Recommendation - South Wales Police, November 2024

The IOPC recommends that South Wales Police, as part of their ongoing review, ensure that there are clear policies in place for how warning markers and flags should be placed on an individual’s record, regardless of how they come into contact with the police. 

Any updates to policy should detail the process to be followed, including when a warning marker should be created, whose responsibility it is to add it to police systems, and whose responsibility it is to ensure markers are up to date. 

This recommendation follows an IOPC review of a local investigation report into serious injuries to a person who had been reported to South Wales Police as missing. Despite previous incidents, there were no warning markers or flags on the person’s record. Had warning flags or markers been in place, these might have altered how the force responded to the report.

The death or serious injury investigation established that South Wales Police’s current policy and initial training does not cover who is able to add warning markers, and whose responsibility this is, particularly when an individual comes into the contact with the police other than in the custody environment or through more specialist departments such as the Public Protection Unit. 

There is currently also a lack of clarity amongst officers. Clear policy, guidance and training would help ensure all relevant and important information is captured.

Accepted

The action for the organisation has been accepted and is being worked on. The policy change is in progress and force trainers have been advised to include it in learning packages.