Suicide after police contact - Metropolitan Police Service, September 2017
On 21 September 2017 Metropolitan Police Service officers attended an address in London to execute a search warrant after receiving intelligence someone at the address was in possession of indecent images of children (IIOC). The home was searched and a man was arrested after admitting possession of IIOC. His electronic devices, including his mobile phone, were seized, and he was taken to a police station, where he was booked into custody and criminally interviewed. After the interview, he was released under investigation.
Later that day, the man’s body was found at the bottom of cliffs in Kent. An inquest held in summer 2018 determined he had died by suicide.
We investigated the contact the man had with police before his death. We obtained CCTV footage from custody, the recording of the police interview and the 999 call.
Based on the evidence available, we found no indication any police officer had behaved in a manner that would justify the bringing of disciplinary proceedings or committed a criminal offence, and no evidence the police caused or contributed to the man’s death.
IOPC reference
Recommendations
The Metropolitan Police Service to put necessary measures in place to ensure they are able to comply with the NPCC Suicide Prevention Risk Management guidance in relation to perpetrators of child sexual exploitation and indecent images of children. The MPS adopted this guidance in April 2017 but have confirmed that they are not complying with the policy as they do not currently have the facility to provide suspects with replacement mobile phones when theirs have been seized.
Do you accept the recommendation?
Yes
Accepted action:
The MPS has established the ‘Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Child Abuse Strategic Governance Board’ (OCSEA SGB) to continue to build compliance with the NPCC Suicide Prevention Risk Management guidance. The NPCC’s guidance details numerous considerations, one of which is to consider the temporary provision of a `pay-as-you-go’ phone in certain circumstances to OCSEA suspects. This is now being trialled within SCO40 (Specialist Crime command) as part of a range of suicide prevention tactics. Broader adoption of this specific measure will be subject to review through the OCSEA SGB and targeted internal stakeholder engagement. It should be noted that the NPCC document is not a national policy and it is therefore incorrect to assert that the MPS are non- compliant with policy.