PFD report

Alfie Lawless · Prevention of Future Deaths report

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Issued 4 Mar 2025•Manchester South

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
7

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. Delays in recognising deaths or serious injuries within the meaning of s12 Police Reform Act 2002
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.6

  1. Action

    Ensure mandatory DSI referrals are made within the Police Regulations timescales and Appropriate Authorities attend formal DSI training.

    Stated by Greater Manchester PoliceStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 6 March 2025.
  2. Action

    Use a standard DSI assessment form recording decision rationale and considered material, circulated to Appropriate Authorities for immediate use.

    Stated by Greater Manchester PoliceStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 6 March 2025.
  3. Action

    Undertake monthly dip sampling to ensure the revised DSI assessment process becomes embedded.

    Stated by Greater Manchester PoliceStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 6 March 2025.

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

Delays in recognising deaths or serious injuries within the meaning of s12 Police Reform Act 2002

Wider context from the report

“The court heard evidence from a Detective Sergeant from Greater Manchester Police’s Professional Standards Branch (‘PSB’) as to valuable learning which has been identified following her review and critical analysis of the police response to the initial 999 call made on 18th May 2024 and the subsequent police investigation. In the light of this, I am concerned as to the length of time it took for Mr Lawless’s death to be recognised by Greater Manchester Police as a Death or Serious Injury within the meaning of s12 Police Reform Act 2002: something which appears only to have occurred after a statement for the purposes of the inquest was requested from a senior officer asked to review previous police contact with Mr Lawless. ”

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

Ensure mandatory DSI referrals are made within the Police Regulations timescales and Appropriate Authorities attend formal DSI training.

Verbatim wording from the response

“The PSD will adhere to Police Regulations by ensuring that mandatory referrals are made, without delay, and in any case not later than the end of the day after the day it first becomes clear that it is a matter which must be referred. This will also ensure that AA’s attend formal training in relation to DSI, which is provided by an external company.”

Source location

Response from GMP
Page 2 · response
Published 6 March 2025

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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

Use a standard DSI assessment form recording decision rationale and considered material, circulated to Appropriate Authorities for immediate use.

Verbatim wording from the response

“To ensure that a common standard is applied to this assessment, a new form has been designed requiring the AA to not only include their rationale behind the decision around whether the DSI criteria had been met, but also what material they have considered in order to make this decision. This form was designed in consultation with the AA’s within the PSD and the final version has been circulated to the AA’s within the Directorate for their immediate use.”

Source location

Response from GMP
Page 1 · response
Published 6 March 2025

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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

Undertake monthly dip sampling to ensure the revised DSI assessment process becomes embedded.

Verbatim wording from the response

“The PSD Senior Leadership Team will undertake a period of monthly dip sampling in order to ensure that this process is embedded.”

Source location

Response from GMP
Page 2 · response
Published 6 March 2025

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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

Review internal processes for assessing Death or Serious Injury incidents.

Verbatim wording from the response

“The Professional Standards Directorate has reviewed its internal processes for when assessing incidents relating to Death or Serious Injury (DSI).”

Source location

Response from GMP
Page 1 · response
Published 6 March 2025

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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

Provide monthly DSI input on the Detective Sergeant and Detective Inspector dealing-with-death course at the GMP training school.

Verbatim wording from the response

“The PSD AA’s also provide a monthly input on the Detective Sergeant / Detective Inspector dealing with Death course at GMP’s training school specifically relating to DSI and what is expected when referring a case into the PSD.”

Source location

Response from GMP
Page 2 · response
Published 6 March 2025

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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

Roll out force-wide DSI awareness training through internal articles explaining DSI definitions and referral requirements.

Verbatim wording from the response

“There will be a roll out of DSI awareness training both internally and across the Greater Manchester Police (GMP) in order to raise awareness and understanding. This will take the form of force intranet articles which will outline the definition of a DSI and when to refer into the PSD.”

Source location

Response from GMP
Page 2 · response
Published 6 March 2025

Open published response

Other statements in published responses

These actions and other statements could not be clearly connected to one concern in this report.

Recipient-stated actions An action is something a recipient says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to a concern raised.1

  1. 1

    Monitor completed assessment forms and escalate organisationally significant learning to the Tactical Organisational Learning Board.

    Stated by Greater Manchester PoliceStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 6 March 2025.

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

Monitor completed assessment forms and escalate organisationally significant learning to the Tactical Organisational Learning Board.

Verbatim wording from the response

“The form also includes a section relating to learning opportunities, which will be returned to the relevant staff member or department to ensure that feedback is given at the earliest opportunity. The form once completed will be saved to the relevant PSD case for future reference.”

Source location

Response from GMP
Page 2 · response
Published 6 March 2025

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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