Training blamed for deaths in custody

PRISONERS are dying in police custody partly because officers are not being trained properly, a report by an independent complaints body reveals today.

The Police Complaints Authority criticises police forces for failing to give custody officers enough medical training - one-in-five forces appeared to provided no instruction at all.

It blames the lack of expertise for a number of fatalities of prisoners held in custody. "Some of these deaths could be avoided," the report states.

The report, entitled Custody Officer Training, comes amid growing concern at the number of custody deaths in police stations, which amounted to 22 in 1996-97. A further 26 people in police custody died in or on the way to hospital.

The study examined the work of 620 custody officers across all 43 forces in England and Wales. Their job is considered as one of the most complex and difficult in the police force.

It found that in nine forces there appeared to be no medical training at all given to custody sergeants. In four other forces there was only one hour of training. "If deaths in custody are to be avoided these forces may want to check their current arrangements to ensure all key areas of medical training for custody officers are adequately covered," the report says.

One of the most notorious deaths in custody happened in April 1994. Richard O'Brien, 37, who died in a police station in London was ruled by an inquest jury to have been unlawfully killed.

The police told the inquest that Mr O'Brien, a 19-and-a-half stone market trader from Dulwich, south London, was drunk and disorderly. He allegedly fell to the ground with five police officers. He was later carried to a police van. He lost consciousness while at a police station and was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital.

Today's report recommends that every officer should receive comprehensive specialist training before becoming a custody officer. The report cites examples of how the lack of medical training amongst custody officers has proven dangerous.

On one occasion, an officer failed to contact a doctor when a prisoner was mentally ill. On another, a doctor was not contacted when a prisoner was seriously intoxicated with a cocktail of substances.

The report found that the "great majority" of custody sergeants did not understand the meaning of the term "rousing" - a phrase used to indicate that an inmate needs extra monitoring. This could be dangerous when a prisoner is intoxicated. As a result, they should be woken every half an-hour, rather than every hour, to check they are still conscious.

The report indicates that more than one-in-five custody officers were working without specialist training in health, first aid, food and hygiene and the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (Pace), the 1984 legislation which laid down guidelines for the police when dealing with prisoners.

In only seven forces were custody officers automatically trained before starting the job. And only just over one per cent of custody sergeants contacted had been give a "refresher" course to help them keep abreast of their job.

Commenting on the new report, Mr Peter Moorhouse, chairman of the PCA said: "Custody sergeants need to be specially trained before taking up their posts."

Custody Officer Training: Investing in Safety; Police Complaints Authority, 10 Great George St, London, SW1P 3AE; pounds 3.95