Home / Crime and Justice / Police Restraint Death Spurs Protocol Review
Police Restraint Death Spurs Protocol Review
9 Jan
Summary
- 39-year-old Robert Gracey died after restraint by police.
- Coroner cited lack of joint procedure for acute behavioural disturbance.
- Jury found failure to treat incident as a medical emergency.
Emergency services are being urged to reassess their protocols for managing acute behavioural disturbance (ABD) following the death of 39-year-old Robert Gracey. Gracey died after being restrained by Lincolnshire Police.
A Prevention of Future Deaths report highlighted that both Lincolnshire Police and East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) lack a joint procedure for ABD cases, despite a recommendation made in 2019. This absence means suspected ABD incidents may not be treated as medical emergencies.
An inquest jury concluded that the effects of cocaine, restraint, and struggle contributed to Gracey's death. They found a critical failure to treat the situation as a medical emergency after Gracey was handcuffed, missing a chance for earlier medical intervention.
