To date there have been 1889 deaths in police custody or otherwise following contact with the police in England & Wales since 1990

Below is a breakdown of deaths in police custody or following other forms of contact with the police, as well as vehicular pursuits and road traffic incidents (RTIs) since 1990, by calendar year (January-December) and type.

You can also find further breakdowns of this data on the following pages:

• BAME deaths in police custody
• Fatal police shootings

If you are unable to find the information you are looking for using our Statistics and monitoring resources, please get in touch with us. As a small team, we are unable to respond to all requests, and detailed information requests may take one to two weeks to gather. If your request is urgent, please mark it as such and give a brief explanation as to why. For any media requests, please get in touch via our media enquiry form.

Total deaths in police custody or otherwise following contact with the police, England & Wales, 1990-date
Type	Metropolitan Police	Other forces	Total
Custody	293	890	1183
Shooting	35	47	82
Pursuit	62	403	465
Road Traffic Incident (RTI)	31	128	159
All deaths	421	1468	1889

Deaths in police custody or otherwise following contact with the police, England & Wales 1990-date
Year	Type	Metropolitan Police	Other Forces	Total
2024	Custody	0	1	1
	Shooting	1	0	1
	Pursuit	1	3	4
	RTI	0	0	0
	Total	2	4	6
2023	Custody	6	11	17
	Shooting	1	0	1
	Pursuit	2	8	10
	RTI	2	3	5
	Total	11	22	33
2022	Custody	3	12	15
	Shooting	1	2	3
	Pursuit	0	13	13
	RTI	0	3	3
	Total	4	30	34
2021	Custody	4	14	18
	Shooting	1	1	2
	Pursuit	1	10	11
	RTI	1	2	3
	Total	7	27	34
2020	Custody	5	15	20
	Shooting	1	2	3
	Pursuit	1	13	14
	RTI	2	1	3
	Total	9	31	40
2019	Custody	5	15	20
	Shooting	1	2	3
	Pursuit	5	11	16
	RTI	5	1	6
	Total	16	29	45
2018	Custody	4	16	20
	Shooting	1	0	1
	Pursuit	2	15	17
	RTI	0	6	6
	Total	7	37	44
2017	Custody	4	21	25
	Shooting	4	2	6
	Pursuit	4	10	14
	RTI	1	9	10
	Total	13	42	55
2016	Custody	4	18	22
	Shooting	0	4	4
	Pursuit	4	17	21
	RTI	0	1	1
	Total	8	40	48
2015	Custody	5	21	26
	Shooting	2	1	3
	Pursuit	0	4	4
	RTI	1	2	3
	Total	8	28	36
2014	Custody	4	22	26
	Shooting	1	0	1
	Pursuit	1	2	3
	RTI	0	2	2
	Total	6	26	32
2013	Custody	1	16	17
	Shooting	0	0	0
	Pursuit	6	8	14
	RTI	0	1	1
	Total	7	25	32
2012	Custody	1	9	10
	Shooting	0	1	1
	Pursuit	3	5	8
	RTI	0	6	6
	Total	4	21	25
2011	Custody	3	20	23
	Shooting	1	1	2
	Pursuit	1	6	7
	RTI	0	1	1
	Total	5	28	33
2010	Custody	3	12	15
	Shooting	0	1	1
	Pursuit	0	6	6
	RTI	0	5	5
	Total	3	24	27
2009	Custody	4	11	15
	Shooting	0	2	2
	Pursuit	1	7	8
	RTI	3	2	5
	Total	8	22	30
2008	Custody	9	15	24
	Shooting	2	1	3
	Pursuit	5	23	28
	RTI	1	8	9
	Total	17	47	64
2007	Custody	6	23	29
	Shooting	3	2	5
	Pursuit	3	11	14
	RTI	2	4	6
	Total	14	40	54
2006	Custody	4	29	33
	Shooting	1	0	1
	Pursuit	3	20	23
	RTI	0	9	9
	Total	8	58	66
2005	Custody	9	33	42
	Shooting	2	4	6
	Pursuit	3	33	36
	RTI	2	7	9
	Total	16	77	93
2004	Custody	5	51	56
	Shooting	1	1	2
	Pursuit	3	27	30
	RTI	2	7	9
	Total	11	86	97
2003	Custody	12	50	62
	Shooting	1	1	2
	Pursuit	1	28	29
	RTI	0	11	11
	Total	14	90	104
2002	Custody	11	36	47
	Shooting	0	2	2
	Pursuit	3	31	34
	RTI	1	4	5
	Total	15	73	88
2001	Custody	9	25	34
	Shooting	2	2	4
	Pursuit	1	25	26
	RTI	1	8	9
	Total	13	60	73
2000	Custody	5	31	36
	Shooting	1	1	2
	Pursuit	2	22	24
	RTI	0	3	3
	Total	8	57	65
1999	Custody	15	32	47
	Shooting	1	2	3
	Pursuit	1	7	8
	RTI	0	5	5
	Total	17	46	63
1998	Custody	13	52	65
	Shooting	0	2	2
	Pursuit	3	7	10
	RTI	1	5	6
	Total	17	66	83
1997	Custody	15	43	58
	Shooting	0	0	0
	Pursuit	1	16	17
	RTI	3	5	8
	Total	19	64	83
1996	Custody	21	36	57
	Shooting	1	1	2
	Pursuit	0	10	10
	RTI	1	4	5
	Total	23	51	74
1995	Custody	12	36	48
	Shooting	1	1	2
	Pursuit	1	1	2
	RTI	0	1	1
	Total	14	39	53
1994	Custody	16	36	52
	Shooting	0	1	1
	Pursuit	0	1	1
	RTI	0	0	0
	Total	16	38	54
1993	Custody	17	19	36
	Shooting	2	1	3
	Pursuit	0	2	2
	RTI	0	0	0
	Total	19	22	41
1992	Custody	15	33	48
	Shooting	1	2	3
	Pursuit	0	0	0
	RTI	1	1	2
	Total	17	36	53
1991	Custody	24	36	60
	Shooting	0	3	3
	Pursuit	0	1	1
	RTI	0	1	1
	Total	24	41	65
1990	Custody	19	40	59
	Shooting	1	1	2
	Pursuit	0	0	0
	RTI	1	0	1
	Total	21	41	62

Source: INQUEST casework and monitoring

INQUEST's figures are derived from our monitoring and casework and are independent of those produced by the Home Office, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) and other government agencies.

INQUEST defines police custody deaths as deaths that take place while the individual is in contact with police, whether or not they have been arrested, or that happen shortly after that contact. The death may not necessarily have occurred inside a police station. We do not include self-inflicted deaths following contact with police or deaths as a result of domestic violence where the police have been involved.

Figures last updated 23 April 2024.

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