Examining the use of restrictive practice by the police in response to mental health crisis

A significant proportion of police work involves contact with people who have mental health problems, yet police often lack a background in conceptualising mental health problems and how they impact on a person, and demonstrate an inconsistent response to the particular situation. The focus of this proposed study will be on the use of restrictive practices (such as physical and mechanical restraints, e.g. grip handcuffs, Taser and CS gas) as a police response to managing someone who is exhibiting behaviours that could lead to harm to self and/or others. Such interventions carry significant risks of physical (including death by positional asphyxia) and psychological harm to both those detained and police officers. Police use of restraint against detainees was identified as a cause of death by post-mortem reports in 10 per cent of deaths in police custody between 2004/05 and 2014/15. Use of restraint has been found to be more prevalent in cases of Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) individuals who have died in police custody.