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133
Police training to identify distress, illness and risk of harm
That:
a) All police officers should receive training at both recruit and in-service levels to enable them to identify persons in distress or at risk of death or injury through illness, injury or self-harm;
b) Such training should include information as to the general health status of the Aboriginal population, the dangers and misconceptions associated with intoxication, the dangers associated with detaining unconscious or semi-rousable persons and the specific action to be taken by officers in relation to those matters which are to be the subject of protocols referred to in Recommendation 127;
c) In designing and delivering such training programs, custodial authorities should seek the advice and assistance of Aboriginal Health Services and Aboriginal Legal Services; and
d) Where a police officer or other person is designated or recognised by a police service as being a person whose work is dedicated wholly or substantially to cell guard duties then such person should receive a more intensive and specialised training than would be appropriate for other officers.
Priority for Further Work:
High
Relevance and potential impact | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Low (0-2) | Moderate (3-4) | High (5-6) | |||
Extent of action taken and evidence of outcomes | High (5-6) | ||||
Moderate (3-4) | |||||
Low (0-2) | |||||
Background
The Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (RCIADIC) noted a significant feature of many of the deaths investigated was that ‘police received inadequate or no training, at either recruit or in-service levels, to enable them to identify prisoners who were at risk either through physical illness or injury or self-harm.
Commissioner Johnston stressed that officers could not and should not be expected to come to any preliminary diagnosis about a prisoner's condition as that was a matter for medical assessment. Police are required to make a preliminary assessment based on known history and observation. ‘Where any doubt arises about the prisoner’s immediate condition or his/her ability to withstand a period of confinement, medical help should be sought immediately.’
The Final Report suggested that placing officers in positions of responsibility for the care and safety of detainees and prisoners without adequate training to identify those at risk ‘constituted a serious breach of duty by police authorities towards those in custody.’
The RCIADIC found that police officers often lacked basic knowledge of risks associated with relatively common conditions like epilepsy and diabetes or other major causes of illness and death amongst the Aboriginal population including heart and respiratory disease. The report noted the importance of custodial officers having some knowledge of these matters and the risks associated with the detention of persons suffering these illnesses.
The RCIADIC recommendation that protocols be developed for police to ‘assist and guide them in dealing with those who are potentially at risk’ including people who: are intoxicated; have a known history of diabetes, epilepsy, heart disease or hypoglycaemic reactions; have engaged in, or threaten to engage in, self-harm; exhibit an impaired state of consciousness; or appear angry, aggressive or otherwise disturbed. However, the Commission recognised the limitations of such protocols in the absence of further training.
They will be of only limited use without the benefit of practical training and instruction on their importance and application.