Karl Brunner
29 Oct 2018 · Coroner Martin Oldham · Bedfordshire & Luton
This report repeats 1 earlier warning, and was raised again 1 time later. See the linked reports.
The coroner's concerns
1. suspects swallowing drugs
“The evidence before me showed that police officers were trained to deal | with suspects who had swallowed drugs. The evidence however | disclosed a complete lack of knowledge of the risks of choking when suspects were either arrested or in the process of being detained. This | should urgently be addressed in the Officers' training and the appropriate medical procedures should be adopted”
2. defective mouth and face guards
“Police Officers are provided with mouth and face guards which are so defective and inappropriate when dealing with high risk suspects who in appropriate cases.”
Linked reports
Identical hazardConfidence 0.90 · high
Earlier report
“There appears to be an apparent lacuna or, at least, confusion in respect of training for Police in relation to situations where a detained person puts a potentially harmful substance or item in their mouth.”
This report
“The evidence however | disclosed a complete lack of knowledge of the risks of choking when suspects were either arrested or in the process of being detained.”
Closely relatedConfidence 0.85 · high
This report
“The evidence before me showed that police officers were trained to deal | with suspects who had swallowed drugs. The evidence however | disclosed a complete lack of knowledge of the risks of choking when suspects were either arrested or in the process of being detained”
Later report
“The court heard that College of Policing Guidance for Custody Officers and Detention Officers provides that "...If officers know or suspect that a detainee has swallowed or packed drugs...they must treat the person as being in need of urgent medical attention and transfer then straight to hospital"”
Responses
2018-0310-Response-by-Bedfordshire-Police.pdf ↗· Bedfordshire Police
Stated action · August 2016
“Since August 2016, all officers are now issued with a personal Pocket Face Mask and instructed on its correct use in mouth to mouth resuscitation.”