A police department is now under investigation after a woman died in police custody over the weekend. North Wales Police referred itself to the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) as protocol mandates. The report states that the woman was in her 40s and was being held in Caernarfon, Gwynedd since Thursday afternoon. However, on Friday at around 5:30 pm BST, the woman died.
Following the incident, Deputy Chief Constable Nigel Harrison released a statement where he offered condolences to the woman’s family. Harrison also stated that the department is assuring support to the family in this sensitive time. Although the cause of death has not yet been announced, the police force stated that the woman became unwell whilst in their custody.
The death of the woman in custody has raised questions about the treatment of detainees and the conduct of the force. While protocols have been followed by the police, the incident will come under scrutiny from the IOPC. The IOPC is an independent body that oversees the conduct of police in the United Kingdom. The body operates in line with police investigation protocols and takes control of cases where death or serious injury may have been caused by official misconduct.
This is not the first incident of its kind to occur in recent times. A number of high-profile cases involving the death of suspects in police custody have occurred in the UK. The Lloyd Butler case is one such instance. Butler died while in police custody in 2010, and despite being involved in a violent altercation with the police, the IOPC found that his death was caused by “inadequate monitoring.”
Until the findings of the IOPC investigation, it remains unclear what led to the woman’s death. The police force has not disclosed whether the woman had any pre-existing medical conditions that may have contributed to her passing. The family of the woman who passed away in police custody may now choose to bring a case against the North Wales Police if evidence of neglect is found. The incident also highlights the necessity of proper police training when it comes to handling detainees, particularly those who may be vulnerable in their state of health
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