By Gabriel Princewill-
Deaths in and following police custody have risen over the past year, prompting renewed scrutiny of police detention practices even as fatalities linked to police road pursuits fell sharply, according to new figures published by England and Wales’ police watchdog.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said it opened 102 independent investigations into 104 deaths during or following police contact in the last reporting year, with its latest annual report revealing an increase in deaths in or after custody alongside a rise in the number of people who took their own lives after being released from police detention.
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The watchdog stressed that while such deaths remain rare relative to the hundreds of thousands of people who pass through police custody each year, every case carries profound human consequences and offers important lessons for policing.
“There are not merely statistics,” IOPC Director General Rachel Watson said. “While deaths during or following police contact remain rare, we must not lose sight of the devastating human impact of every single one.”
She added that independent investigations play a crucial role in protecting human rights, ensuring accountability and maintaining public confidence in policing by establishing exactly what happened and identifying changes that can help prevent future tragedies.
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The report, now in its 22nd year, has become one of the most significant barometers of safety and accountability within policing in England and Wales. Since it was first introduced in the aftermath of longstanding concerns about deaths involving police contact, successive annual reports have shaped reforms to custody procedures, officer training and the handling of vulnerable detainees.
This year’s figures show there were 27 deaths in or following police custody, an increase on the previous reporting year. Although higher than last year’s total, the IOPC noted the figure remains broadly consistent with the two years before that and comes against a backdrop of steadily increasing numbers of people being detained by police.
More than 900,000 people were held in police custody during 2024/25, the highest level recorded in recent years. Perhaps even more concerning is the continued rise in apparent suicides following police custody.
The watchdog recorded 67 apparent suicides involving people who had recently been detained and released by police, up from 61 the previous year. Only one of those cases met the threshold for an independent IOPC investigation, with the remainder handled locally by police forces.
The increase highlights a longstanding challenge for policing- identifying individuals who may be at heightened risk once they leave police custody. The issue has received growing attention in recent years, with campaigners and mental health organisations arguing that the period immediately after release can be particularly dangerous for vulnerable individuals experiencing mental illness, addiction or acute emotional distress.
In response to previous investigations, the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody published new national guidance last October aimed specifically at reducing suicides after police detention.
The guidance draws heavily on lessons identified through IOPC investigations and research into recurring patterns across previous cases.
The latest report suggests those concerns remain highly relevant. Mental ill health, drug misuse and alcohol continued to feature prominently across many of the deaths examined by investigators, reinforcing evidence built up over two decades that policing frequently intersects with broader public health challenges rather than purely criminal justice issues. behavioural problems were largely responsible for a number of deaths in custody.
Force
The report also examined the use of force during police contact. Officers used force, including physical restraint, in 28 of the deaths investigated, including the four fatal police shootings recorded during the reporting period. Just under half of all deaths occurring in or following custody involved some form of force being used before the individual died.
While the figures are likely to attract attention, the IOPC does not suggest that the use of force itself necessarily caused those deaths. Instead, investigators examine whether officers acted lawfully, proportionately and in accordance with established procedures, while identifying opportunities to improve operational practice where necessary.
One of the more encouraging findings in this year’s report concerns deaths arising from police road incidents. Fatalities linked to police involvement on the roads fell to 15, down significantly from 26 recorded the previous year and well below levels seen in several recent reporting periods.
Road deaths involving police have historically represented one of the most closely scrutinised areas of police accountability, particularly following high-profile pursuits that have resulted in fatalities involving suspects, passengers or members of the public. The latest reduction suggests recent changes to pursuit policies, operational decision-making and officer training may be contributing to improved outcomes.
The IOPC said one of its principal roles is not simply to investigate deaths but to identify recurring themes that can be translated into improvements across policing. Of the 66 formal recommendations issued by the watchdog during 2025, around one-third stemmed directly from investigations into deaths during or following police contact.
Those recommendations have prompted changes to police training, risk assessment procedures, custody practices, operational guidance and emergency call handling.
Among the most significant reforms are improvements to the training provided to detention officers working in custody suites, stronger procedures for handing over detainees when they arrive at custody facilities and clearer communication about an individual’s medical condition or welfare needs.
Investigations have also prompted changes to police decision-making under the increasingly debated Right Care Right Person policy, which seeks to clarify the role of police in responding to incidents involving people experiencing mental health crises.
The IOPC said lessons from previous cases have contributed to improved guidance on missing person investigations and better coordination with health and social care services.
The watchdog has also identified a need for clearer national guidance surrounding detainees with suspected head injuries, recognising that symptoms of serious medical conditions can sometimes resemble intoxication or behavioural disturbance.
As a result, the College of Policing is updating its Authorised Professional Practice—the national operational guidance used by every police force in England and Wales—to strengthen expectations around medical care, welfare monitoring and custody procedures.
The publication of the annual report comes against the backdrop of continuing public debate about police accountability, particularly following several high-profile deaths after police contact over the past two decades.
Cases such as those involving Sean Rigg, Sarah Reed, and Kevin Clarke have each prompted extensive investigations, inquests and recommendations that have influenced custody policy nationwide.
Earlier controversies surrounding deaths in custody also played a significant role in the establishment of stronger independent oversight, first through the Independent Police Complaints Commission before it was replaced by the IOPC in 2018.
Although the overwhelming majority of the more than 900,000 people detained by police each year leave custody safely, campaigners have consistently argued that every death demands careful examination because recurring patterns can expose systemic weaknesses in healthcare, risk assessment or operational decision-making.
Rachel Watson said that remained the central purpose of the watchdog’s work.
“These cases have had a devastating impact on those affected and we understand some of these figures may be concerning,” she said. “Through our learning and research we continue to work with police to reduce these deaths where possible.”
The IOPC’s annual report is not simply a record of lives lost. It is intended as a roadmap for preventing future tragedies—using independent investigations not only to establish accountability where necessary, but also to improve policing practices, strengthen public confidence and ensure that lessons learned from one family’s loss can help protect others in years to come.
Fatal Shootings
In one situation relating to fatal shootings, a crazed man ran towards armed police with a knife, compelling cops to kill him. Such incidences are telling about the seriousness of the mental health issues at play. Suicide deaths were another one of those circumstances under which a number of social ‘misfits’ committed suicide.
The statistics released by the IOPC revealed that nineteen apparent suicides happened the same day the person was released from police custody. Thirty-three happened one day after release, and 15 happened two days after release.
The police regulator said that forty of those who died (60%) had been arrested for a sexual offence, with 29 (43%)related to sexual offences or indecent images involving children.
Twenty-one of the arrests involving fatal shooting were for threatening behaviour and harassment; controlling and coercive behaviour and/or stalking. The IOPC said other common reasons were offences involving violence, and driving offences .
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