Police safeguarding examined after man takes his own life – South Wales Police, December 2024

Officers were conducting proactive patrols in an area known for drugs. They encountered a man after an unsuccessful foot pursuit of another person. The man had shouted encouragement to various unknown people to ‘run’.

An officer handcuffed the man, and another officer searched the man’s bag. The bag contained various items, including a USB stick, a live wire detector, scalpels, a screwdriver and a rope with a carabiner attached. No drugs were found.

The handcuffing officer spoke to a sergeant as both officers were concerned that the items in the bag could be used for criminal activity. The man was left with the other officer.

While alone with the officer, the officer asked the man why he had these items and the man provided an explanation. The officer specifically asked what the purpose of the rope was, and the man replied that the rope was to hang himself with. The man explained that he had not seen his children for four years and it was ‘the wrong time of year’.

A police sergeant arrived at the scene and asked the man about some of the items within the bag. The man repeated that it was the wrong time of year, and he had explained this to the police officer.

Officers told the man he was free to leave and asked where he was going. The man told the officers that it did not matter where he was going and he would not be back in the area. Officers gave the man his belongings and he was allowed to leave.

A 999 call was made to South Wales Police by a member of the public the following morning reporting that a man was hanging from a tree. The man was dead. The man was subsequently identified as the man who had been stopped and searched.

We received a death or serious injury referral from the force and decided to independently investigate the safeguarding response that the man received from officers, specifically the actions and decisions of the officer who was told by the man that he was going to take his own life. We examined whether the officer’s response was appropriate in the circumstances and in line with national and local policies and procedures.

We reviewed body worn video footage from the incident and examined the stop and search records that were completed, as well as officer training records and policies on mental health and stop and search. We also obtained a statement from the South Wales Police mental health liaison officer. Our investigators obtained a written account and subsequently interviewed the officer who was told the man planned to take his own life.

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.

However, we did find shortcomings with regards to the safeguarding response the man received from one officer. This officer did not actively listen to the man as they were focused on searching the items within the man’s bag and the belief that he was carrying them for a potential criminal purpose. The officer admitted this, and if he had listened, it could have resulted in more in-depth questioning about the man’s state of mind at the time.

Evidence provided by the South Wales Police mental health liaison officer showed that when officers encounter someone who may be experiencing mental health difficulties, they are encouraged to engage that person in conversation, act empathetically and try to diffuse the situation. It was clear that this officer did not do this.

The officer did not conduct any checks on the man. If they had, they would have been aware that there were warning markers on their record.

We recommended that this officer 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.

We recommended that the officer should improve their practice in respect of actively listening and the handling of mental health related incidents.

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 did not identify any organisational learning in this case.