Provision of information held by Northumbria Police made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the 'Act')
As you may be aware the purpose of the Act is to allow a general right of access to information held at the time of a request, by a Public Authority (including the Police), subject to certain limitations and exemptions.
You asked:
1. How many deaths in your custody have occurred in each of the last five years, broken down by year To clarify, that is each of the last five full calendar years, 2015-2019, and 2020 to date.
2. Please break this down by police station responsible,
3. The ethnicity of the deceased,
4. Whether force was used against them by officers, and if so, what sort of force, broken down by year.
5. And please also breakdown whether the person was restrained.
6. Please could you confirm whether an IOPC investigation took place after any death. And whether it was self-referred.
In Response:
Following receipt of your request, searches were conducted with the Professional Standards Department of Northumbria Police. I can confirm that the information you have requested is held by Northumbria Police.
I am able to disclose the located information to you as follows.
1. 2015 - 1
2016 - 1
2017 - 0
2018 - 0
2019 - 2 – both were transported to hospital where they later died.
2020 - 0
2. Newcastle City Centre Police Station – 2
Middle Engine Lane Police Station – 1
Southwick - 1
3. White British x 4
4. 2015 Handcuffed (time of arrest)
2016 Handcuffed (time of arrest)
2019 Handcuffed (time of arrest)
2019 Handcuffed (time of arrest)
5. 2015 Handcuffed (time of arrest)
2016 Handcuffed (time of arrest)
2019 Handcuffed (time of arrest)
2019 Handcuffed (time of arrest)
6. 3 X IOPC investigation (self-referred)
1 X Local investigation (self-referred)
