Response to concern for welfare report - Northamptonshire Police, January–July 2017

On 30 January 2017, a man called Northamptonshire Police as he was concerned that he had not heard or seen his neighbour for a few weeks. Two police officers were sent to the woman’s home to carry out a safe and well check. No one answered the door and the officers left a card asking the woman to contact the police. An officer in the control room closed the log.

On 21 July 2017 a further call was made to the police by a neighbour of the same woman. He reported he had not seen her for several months and was concerned. Officers went to the woman’s flat, forced entry and found the woman dead. The post-mortem later indicated that she had been dead for several months.

During the investigation, our investigators obtained witness statements from the officers who responded to the welfare check on 30 January 2017. They also conducted house-to-house enquiries with residents who lived near the woman’s home. They also obtained accounts from officers who went to her flat on 30 January 2017 and from the officer who closed the incident log later that day.

Officers who went to the woman’s flat on 30 January said that they had made the decision not to force entry as they did not consider the woman to be vulnerable or at risk. The officer who closed the incident log said they had done so because officers had been to the woman’s home, and there was nothing to suggest that anything untoward had happened.

Based on the evidence available, the Investigator was of the opinion that the officers’ actions were appropriate. The Investigator found no indication that any person serving with the police may have behaved in a manner that would justify the bringing of disciplinary proceedings.

Our investigation highlighted a need for Northamptonshire Police to create a formal process, policy, or some guidance in relation to welfare checks on those who are classified as neither absent nor missing

The force agreed to reiterate guidance to officers regarding factors to consider when carrying out safe and well checks.