7. Other deaths following police contact: independent investigations only

In 2010/11, a change was made to the definition of this category. It now includes only those deaths following police contact investigated independently by the IOPC, previously the IPCC.

During 2014/15, the IPCC started a significant period of change and expansion in response to the then-Home Secretary’s announcement that there should be more independent investigations into serious and sensitive matters. This had a direct impact on the number of deaths we recorded in the ‘other deaths following police contact’ category because inclusion of this type of case in the annual report is based on them being independently investigated.

Therefore, any increase or decrease in this category does not necessarily indicate a change in the number of people who died following some form of contact with the police.

Overall demographics

We independently investigated the deaths of 63 people who died during or following other contact with the police during 2025/26. Of these deaths:

• Thirty-eight were men and 25 were women.
• Forty-six people were White, two people were Black, eight were Asian, three people were of a mixed ethnicity, two people were of an other ethnicity, and the ethnicity of two people was not known.
• Four people were aged under 18 years, and 18 people were young adults aged between 18 and 30 years. Six people were aged over 60. The average age was 38 years old.
• Over half of those who died (37) were reported to be intoxicated by drugs and/or alcohol at the time of the incident, or drugs and/or alcohol featured heavily in their lifestyle. Over two-thirds of the people who died (43) were reported to have mental health concerns.

Circumstances of death

The deaths recorded in this category involve a range of circumstances. Police contact may not have been directly with the person who died, but with a third party, as seen in some of the case examples. The cause of death, where shown, is taken from the pathologist’s report following a post-mortem examination.

A post-mortem examination may not be carried out in a minority of cases. In this situation, the cause of death is taken from the records of the doctor who certified the death. The cause of death will be recorded as ‘awaited’ if it is formally disputed at the time of analysis.

The most common reason for contact with the police was a concern for welfare, as shown in Table 7.1. Fifty-one people died after concerns were raised with the police, either directly or indirectly, about their safety or well-being before their death. A further twelve fatalities were recorded for other types of contact with the police.

A total of twelve people who died following police contact had force used against them. Eight people were White, one person was Asian, one person was Black, one person was of mixed ethnicity, and one person was of other ethnicity. 

Eleven people were restrained by police officers. Of these eleven deaths:

• Six people had leg restraints applied by police officers.
• Three deaths also involved restraint by members of the public.
• One death involved use of other equipment, namely a bite guard. This death also involved use of PAVA incapacitant spray.

In addition to the eleven people who were restrained, one incident also involved discharge of a Taser.

The use of force does not necessarily mean that the force used contributed to the death. 

Concern for welfare

Of the 51 fatalities that followed contact with the police because of a concern for welfare, thirteen fatalities related to the person’s health, possible injuries, intoxication, or general well-being. In most incidents, a third party contacted the police to raise their concern. In this category:

• Nine people were men and four were women.
• Twelve people were White and one person was of an other ethnicity.
• The most common ages were 21-30 and 31-40, with four people in each of these age groups. The average age was 43.
• The majority of those who died (8) were reported to be under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs at the time of the incident, or these featured heavily in their lifestyle.
• The most common forms of death classification were natural causes, accidental and accidental overdose (three people in each classification). One was self-inflicted, one was an alleged murder and the classification of one death is not known at this time.

One incident involved use of force:

• Police were contacted with reports of concern for a man. Officers reported that they believed he was suffering from acute behavioural disturbance and an ambulance was requested. The officers held on to the man’s arms and as they did so, the man gradually slipped down some steps on to the floor. When on the floor, an officer determined the man needed to be further restrained. He was handcuffed, then laid on his side and his legs were restrained. A short time later, leg restraints were also applied. Further requests were made for the ambulance service to attend urgently. While waiting for the ambulance, the leg restraints were removed. An ambulance arrived and the man was taken to hospital, where he died three days later. His cause of death is awaited 

Twelve fatalities related to a concern about a person’s risk of self-harm, risk of suicide, or their mental health. In such cases, the person is not reported or considered as missing - the concerns are usually raised with the police by a third party, about a person with known mental health concerns. For example, the person may have failed to attend an appointment or welfare check, or they have shown signs of being at risk of self-harm or suicide. Of these:

• Ten people were men and two were women.
• Eight people were White, two were Asian and one person was of mixed ethnicity. The ethnicity of one person is not known at this time.
• The ages of the people ranged from 22 to 68. The majority were aged between 41 and 50 (five people). The average age was 41.
• The most common death classification was self-inflicted (eight people). Three people died as a result of an accidental overdose. One death was restraint-related.
• Nine people were reported to be intoxicated by drugs and/or alcohol at the time of the incident, or drugs and/or alcohol featured heavily in their lifestyle.

Three incidents involved use of force:

• Police responded to calls of concern for a man who was reportedly having a mental health episode and under the influence of drugs. Officers arrived at the property where the man was found, and body worn video shows that he appears to be in distress and behaving erratically. An officer used physical restraint to control the man’s arm and put him inside the van, assisted by a member of the public. An ambulance was called by a member of the public who was present, and a police officer informed the ambulance service of ‘suspected acute behavioural disturbance’. Shortly after, the man became unresponsive. The man was removed from the van, and CPR was given until the ambulance arrived. A defibrillator was also used by officers and paramedics. The man was taken to hospital where he died the next day. His cause of death cannot be reported at this time. 
   
• Police responded to reports of a man causing a disturbance to his neighbours. The callers reported that he appeared to be experiencing a mental health episode. Officers attended and found the man on the ground in the front garden of a house. Officers began to restrain the man which they reported was done in order to stop him harming himself. They identified that they believed the man was experiencing acute behavioural disturbance and requested an ambulance. While waiting for the ambulance, officers applied handcuffs and leg restraints as a further measure to keep the man safe. Officers continued to restrain the man while he was in the ambulance. Once inside the hospital, the leg restraints were removed and officers stepped away from the man. The man died the next day. His cause of death was reported as la Multi-organ failure 1b. Cardiac arrests lc. Acute cocaine toxicity. 
   
• Police received a report of a man reportedly experiencing a mental health episode and assaulting family members. It was stated that he was being restrained by family members. When officers arrived, the man could be seen assaulting a family member. Officers restrained the man. He was taken to the floor and handcuffed. The man was turned onto his side. Officers were concerned about the man’s breathing and contacted the ambulance service. A few minutes later, an officer stated that they could not hear the man breathing. Officers removed the handcuffs and began CPR. Paramedics arrived and took over treatment. However, the man died at the scene. His cause of death was reported as 1a) Cocaine intoxication with Acute Behavioural Disturbance in Temporal Association with Restraint 

Sixteen fatalities were domestic-related. This means that the police responded to a domestic incident, or the circumstances of the contact involved a history of domestic violence, or threats made against the deceased and/or family members. In this category:

• Fifteen of those who died were women and one was a man.
• Ten of the people were White, three were Asian, two were of mixed ethnicity and the ethnicity of one person is not known at this time.
• The average age was 36. The youngest person was two and the eldest was 85.
• The deaths were classified as alleged murder in ten instances. Six deaths were self-inflicted.

Six people who died were reported missing: 

• Four of those who died were men and two were women.
• Four of the people were White and two were Asian.
• The average age was 34. The youngest person was 13 and the eldest was 51.
• Two deaths were self-inflicted.
• Four people were known to have a specific risk of suicide or self-harm.

Two people died following concern about threatening behaviour. These incidents involve threatening behaviour or harassment among people in non-domestic situations, such as between neighbours or strangers. In this category:

• Both people were men.
• Both people were White.
• Both classifications of death were alleged murder.

Two people died following other types of concerns for welfare:

• Police received an automated phone call reporting that a car had been involved in a road traffic collision. Police called the number back but there was no response. The location of the incident was near a border with another force and fell into that second force’s jurisdiction. The incident was passed to this second force within a few minutes. A call handler from the second force attempted twice to call the number back, with no answer. The log was closed a short time later. The next morning, a call was made to police. The caller reported that they had found a car crashed into a hedge. The driver of the car was pronounced dead at the scene. Her cause of death was reported as 1a. Head injury due to 1b. Road traffic collision. 
   
• Police received multiple automated calls of a car being involved in a collision. This included an iPhone crash detection call as well as a call from the vehicle itself after the vehicle telematics detected a collision. Both calls provided the location of the crash. Officers were sent to the vicinity, but reported there were no signs of a collision. A further call was received later that day from telematics monitoring reporting that they had been notified of a vehicle involved in a crash. Officers were again deployed to the vicinity, but reported no signs of a collision. Two days following the initial report, police received a call from the ambulance service to report that they had been notified of a car on its roof, found in a field. The driver of the car was pronounced dead at the scene. His cause of death was reported as 1a Traumatic head injury 

Other contact

The twelve deaths recorded for other types of contact took place in the following circumstances.

Two people died after contact with the police who were assisting medical staff:

• The ambulance service contacted police to request assistance with a man  they were struggling to contain. When officers arrived, they were informed by ambulance crew that the man was in a crisis, had possibly taken drugs, and was vomiting blood. Paramedics were trying to get the man into an ambulance but had struggled to do so. The man agreed to get into the ambulance, but once inside he tried to leave. Officers restrained the man to control him and used leg restraints. They continued to restrain the man during the journey to hospital. Officers also accompanied the man into hospital, applying restraint at various points. The man died shortly after arrival at hospital. His cause of death was reported as Ia Caffeine toxicity. 
   
• An ambulance crew were transporting a man to hospital. The ambulance pulled onto the hard shoulder of a motorway due to concerns the paramedics had about welfare. The man then got out of the ambulance and ran on to the motorway. Ambulance crew called for assistance from the police and an officer arrived soon after. The officer tried to interact with the man on the motorway. He then discharged his Taser, which made contact with the man. The man fell into one of the motorway lanes, where he was hit by a car. The officer moved the man into the central reservation where paramedics provided medical assistance. However, the man died at the scene. His cause of death is awaited. 

Three people died after police officers attended a report of a disturbance:

• Police received calls to report that a resident of a hostel was reportedly shouting and screaming and had smashed a window in his room. It was reported that he likely had mental health concerns. A call handler contacted the ambulance service about the incident. Officers attended the incident and upon entering the man’s room, found him lying on the floor. The room was filled with smoke, and the floor was covered in water. The officers removed the man from the room, placed him on his side, and applied handcuffs. An officer provided an update stating that they suspected the man had acute behavioural disturbance and asked for the incident to be treated as a medical emergency. While awaiting the ambulance, officers restrained the man and used leg restraints. Paramedics arrived and officers carried the man out of the building and onto a stretcher. The man’s handcuffs and leg restraints were removed, and he was taken to hospital. The man died the next day. His cause of death is awaited.
   
• Officers responded to reports of a disturbance at a residential address. During the police response, PAVA incapacitant spray was used on several occasions. The man was also restrained and handcuffed, leg restraints were applied and a bite guard was used. An ambulance was called as the police believed the man was displaying symptoms relating to acute behavioural disturbance. The ambulance service reported a delay in attendance and officers decided to transport the man the short distance to hospital. After placing the man in the police vehicle, they noticed he was unresponsive and began CPR. Officers continued the journey to hospital, but the man died shortly after arrival. His cause of death is awaited. 
   
• Officers attended a report of individuals fighting on the road outside a block of flats. Officers arrived and went into one of the flats where they found a woman being restrained on the floor by another woman. Shortly after their arrival, the officers requested an ambulance, telling the control room that a woman was experiencing a drug-induced, psychotic episode. When waiting for the ambulance, the officers physically restrained the woman and applied leg restraints. Officers thought the woman may be suffering with acute behavioural disturbance and the ambulance service was contacted again and an ambulance arrived shortly afterwards. The woman was taken to hospital accompanied by an officer who continued to restrain her. The woman died shortly after arrival at hospital. Her cause of death was reported as 1a. The effects of cocaine.

Three men died after avoiding police contact or arrest:

• Officers approached a man on the driveway of a house. Having identified themselves as police officers the man appeared to remove an item from his clothes with his hand and raised the same hand towards his mouth. An officer requested the man to spit out what he had in his mouth. The officer attempted to detain the man and they both fell to the ground, resulting in a struggle. The man then appeared to be struggling to breathe, and officers immediately changed from restraining the man to assisting and providing medical attention. Officers gave CPR and an ambulance was called. Paramedics arrived and continued treatment. The man was taken to hospital where he died shortly after arrival. His cause of death is awaited. 
   
• Two officers in a police vehicle spoke to a man on the street. While speaking to the officers the man took a package from his mouth, which he said contained drugs. An officer left the vehicle to conduct a drugs search of the man. The officer described that the man appeared to throw something, and the man said he had thrown away the drugs. The package was not found during the search, and the man was taken to a friend’s house. Officers continued to search the area, but no drugs were found. About an hour after officers let the man go, they called him, and he maintained that he had not swallowed the drugs and had thrown them away. Officers returned the next morning to continue the search in daylight, where they found the man collapsed but responsive. First aid was provided and the man was taken to hospital, where he died later that morning. His cause of death was reported as 1a) Principally cocaine related mixed drug toxicity (cocaine, methadone, heroin and pregabalin).
   
• Officers observed what they believed to be a drugs transaction taking place between two men on a street. In the area was an unmarked police car and a police van.  As officers approached the men, one of them, who was on an e-bike, rode away from them. Officers approached and tried to engage with the man on the e-bike during which the man fell from the bike, slid along the road, and made contact with the stationary police van. The man got to his feet. Officers took him to the floor, restrained him, and applied handcuffs. Officers sat the man up and attempted to get him to his feet. The man became unresponsive. Officers laid him on the floor, removed the handcuffs, and gave him CPR. An ambulance was called and when paramedics attended, they removed a package from the man’s throat. The man was taken to hospital where he died shortly after arrival. His cause of death is awaited. 

Three people died after contact with police who were executing a search, arrest warrant or other investigation enquiries:

• A man in a shop was detained by officers for a stop and search. He was handcuffed and escorted out of the shop. During the search, the man appeared to reach into his pocket and put something into his mouth. A struggle ensued as officers reportedly tried to remove the item from the man’s mouth. The man was taken to the ground by officers and an ambulance was requested. Shortly after, officers noticed that the man appeared to be having a medical episode. Officers removed his handcuffs and gave him CPR. An ambulance arrived and the man was taken to hospital, where he died shortly after arrival. His cause of death was reported as I (a) Cocaine toxicity. 
   
• Police attended a man’s home address in response to reports of someone uploading indecent images of children to the internet. The man consented to having his computer and phone examined. Officers said that while the man’s devices were being searched, he stabbed himself in the neck. More officers and the ambulance service were called. First aid was provided by officers and paramedics attended, but the man was pronounced dead a short time later. 
   
• Officers attended a flat in relation to a theft investigation. Four people were present in the flat, one man was subsequently arrested for the theft. While searching the flat for evidence, one officer found a significant amount of a white substance believed to be drugs, and drug-related equipment. The officer placed the items on a table in the room where the other three people were sitting. The officer left the room to continue the search. The other two officers present also turned away from the room shortly after. When the officers returned to the room, the white substance was gone. The officers searched the three people, but the drugs were not found. One of the people told another man that he needed to go to hospital, which he denied. The officers asked the man why he would need to go to hospital and it was reported that he said he didn’t need to go. The officers left the flat with the man they had arrested for the theft. Early the next morning, the ambulance service attended the same flat where a man disclosed that he had swallowed a quantity of drugs. Later that morning the man was taken to hospital, where he died a short time after. His cause of death is awaited.

One death occurred following other contact with the police:

• Police received reports of a group of teenagers with knives and possibly a machete, who were surrounding other children in a park. Officers were sent to the area, stopped a child, and carried out a search, which did not find anything. Approximately an hour later, another two officers talked to a group of children in the same park. Shortly after the officers’ interaction with the children, a boy was stabbed in an area close to the park. The boy died later that evening. 

Trends

In 2010/11, a change was made to the definition of this category. It now includes only those deaths following other police contact that were investigated independently by the IOPC (formerly the IPCC). The number of cases recorded in this category is directly linked to the number of cases independently investigated. It would not be meaningful to provide any trend analysis for this category. The deaths included in this category happen in a range of circumstances, which make it difficult to identify a specific set of events that account for changes in the number of fatalities. The overall proportion of cases about a concern for welfare made up 81% of the deaths following police contact that were independently investigated, compared to 89% in 2024/25.