Police conduct examined after man detained and searched for drugs – Merseyside Police, June 2022

In June 2022, Merseyside Police officers witnessed a suspected drugs transaction between a man and a woman.

The officers were part of a taskforce on pro-active duty to disrupt potential criminal activity and were comprised of two direct supervisors and eight police constables.

The officers tried to detain the man, who was riding a pedal cycle. Several officers pursued the man on foot, while the other officers followed in unmarked vehicles. One of the police officers used force to stop and detain the man, including striking his leg with a baton to dismount him from his cycle and restraining him on the floor. 

The man was searched, and due to concerns that he may have concealed drugs, he was arrested, handcuffed and taken to a local police station for a strip search.

A strip search was conducted, and no evidence was found that the man was carrying or concealing any drugs. He was taken back to his home and de-arrested. Sadly, the man died five days later.

We received a death or serious injury referral from the force and decided to independently investigate the contact between officers and the man, including the decision to stop him, officers’ use of force, and the search after he was detained.

We also examined the transportation of the man to the police station and the officers’ actions while he was there, the medical aftercare he received, the decision to de-arrest him at home, and whether there was any evidence that the officers’ actions may have caused or contributed to his death. We considered whether the actions and decisions of the officers were in line with local and national policies, procedures and training.

Our investigators interviewed the officers involved and reviewed CCTV footage from the police station. Police body worn video footage was also obtained and reviewed, and statements were taken from other officers and paramedics.

We concluded there was no indication that a person serving with the police committed a criminal offence or behaved in a manner to justify disciplinary proceedings.

We found that the use of the baton to dismount the man to detain him for a drugs search was a reasonable use of force. The man was also offered medical care and his wishes regarding his injuries were recorded.

We did recommend that some of the officers involved in this incident would benefit from the reflective practice review process (RPRP). This process allows officers to learn from and reflect on what could have been done better. Other officers received a debrief of the incident to aid their learning.

The inquest into the man’s death found that the use of force more than minimally contributed to his death, and its use was not reasonable or proportionate.

We considered whether to re-investigate the case based on the findings from the inquest. We decided there was not enough evidence to warrant this and a new investigation was not necessary.

We carefully considered whether there were any learning opportunities arising from the investigation. We make learning recommendations to improve policing and public confidence in the police complaints system and prevent a recurrence of similar incidents.

We found learning opportunities for the force with regards to clear communication between officers when a detained person may have swallowed drugs. This should be properly recorded to ensure potential vulnerabilities are noted and welfare matters are followed up.

Merseyside Police provided a detailed response demonstrating their commitment to review practices, implement changes and supplement additional training.