Investigation after death of Staffordshire man handcuffed and restrained
The 31-year-old died on Sunday June 14
The police watchdog has launched an investigation after the death of a 31-year-old man who had been handcuffed and placed in leg restraints.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said the man fell ill in Stoke-on-Trent on the morning of Sunday June 14, after police attended reports of a distressed man running in the street between vehicles.
Police arrived at the scene on London Road, near a Sainsbury’s supermarket, at 10.22am.
IOPC investigators have viewed call logs relating to the incident, officer deployment details, and body-worn video and have verified that seven officers attended the scene.
The watchdog said in a statement issued on Thursday: “Officers used force against the 31-year-old, who is from Staffordshire, placing him in handcuffs before applying leg restraints.
“Paramedics arrived at the location at 10.39am. He was transported to hospital but sadly pronounced dead at 11.40am.
“We declared an independent investigation on the same day. IOPC investigators attended the scene in London Road to preserve and gather evidence.”
IOPC director of engagement Derrick Campbell said: “At this stage, having viewed body-worn footage and made an initial assessment, the officers involved are being treated as witnesses.
“This will be kept under review as our investigation progresses and more evidence is examined.
“We have begun a CCTV trawl of the immediate area, with more inquiries to be undertaken, and recovered footage for analysis.
“The body-worn video of attending officers also gives us a good picture of what happened and the actions of officers.
“Our investigation will examine the police response, the actions of officers at the scene, any medical attention officers provided, and the use of force.
“One of our specially trained family liaison managers has been in touch with the man’s loved ones to offer whatever support we can and to explain our role and next steps. My condolences go to the man’s family and friends for their loss.”