Response to concern for welfare report - Cumbria Constabulary, May 2018

On 30 May 2018 a woman called Cumbria Constabulary to report concern for the welfare of a teenage boy, who she said was smoking cannabis with two adults, including her son, at a neighbouring address. She also reported that her adult son had “manhandled” her out of the property.

Two officers were allocated to the incident, arriving approximately two hours after the initial call was made. The officers knocked on the woman’s door and spoke to her son through an open window, as he was unable to open the front door. The man told the officers his mother couldn’t come to the door because she was drunk. The officers did not enter the house nor check on the caller’s welfare, and left to pursue other lines of enquiry.

Approximately ten hours later, two other officers were allocated to go the woman’s home to follow up on her call. Before they arrived, North West Ambulance Service informed Cumbria Constabulary that the woman had been found dead at her home. Her death was not treated as suspicious.

During the investigation our investigators obtained witness statements from Cumbria Constabulary police officers, and obtained written accounts from police officers and police staff. They also obtained, transcribed and analysed radio transmissions and 999 calls to Cumbria Constabulary, as well as police incident reports. We analysed the actions of the officers against national and local safeguarding policy.

During the investigation we found no indication any police officer or police staff may have behaved in a manner that would justify the bringing of disciplinary proceedings or committed a criminal offence.

Based on the evidence available, we were of the opinion that two officers who went to the woman’s home should receive management action to be reminded of the force’s policy regarding performing welfare checks, which states that officers should obtain initial accounts from witnesses and victims and, if necessary, put immediate safeguarding measures in place for victims.

After reviewing our report, Cumbria Constabulary agreed that the two officers would receive management action.