• What contact have West Yorkshire Police had from the college of Policing in regard to the REGULATION 28: REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS in relation to the death of Gaia Pope 2022?
West Yorkshire Police do not hold any recorded information in relation to your request.
• What epilepsy training have officers of West Yorkshire Police undertaken in the last five years?
Officers attend First Aid training on a yearly basis, and epilepsy training is covered as part of this input. Please see the below overview of what is taught:
• Recognising the different types of epilepsy (tonic-clonic seizures, focal seizures, absence seizures, myoclonic seizures and atonic seizures).
• Treatment of tonic-clonic seizures.
• Treatment of other epilepsy (does and don’ts)
In addition, force wide advice was circulated on 27 July 2023, National Epilepsy day.
• What is West Yorkshire Police’s policy regarding grading the risk of a missing person who has epilepsy?
Every report of a missing person is subject to a risk assessment guided by the College of Policing Risk Principles, the National Decision Model and the Code of Ethics. There is no specific policy regarding epilepsy, but the fact that a missing person had epilepsy would form an important part in the decision making around risk. One of the first questions that are asked by the police is about any medical conditions the missing person may have. The police would gather full information as to any medication the missing person required and when, and any other important factors regarding the epilepsy that needed to be considered. The risk assessment would also consider any increased risk posed to children or older people with epilepsy, or to those who are known to struggle controlling it or have mental health or learning disability issues.
The gradings of risk are determined as follows:-
High risk - The risk of harm to the subject and the public is assessed as both:
• Serious harm; and
• Likely to occur.
Medium Risk - The risk of harm to the subject or the public is assessed as both:
• Significant harm; and
• Not unlikely to occur.
Low risk - The risk of harm to the subject or the public is assessed as either:
• Minimal; or
• Unlikely to occur.