PFD report

Luke Anthony Flynn · Prevention of Future Deaths report

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Issued 22 Jun 2022•North London

Report record

Published report and response evidence

This page connects the concerns raised in this report with statements found in recipients’ published responses. A link shows a clear evidence connection; it does not assign responsibility.

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Concerns
1

Raised in this report

Recipients
1

Named on the report

Responses found
1

Of 1 recipient

Stated actions
1

Described in responses

Recipients and published responses

Source document

Full report text

This is the full text from the original published report.

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Concerns and recipient responses

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Concerns raised1

  1. Lack of a MET Police policy governing the use of handcuffs when medical staff request their use for hospital patients being treated for a medical condition
Responses linked to these concerns

Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.

Actions described in response An action is something a recipient says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to a concern raised.1

  1. Action

    Publish and implement a handcuff policy requiring officers to assess proportionality, necessity, legality and ethics and justify decisions in writing after the event.

    Stated by Metropolitan Police ServiceStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 22 September 2022.

Respondent positions A position is what a recipient says about a concern when it does not describe a specific action.1

  1. Position

    Existing handcuff policy and legal powers sufficiently guide healthcare-setting decisions, so no policy change addressing that specific scenario is considered appropriate.

    Stated by Metropolitan Police ServiceExisting arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed.

Source evidence

How this individual concern was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. Response links show a clear evidence connection; they do not assign responsibility.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Lack of a MET Police policy governing the use of handcuffs when medical staff request their use for hospital patients being treated for a medical condition

Wider context from the report

“1. That there is no MET Police policy covering the use handcuffs when medical staff request their use with a patient in hospital for treatment with a medical condition rather than a mental health condition. ”

Is this part of a recurring concern?

No recurring-concern membership is currently published.

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Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Publish and implement a handcuff policy requiring officers to assess proportionality, necessity, legality and ethics and justify decisions in writing after the event.

Verbatim wording from the response

“The officers’ decision to handcuff Mr Flynn remained with them to justify (this is supported by the literature previously provided to you in our solicitor’s e-mail dated 16th December 2021). This point is set out in the new Metropolitan Police Handcuff policy (published in November 2021). Officers are expected to make their own assessment of the circumstances in which they find themselves, and on that basis take action (or inaction) based on proportionality, necessity, legality and ethics, whilst fully justifying their decisions in writing post event. Although the policy does not specifically address the use of handcuffs in a healthcare setting for medical treatment, upon reviewing both the policy and the legal powers afforded to officers, both are sufficiently robust to allow officers to make an informed decision as to the use of handcuffs in any given setting.”

Source location

Response from Metropolitan Police
Page 2 · response
Published 22 September 2022

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Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Existing handcuff policy and legal powers sufficiently guide healthcare-setting decisions, so no policy change addressing that specific scenario is considered appropriate.

Verbatim wording from the response

“The officers’ decision to handcuff Mr Flynn remained with them to justify (this is supported by the literature previously provided to you in our solicitor’s e-mail dated 16th December 2021). This point is set out in the new Metropolitan Police Handcuff policy (published in November 2021). Officers are expected to make their own assessment of the circumstances in which they find themselves, and on that basis take action (or inaction) based on proportionality, necessity, legality and ethics, whilst fully justifying their decisions in writing post event. Although the policy does not specifically address the use of handcuffs in a healthcare setting for medical treatment, upon reviewing both the policy and the legal powers afforded to officers, both are sufficiently robust to allow officers to make an informed decision as to the use of handcuffs in any given setting.”

Source location

Response from Metropolitan Police
Page 2 · response
Published 22 September 2022

Open published response
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Information checked against the published report and official responses · Data reviewed 7 Sep 2026 · About data quality and limitations

Data last updated 7 September 2026