Recommendations - Nottinghamshire Police, February 2026

The IOPC recommends that Nottinghamshire Police Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) team should always wear body worn video (BWV) on every enforcement visit.

This follows an IOPC investigation where Nottinghamshire Police's ICE team attended the address of a man following a referral from the National Crime Agency into indecent images, and the man stabbed himself in the neck whilst the officers were triaging his digital devices. The recommendation will not only allow the investigative team to capture evidence of use in their investigation but also provides transparency to demonstrate the actions of the officers and members of the public.

Accepted

Body worn video devices are available in the ICE office and are now taken to all enforcements and activated by those attending. The force is currently procuring new devices for the entire organisation, and the ICE team has a budget allocation for this upgrade. 

The IOPC recommends that Nottinghamshire Police introduce a process and standard document for its Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) team for conducting risk assessments on those subject to an enforcement visit, before the visit takes place and before the suspect is aware of the investigation. This should include specific consideration of the need for arrest, the suspect’s welfare, and the officers’ welfare, as well as the expectation of direct supervision of the suspect whilst at the address. It should also include intelligence checks relating to the individual and the address. This process should be documented in a policy deemed appropriate by the force.

This follows an IOPC investigation where Nottinghamshire Police's ICE team attended the address of a man following a referral from the National Crime Agency regarding the uploading of indecent images. The man stabbed himself in the neck at the address whilst the officers were triaging his digital devices.

This recommendation will facilitate the investigative team to conduct a more in-depth risk assessment prior to the enforcement visit taking place. This could include consideration of the layout of the address and mitigating steps to arrest or restrict the movements of the suspect in an unknown environment.

This is in line with the College of Policing’s ‘Operational Advice for Managing the risk of suicide for persons under investigation for online child sexual abuse and exploitation’, which emphasises the importance of considering suicide risk at the earliest opportunity.

Accepted

A Risk Assessment Briefing Document has been created and is now used when planning all enforcements. It is completed by the Officer in the Case and shared with all of those attending the enforcement.  The completed document is attached to niche. A copy of this Risk Assessment document has been shared with the IOPC.

The IOPC recommends that Nottinghamshire Police should review and amend policy documents ‘PS260 – Suicide Prevention and Risk Management of Suspects’ and ‘PD485 – Dealing with Indecent Images of Children and Extreme pornography’ to include suspects who are under investigation (including those visited at home) or those that have attended a voluntary interview at a police station.

This follows an IOPC investigation where Nottinghamshire Police's Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) team attended the address of a man following a referral from the National Crime Agency regarding the uploading of indecent images. The man stabbed himself in the neck at the address whilst the officers were triaging his digital devices.

Force policy focuses on suicide risk assessments in relation to suspects who have been arrested and released from custody rather than those who may be under investigation but have not been arrested. This recommendation will facilitate the investigative team to capture the suspect’s mental health state at the point of initial contact (prior to any arrest), complete a dynamic assessment of the situation, and enable officers not only to react to any new information, but to provide any available welfare or signposting deemed necessary.

This is in line with the College of Policing’s ‘Operational Advice for Managing the risk of suicide for persons under investigation for online child sexual abuse and exploitation’ which emphasises the importance of considering suicide risk at the earliest opportunity.

Accepted

PS 260 Suicide Prevention and Risk Management of Suspects Policy and PD485 Dealing with Indecent Images of Children and Extreme Pornography have both been updated and these updated versions are available on our corporate library.

Both documents have been updated to include the following wording:

“Where advance knowledge of an enforcement is known investigators will conduct a risk assessment on those subject to an enforcement visit. This should include specific consideration of the need for arrest, the suspect’s welfare, attending personal’s safety and defined roles for the police officers/staff attending. This assessment should include intelligence checks relating to the individual and the address. This assessment will be formally recorded on niche. Completing this assessment early and prior to the individual’s knowledge of an investigation seeks to reduce the risk of suicide. The risk of suicide is dynamic, and investigators should use the National Decision Model (NDM) to inform decision making as information changes.

Further information can also be found on the College of Policing operational advice on managing the risk of suicide for persons under investigation for online child sexual abuse and exploitation Preventing deaths and serious injury for sexual offence detainees | College of Policing”.

PD485 Dealing with Indecent Images of Children and Extreme Pornography covers overall management of suspect welfare and signposts to the PS 260 Suicide Prevention and Risk Management of Suspects Policy.  The latter contains a section on considerations when conducting a voluntary interview and specific direction when interviewing for offences of indecent images of children, child sexual exploitation and sexual abuse.