IPCC:
Number of Fatal Police-Related Road Traffic Incidents Halved
The
number of fatal police-related road traffic incidents has halved in the
last year according to figures published by the Independent Police Complaints
Commission (IPCC) on Monday 21st July.
There were 17 fatal road traffic incidents involving police in England
and Wales during 2007/08 compared to 35 in 2006/07. These resulted in
23 fatalities, a fall of 13 deaths from 36 in 2006/07.
The figures are reported in the IPCC's Annual Report and Statement of
Accounts for 2007-08 which also includes statistics on deaths in or following
police custody, fatal shootings by police officers and deaths following
other types of police contact such as deaths linked to sieges, evading
arrest and concerns about the police's response.
Other key findings reported are:
* There were a total of 75 deaths during or following police contact in
2007/08 (a fall of nine from 2006/07 and the lowest figure since 1st April
2004).
* Five people died as a result of being shot by police (an increase of
four from 2006/07).
* Twenty one people died in or following police custody (a decrease of
six from 2006/07).
* Twenty six people died during or following other police contact (an
increase in six from 2006/07).
* More than eight in 10 (86%) of those people who died in or following
police custody were White.
* The IPCC was involved in the investigation of almost seven out of 10
(69%) of these fatalities.
The report also covers HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and the Serious Organised
Crime Agency (SOCA). There was one death in or following HMRC custody
and no deaths during or following contact with SOCA during 2007/08.
Commenting on the figures, Nick Hardwick, Chair of the IPCC said:
'Each death in these circumstances is dreadful - one is too many; every
reduction is important.
'I am therefore very pleased that there has been a significant - and now
sustained - fall in the number of deaths during or following police contact
from 107 in 2004/05 to 75 in 2007/08. A greater proportion of those deaths
that do occur are now investigated independently by the IPCC.
'This is the second consecutive year we have seen a fall in the number
of deaths and is largely accounted for by a fall in the number of fatal
road traffic incidents and fewer deaths in police custody. There appears
to be a downward trend in the number of fatalities over the past two years
and I am cautiously optimistic that we shall see this continue. However,
there is no room for complacency - and all of the organisations involved
need to focus relentlessly on achieving further reductions in the figures.'
The IPCC published a study of police road traffic incidents in September
2007 which made a number of recommendations for the Association of Chief
Police Officers (ACPO) and forces.
Commenting on the reduction in the number of road traffic fatalities,
Mr Hardwick said:
'The figures are still too high and this is an area that rightly causes
very significant public concern. So we must not be diverted away from
the issue of police road traffic incidents.
We particularly support ACPO's current drive to have greater legal force
put behind their guidance on how pursuits should be conducted. There cannot
be a postcode lottery around the country in terms of how officers decide
to conduct pursuits.'
Road Traffic Fatalities
This category includes deaths of motorists, cyclists or pedestrians arising
from police pursuits, police vehicles responding to emergency calls and
other police traffic related activity.
In 2007/08 there were 23 fatalities, a fall of 13 deaths from 36 in 2006/07.
Sixteen of those who died were male. The average age was 40 years, with
seven people being under 21 years of age. Five of those who died were
reported to be from minority ethnic groups.
Seventeen individuals died during or shortly after a police pursuit and
two of these people were pedestrians who died after being hit by a pursued
vehicle. One person died where a police vehicle was responding to an emergency
call.
Fatal shootings
Five people were fatally shot by police officers in 2007/08 compared to
one in 2006/07 and five in 2005/06. In 2007/08 two of the shootings involved
armed officers from Kent Police and three people were shot by officers
from the Metropolitan Police Service. Two of these people died in the
same incident. Three of the individuals were reported to be Black and
two were White. Their ages ranged from 36 to 52 years.
Deaths in or following police custody
This category includes deaths of people who have been arrested or otherwise
detained by the police. The deaths may have taken place on police, private
or medical premises, in a public place or in a police or other vehicle.
There were 21 deaths in 2007/08 compared to 27 in 2006/07. Of these 18
were White. One person was Black, one person was of mixed White and Asian
background and one person was identified as being Latin American. One
of those who died was female.
One person died in the custody suite and one person died during or shortly
after being arrested. A further 19 were identified as injured or unwell
while in custody or during arrest and died later in hospital.
Seventeen of the 21 individuals were known to have consumed, be in possession
of, or were known drug or alcohol misusers. Two people who died had been
detained under Section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983, while a further
three individuals were known to have some form of mental health issue.
The cause of death for eight individuals was found to be directly related
to drug or alcohol use.
Deaths during or following other types of police contact This category
includes deaths where a link can be established between the police contact
and the death, and which did not involve arrest or other detention. There
were 26 deaths, a rise of six deaths from 20 in 2006/07.
They include deaths where someone has attempted to evade arrest, deaths
in siege situations, and deaths where there are concerns about the police
response, such as domestic violence incidents.
Of the 26 people who died during or following other police contact, 20
were male. Twenty four were White and two were of mixed ethnicity. The
average age of those who died was 37 years.
The deaths included in this category span a diverse range of circumstances
and so it is difficult to identify one specific set of circumstances which
accounts for the increase. The broad boundaries of the definition also
means that, out of all the deaths categories, this is the most likely
to fluctuate over time.
Of the 26 deaths, 6 were where the individual was apparently trying to
avoid contact with officers. Six were apparent suicides and six died after
the police had been contacted with concerns about their behaviour or welfare.
Five deaths were alleged murders.
Apparent Suicides following Release from Custody
The IPCC presents figures on suicides following release from police custody
separately from the overall figures. This is due to difficulties in defining
this area and concerns about consistent reporting across the country.
In 2007/08 the IPCC reported 45 apparent suicides following release from
police custody. Just over half of these people (23) were reported to have
mental health needs. Nine of those who died were arrested in connection
with sexual offences relating to children or indecent images of children.
Nick Hardwick added:
'Most of these deaths occur shortly after a person is released from police
custody. A common perception is that most of these deaths include people
arrested for sexual offences - this simply is not true. Mental health
issues and substance abuse feature much more prominently. In eight cases
we were sufficiently concerned about the circumstances that we became
involved in the investigation. I believe that there is learning to be
derived from such cases which could prevent deaths in the future.'
