IPOC learning recommendation- response to an altercation in London PC3771

Title: IOPC learning recommendation under paragraph 28A of schedule 3 to the Police Reform Act 2002
Branch/OCU: Prevention and Learning, Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS)
MPS Reference: PC/3771/19

Police Response to an Altercation in London, E17

On 24 July 2019, a witness at a residential address in E17 telephoned police to report that two men were fighting outside their house. Four police officers attended but decided no police action was necessary. A second witness phoned police to report the men had resumed fighting after the police left. Separately, police officers in a police van driving on Blackhorse Lane were flagged down by a member of the public who reported two men fighting. These officers attended and found one of the men on the floor who told them that he had been drinking but was not drunk and that he had arthritis and was in a lot of pain. The officers helped the man to his feet and whilst speaking to the other man at the scene, the first man complained of pain in his neck. The police officers requested an ambulance but due to there not being one available, they cancelled their request and decided to take the injured man to hospital in their police van. The second man was allowed to leave. Body worn footage showed the injured man was unable to remain upright after the police officers helped him into a seat in the police van and was unable to walk once they arrived at hospital. Medical records showed he had a fracture in his spinal cord and an epidural haematoma causing paralysis.

Recommendation

The IOPC recommends that the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) should review the spinal injuries topic within its Emergency Life Support (ELS) training for police officers to ensure that scenarios and examples used do not solely focus on motorcycle accidents and injuries. The IOPC conducted an investigation into allegations that a man with a serious spinal injury was not shown appropriate care and attention by police officers because they did not recognise the extent of his condition, despite it being mentioned (pain in neck, numbness etc.) and therefore did not treat man as having a suspected spinal injury. This meant that techniques such as inline immobilisation that they had been trained to undertake were not used. During the investigation, material from the spinal injuries topic of ELS training that all officers undertake on an annual basis was reviewed. This showed that the only scenario used as a teaching tool during training was about how to treat a person involved in a motorcycle accident. If additional examples were given when training officers, their understanding of spinal injuries may increase, along with awareness on when inline immobilisation technique should be used.

MPS response

The MPS recognises the importance of this recommendation and agrees to take the suggested action in order to enhance its training in this area. We are comfortable that our current approach meets this recommendation in that we do teach other scenarios rather than solely focusing on one type of incident. ELS refresher training is delivered in three year cycles and the next training cycle dealing with spinal injuries will begin in October 2021. To re-inforce the training already provided, this cycle will introduce a specific mandatory scenario which includes a responsive casualty who has a history indicating a possible spinal injury and who then becomes unresponsive. Training will be aimed at inline stabilisation where any spinal injury is suspected. It will be kept separate from the crash helmet removal session to avoid overlap and confusion. It will not be possible to introduce this prior to October 2021 as we are currently in COVID recovery and concentrating on priority skills.