Pubdate: Sun, 28 Mar 2004
Source: Guardian, The (UK)
Copyright: 2004 Guardian Newspapers Limited
Contact:  http://www.guardian.co.uk/guardian/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/175
Author: Rosie Cowan, crime correspondent
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)

'POLICE TO BLAME' FOR DEATHS OF DRUNKS

Study Criticises Lack of Training

Drunk detainees and those high on drugs are dying in police custody because 
officers are not properly trained or equipped to deal with them, according 
to a highly critical report published today by the policing watchdog. A 
study by the Police Complaints Authority found that alcohol was a factor in 
60% of 58 such deaths in England and Wales in 2000-2001, while drugs played 
a role in a further 34% - cocaine in 21% and heroin in 13%. Nearly a third 
of all cases had identifiable mental health problems, including three who 
had been arrested under the Mental Health Act.

David Best, the PCA's head of research, said police officers' lack of 
knowledge and resources was costing lives. "In some cases it is apparent 
that different action might have avoided a tragic outcome."

Seventeen of those who died had not actually been arrested, or had been 
sent straight to a hospital. But many of the 41 who were taken to police 
stations had received inadequate care, with long delays in getting them to 
hospital.

"It is vital that police officers are trained to identify vulnerable 
individuals and take appropriate action, and they must be trained and 
equipped adequately to enable them to do this," said Dr Best.

Sometimes, officers failed to spot that drunkeness was disguising more 
serious injuries and illnesses, and several detainees who should have been 
checked at least every half hour (or some every 15 minutes), under the 
Police and Criminal Evidence Act code, were only being checked once an 
hour, or even less regularly.

Unless the system was drastically overhauled, said Dr Best, those under the 
influence of alcohol or drugs should not be held in police stations, except 
where really necessary.

He said while it was encouraging that the Metropolitan and Hertfordshire 
police forces were introducing detoxification centres, it was disturbing 
that, six years after the PCA first highlighted the issue in a report, it 
was only beginning to be addressed. There were still no clear national 
guidelines.

"Unless there are vast improvements, there is no alternative but to 
conclude that drunken detainees should not be taken to police stations in 
other than the most extreme circumstances."

Those who died were mostly white men, aged between 15 and 75. Four were women.

In 33 of the 58 cases, alcohol was the specific reason for the arrest, or 
officers decided that the detainee was drunk. Yet in four cases, the 
postmortem examination detected no alcohol, and in another four cases, the 
pathologist found alcohol the police failed to detect.

Half the detainees were handcuffed and CS spray was used in one incident. 
Just over half of those who reached a police station were seen by the 
forensic physician, who declared them fit for detention in 87% of cases. 
But there was adequate recording of satisfactory checking and rousing of 
detainees in only one-third of cases. Even when a forensic physician 
advised that the detainee should be under constant watch, checks were only 
done slightly more often than every 30 minutes.
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