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及其对人的影响进行概念化的背景，并对特定情况表现出不一致的反应。这项拟议研究的重点将是使用限制性做法（如身体和机械限制，如手铐，泰瑟枪和CS气体）作为警方应对措施，以管理可能导致伤害自己和/或他人的行为的人。这种干预对被拘留者和警察都有造成身体伤害（包括因体位性窒息而死亡）和心理伤害的重大风险。在2004/05年至2014/15年期间，警方拘留期间死亡的10%的人的尸检报告确定，警方对被拘留者使用约束手段是死亡原因之一。在黑人和少数民族在警察拘留期间死亡的案件中，使用限制手段更为普遍。

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.