FOI 77043

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 77043

I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 28^th April 2021. Please find below the response to your request:

 

I would like to be provided with the following information.

 

1. For the years 2018, 2019, and 2020, please provide me, if possible, with the number of people with developmental disabilities/neurodivergent conditions (which may include but is not limited to autism spectrum disorder, Aspergers, ADHD, Tourette Syndrome, and intellectual disabilities) that have been arrested by West Mercia Police.

 

2. For the years 2018, 2019, and 2020, please provide details on staff training in relation to dealing with people who have developmental disabilities/neurodivergent conditions. Please provide information on when each training session occurred and how long for, which person or organisation delivered each training, the form the training was delivered in, how many police officers attended each training, and whether the training was mandatory. Please also provide any training materials received by officers and any other documents pertaining to the training.

 

 

 

Reply:-

I can confirm that West Mercia Police holds the information you have requested

 

Q1

To obtain the information requested on the number of arrests for people with developmental disabilities/neurodivergent conditions the custody risk assessments have been reviewed for the words (& variations of) autism, Aspergers, ADHD, Tourettes. The number of risk assessment which contain these words are:

 

2018 – 838

2019 – 999

2020 – 977

 

1 record has an entry mentioning low intelligence & 1 record has an entry mentioning no emotional intellect. Both of these records have been included in the above figures.

 

Q2

The conditions referred to in this FOI are included in the following Investigative Skills team portfolio of training:

 

Attendance per year

 

Row Labels	2018	2019	2020	Grand Total
Flo Crime Family Liaison Development Programme	8	4		12
Flo Family Liaison Coordinators		5	1	6
Flo Road Family Liaison Officer	5	9	8	22
Icidp Initial Crime Investigators Development Prog	29	33	36	98
Isdp Investigative Supervisors Development Prog	6	26	6	38
Mosavo Management Of Sexual And Violent Offenders	7			7
Scaidp Specialist Child Abuse Investigators Dev Pr	9			9
Serious And Complex Interview	6	18	21	45
Specialist Child & Serious Sexual Assault Dev Prog		15		15
Specialist Suspect Interview	13	6	14	33
Specialist Witness Interview	16	17	11	44
Ssaidp Serious Sexual Assault Investigator Devprog	17			17
Grand Total	116	133	97	346

 

The above are ALL classroom based training and held internally within West Mercia Police. None of the above are not classed as ‘mandatory’.

 

Further information about these courses are provided below by the Investigative Skills Team Leader:

 

Specialist Witness Interview (3 week course) includes several inputs on vulnerable adults, including processing and communication disorders, Autism spectrum disorders, Severe trauma and effects on behaviour / recall. Also a week on how to interview children, and also children with the above disorders. How to use intermediaries to assist in communication with these individuals. (Typically a 3 week course delivered 3 times a year) We may have still been offering individual week courses in 2018? It was originally a week of child interview inputs, a week of vulnerable adults and a week significant / intimidated witness.

This course teaches officers how to conduct an in depth witness assessment, to ensure we can capture the best evidence by supporting the witness in any way they need.

 

Specialist suspect interview also includes inputs on learning disabilities / communication issues ensuring staff can conduct an assessment of their needs and establish whether they need intermediary / appropriate adult whilst in interview / custody.

 

Serious and Complex interview courses, also include similar inputs to specialist witness, including witness assessment, identifying learning disabilities / communication issues and the use of intermediaries in interview.

 

More generic inputs on vulnerability, whether it be via learning disability / or from offence circumstance are also give throughout all of our courses, including DDP (previously ICIDP), SCAIDP, SSAIDP, FLO, MOSOVO, PIP 2 Supervisors Manager (previously ISDP / DSDP). THRIVE risk assessment taught at all levels which includes Vulnerability of victim / witnesses to assess risk.

 

 

These conditions are also touched upon in some pre-learning information that goes along with mandatory OST Officer Safety Training. Due to the format of this information reports are unable to be run on how many people have accessed it. This training is mandatory for all officers. The following statement comes from our Safety, Fitness and First Aid Team Leader:

 

The only thing we have is within our Distance Learning Package that Officers complete before attending their practical day. This has a slide on Autism and links to: Mencap, child autism and the national police autism advice page.