Complaint regarding police involvement with a man before his death - Surrey Police, January 2017

On 29 November 2016 a man was found dead in his home in Berkshire. This was referred to us by Surrey Police as the man was the subject of a criminal investigation by the force and was on police bail. We determined this as suitable for local investigation by the force.

We subsequently received representations from Surrey Police, and a complaint from the man’s family in relation to events leading up to, and at the scene of, his death. Having received additional information, we determined in January 2017 that we would investigate this matter independently.

Our investigation considered the overall circumstances of the man’s death and how Surrey Police managed the welfare of the man, who was a police constable employed by the force, while he was suspended from work and under investigation.

Following the officer’s death, another force continued the original investigation. They concluded that there was insufficient evidence to submit the investigation to the Crown Prosecution Service for a charging decision. However, other areas of minor misconduct were identified that the officer would have been asked to account for.

We found evidence that a police officer assigned to monitor the man’s welfare did not pass on some additional information regarding the man’s mental health to occupational health, which he could have reasonably been expected to do.

Our investigation was completed in November 2017 and concluded that the welfare officer may have a case to answer for misconduct in relation to how they performed their role.

After reviewing our report Surrey Police agreed and the officer received management advice. Two other officers received words of advice in relation to their wider involvement in the case.

We also made informal learning recommendations to the force in relation to the role of welfare support officers and appropriate behaviour at the scene of a sudden death, which the force accepted.

In May 2019 an inquest into the man’s death recorded the cause of death as suicide, including a narrative verdict. The Coroner made Regulation 28 recommendations, and Surrey Police introduced various improvements relating to officers suspended from duty.