Nine more deaths in police custody
A TOTAL of 23 people died in or following police custody last year, a rise of nine in 12 months and the highest for a decade. It exceeded the 22 deaths of 2007/2008. Michael Lockwood, director-general of the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which compiled the figures, said: “The rise in deaths in police custody is concerning viewed against a trend of falling numbers over the last decade.” Last year, those who died included eight taken ill in a police cell. One who died was a pregnant woman.
Nine who died were taken ill at the scene of their arrest, four became unwell in a police vehicle and two died following release.
There were four fatal police shootings from April 2017 to March 2018 and 29 road traffic deaths, 17 related to police pursuits.