On 4th November, 2013, Leon Briggs, 39 was detained under section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983 and taken into police custody.  Within an hour Leon was pronounced dead at the Luton & Dunstable Hospital. 

Leon's death is under criminal investigation and 5 police officers and 2 civilian staff have been suspended from duty. Hopefully justice will prevail, but why was Leon taken into police custody in the first instance and not to a hospital or a Mental Health Unit? 

Despite long standing official guidance that police custody should only be used in "exceptional circumstances" as a place of safety, under the Mental Health Act 1983, it is still used routinely.  In 2011/12 more than 9000 people were taken into police custody under Section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983, some as young as 14 years old, clearly this is not acceptable.  Furthermore, they can be held in custody for up to 72 hours compared to only 24 hours for those arrested for a crime. 

The IPCC state "approximately half of all deaths in or following police custody involve detainees with some sort of mental health problem." To highlight this, just over a week after Leon’s death, on 12th November 2013 Terry Smith was detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 and taken into police custody at Staines Police Station. He died 24 hours later.   Yet again 10 members of staff are being investigated for possible criminal conduct and have been removed from operational duties. 

Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary, Drusilla Sharpling stated on behalf of all the inspectors that “too many people are being detained in police custody under the section 136. Their only “crime” is that they have mental disorders, but are treated in many ways as if they are criminals. This deplorable situation cannot be allowed to continue.” 

Indeed, this deplorable situation cannot continue, it is time to amend the legislation to remove "a police station" from the Mental Health Act 1983 as a designated place of safety, as it clearly is not safe.  The legislation needs changing because the police cannot be trusted to follow mere guidance or Codes of Practice, as they have demonstrated over a prolonged period of time. 

Please sign this petition so we can stop people who are ill being treated like criminals and more importantly dying in custody. Don't let tragedies like Leon's death continue to occur.