West Yorkshire Police: Inspector raises concerns over use of force and incapacitant spray on people in custody

A review by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) found that West Yorkshire Police's oversight into the use of force on people in custody "isn't good enough".

It says that data on use of force incidents "isn't accurate" because it is not recorded properly and the review of incidents on CCTV is limited. Concerns are also raised about the "frequent use of incapacitant spray" in confined spaces.

The inspectors reviewed the CCTV footage of 18 use of force incidents and found that in some cases the "use of force wasn’t proportionate to the risks posed and incidents weren’t always managed well".

The report reads: "Custody officers often become involved in use of force, rather than overseeing incidents. This does not follow APP guidance." It added that some use of force incidents weren't included properly on custody records and some weren't recorded at all.

The report states: "The force can’t assure itself or the public that, when force or restraint is used in custody, it is necessary, justified and proportionate. This is a cause of concern."

The report urged West Yorkshire Police to scrutinise its use of force and restraint "with immediate effect".

Another area of concern was found in the force's use of data to "make sure it achieves good outcomes for detainees".

The inspector said that the force now has three months to address these concerns.

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Overall the report found that West Yorkshire Police has "clear governance arrangements for its custody services" and that improvements have been made since the last inspection in 2016.

His Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary Michelle Skeer said: “Frontline officers have a good understanding of what can make a person vulnerable, and the force works well with mental health services to support people with mental ill health. Custody personnel treat detainees with politeness and respect.

“However, in some areas progress has been limited and there remain two areas of concern. These include governance and oversight of the use of force in custody, as well as the use of data to improve custody services, with some key areas of custody not being monitored.

“We will be working closely with West Yorkshire Police and monitoring its progress against our new recommendations.”

West Yorkshire Police’s Assistant Chief Constable, Pat Twiggs, welcomed the report's findings and the praise received for its efforts to divert children and young people away from custody, which he said is a "priority".

He said: “There are two causes of concerns raised by the inspectors – around how we use performance information and how we govern and oversee use of force.

"While we do collect and monitor a wealth of information across custody, we accept that we need to ensure the thorough and accurate recording of information and utilising this to inform the right interventions and outcomes across criminal justice.

"We are committed to working with our custody teams to tighten up processes around the recording of information, particularly where we have used force, and we are confident we can improve in these areas."