second call to the police stating the man had told them he had taken an overdose. Staff had not seen him take the overdose and he was communicating with them through a closed door. Staff said they had contacted the mental health team and requested an ambulance. The incident remained a grade 2 priority response.

The ambulance service called the police to ask for help to gain access to the man’s locked bedroom. The ambulance service did not indicate that the man was not communicating with them or that he had been violent towards them.

The ambulance service made a second call 22 minutes later. They said they were concerned for the man as he could be unconscious inside his bedroom and there was no sign of life. The incident grading was changed to grade 1. This is an emergency. 

Police officers gained access to the man’s bedroom. Unfortunately, the man was dead. 

We received a death or serious injury referral from the force and decided to independently investigate the police’s handling of calls. 

We investigated the actions and decisions around grading calls, as well as the actions and decisions of the officers who went to the incident. We also examined whether the actions and decisions of officers and staff were in line with local and national policy and procedures.

Our investigators conducted a detailed examination of documents and airwaves relating to this incident. 

We concluded there was no indication that a person serving with the police committed a criminal offence or behaved in a manner justifying the bringing of disciplinary proceedings. 

We carefully considered whether there were any learning opportunities arising from the investigation. We make learning recommendations to improve policing and public confidence in the police complaints system and prevent a recurrence of similar incidents. 

We did not identify any organisational learning in this case.