Man dies after contact with police - Bedfordshire Police, August 2017

In August 2017 Bedfordshire Police officers attended an assisted living facility after care staff made a call to police regarding one of the residents who was “smashing the place up”. Force control room staff deployed a unit to assist. Officers arrived and spoke to the man, who said he was “better”. Officers explained to the care staff that they didn’t have the powers to remove the man from the premises, so the man remained there. Paramedics who arrived later said the man did not require any immediate medical treatment.

In the early hours of the following morning, the resident left the assisted living facility. A number of calls to Bedfordshire Police were made by members of the public who saw him on the bridge above a busy A road. When a police unit located him, he jumped off the bridge. Officers began cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but the man was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.

During the investigation, investigators viewed CCTV footage, listened to radio transmissions and obtained a number of statements from police officers who attended the scene and who had contact with the man.

Based on the evidence available we found no indication that any person serving with the police may have behaved in a manner that would justify the bringing of disciplinary proceedings, or had committed a criminal offence.