Record/database of people who have died during or following MPS contact

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.23.030885

I note you seek access to the following information:

*** New Request ***

1. Does the Metropolitan Police have a centralised record/database of people who have died during or following Metropolitan Police contact (or similar wording)? Essentially, does the Met centrally record deaths it has caused/contributed to/been associated with etc?

2. If the answer to Q1 is yes, please could you provide me with the name of the record/database and the categories of data it records - e.g. name, age, address, ethnicity, cause of death. Please state for each category whether there are set options for police to choose from such as White, Black, Asian (and if so, please provide the options) or state if it is a free text field.

7. If someone enters a body of water as a consequence of Met officer actions (e.g. following a pursuit), what specialist teams can the Met call for help? Please note these could be internal and/or external, e.g. the Fire Brigade. Please advise if these teams can be contacted at any time or if they are time limited e.g. weekdays only.

8. Following Lamont Roper's death, the IOPC suggested that the Met make three changes as set out at the last page of this document. Did the Met make those changes? If not, why not?

9. If someone enters a body of water as a consequence of Met officer actions (e.g. following pursuit), are the officers required by the Met to assist the person, by which I mean providing help other than entering the water themselves? If so, what help must they provide?

10. If someone enters a body of water as a consequence of Met officer actions (e.g. following pursuit), are the officers required by the Met to stop members of the public from assisting the person, by which I mean providing help including entering the water themselves? If so, why?

11. If someone enters a body of water as a consequence of Met officer actions, are the officers required by the Met to enter the water? If so, when must they do this? (e.g. after one minute)

12. What rescue equipment do police constables carry in the event of someone entering a body of water as a consequence of Met officer actions (e.g. following pursuit, or which could be used in such an event? (e.g. a rope)

13. If someone drowns following a pursuit by Met officers, what forms will the officers have to fill out? Please provide the names of the forms and please note that these might be the same forms as are filled out for any death.

Decision

I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full.

Please find below information pursuant to your request above.

Q1 - Does the Metropolitan Police have a centralised record/database of people who have died during or following Metropolitan Police contact (or similar wording)? Essentially, does the Met centrally record deaths it has caused/contributed to/been associated with etc?

Yes

Q2 - If the answer to Q1 is yes, please could you provide me with the name of the record/database and the categories of data it records - e.g. name, age, address, ethnicity, cause of death. Please state for each category whether there are set options for police to choose from such as White, Black, Asian (and if so, please provide the options) or state if it is a free text field.

Centurion

Centurion is the national database that police forces use and we have indicated where there are only set options to select from and where free text can be used.

We capture the following information if known
• Name – free text
• Home address – free text
• Date of birth
• Gender – the options are:

Female

Male

Other

Intersex

Unknown

Prefer not say

Ethnicity – the options are:

Ethnic Appearance	Ethnic Appearance 41
White European	White
Dark European	White
African Caribbean	Black
Asian	Asian
Oriental	Other
Arab	Other
Unknown	Unknown

Religion/faith – the options are:

None

Christian

Buddhist

Hindu

Jewish

Muslim

Sikh

Other

Unknown

Prefer not to say

Sexual orientation – the options are:

Bisexual

Gay/Lesbian

Heterosexual

Other

Unknown

Prefer not to say

Disability– the options are:

None

Hearing

Learning Difficulty

Long illness or condition

Mental Health condition

Physical

Sight

Other

Unknown

Prefer not to say

Pregnancy and maternity – the options are:

Pregnant

On maternity/paternity/adoption leave

No pregnancy/maternity/paternity/adoption leave

Unknown

Prefer not to say

Marital status – the options are:

Married

Civil Partnered

Not married or civil partnered

Unknown

Prefer not to say

Flag to monitor IOPC decision – the options are:

Road Traffic Incident

Fatal shooting

Deaths in or following police custody

Other deaths following police contact

Apparent suicides following custody

Q7 - If someone enters a body of water as a consequence of Met officer actions (e.g. following a pursuit), what specialist teams can the Met call for help? Please note these could be internal and/or external, e.g. the Fire Brigade. Please advise if these teams can be contacted at any time or if they are time limited e.g. weekdays only.

Royal National Lifeboat Institution, London Fire Brigade or the MPS Marine Unit, 24 hours.

Q8 - Following Lamont Roper's death, the IOPC suggested that the Met make three changes as set out at the last page of this document. Did the Met make those changes? If not, why not?

Yes

Q9 - If someone enters a body of water as a consequence of Met officer actions (e.g. following pursuit), are the officers required by the Met to assist the person, by which I mean providing help other than entering the water themselves? If so, what help must they provide?

Marked operational police vehicles are now equipped with throwlines and all officers are trained in their use. It would be reasonable to expect officers to request assistance from Marine Support Units, RNLI and LFB

Q10 - If someone enters a body of water as a consequence of Met officer actions (e.g. following pursuit), are the officers required by the Met to stop members of the public from assisting the person, by which I mean providing# help including entering the water themselves? If so, why?

There is no specific guidance surrounding this.

Q11 - If someone enters a body of water as a consequence of Met officer actions, are the officers required by the Met to enter the water? If so, when must they do this? (e.g. after one minute)

The MPS are not considered a water rescue service. MPS employees/officers are under no obligation to enter the water. It may be safer and more effective for all to contain the incident and to wait for support (from their own force, the fire service, RNLI or local water rescue specialists) to attend. Attempting to rescue someone without suitable equipment and competence puts the rescuer, casualty and potentially others, at additional risk. It is accepted that in certain extenuating circumstances where a life is threatened police officers or members of staff may make a dynamic risk assessment, using the national decision making model, and enter water to affect a rescue.

Q12 - What rescue equipment do police constables carry in the event of someone entering a body of water as a consequence of Met officer actions (e.g. following pursuit, or which could be used in such an event? (e.g. a rope)

25m Throwlines have been placed in marked police operation vehicles.

Q13 - If someone drowns following a pursuit by Met officers, what forms will the officers have to fill out? Please provide the names of the forms and please note that these might be the same forms as are filled out for any death.

MG11 – Witness/Incident Statement
e-Safety report

Please note e-safety is to be completed for any risk and an MG11 is done for all actions/incidents/justification – Duty Statement