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

警察工作的很大一部分涉及与有精神健康问题的人接触，但警察往往缺乏对精神健康问题的概念及其对人的影响的背景，并且对特定情况的反应不一致。这项拟议研究的重点将放在使用限制性措施（如物理和机械约束，如手铐、泰瑟枪和CS气体）作为警察对那些表现出可能导致伤害自己和/或他人行为的人的管理反应。这种干预对被拘留者和警察都有造成身体（包括体位性窒息死亡）和心理伤害的重大风险。在2004/05年至2014/15年期间，警方对被拘留者使用克制被验尸报告确定为10%的警察拘留死亡的原因。在警察拘留期间死亡的黑人和少数民族（BAME）案件中，使用克制的情况更为普遍。

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.