Norfolk Police postpones policy over Costessey deaths

Norfolk Police has said it will "pause" plans to stop attending 999 mental health calls after the high profile deaths of four family members.

The force was due to introduce the Right Care Right Person (RCRP) policy.

The bodies of Bartlomiej Kuczynski, Kanticha Sukpengpanao, and sisters Jasmin and Natasha Kuczynska were found with stab wounds, in Costessey near Norwich, on 19 January.

Mr Kuczynski had dialled 999 an hour earlier and was directed to NHS 111.

The force said it was "fully prepared and ready to go live" but that the "incident has generated some commentary and concern and the constabulary has made the decision to postpone the roll-out to allow for a short period of consolidation so these concerns can be addressed".

Assistant Chief Constable Nick Davison said: "RCRP has always been about getting people in crisis the right care, from the right professional.

"We still believe it is right to implement RCRP and following 10 months of closely working with our partners in health and social care, we are ready to go live.

"However, we are acutely aware of the commentary and concerns the incident in Costessey has generated, which is why we took time to review our position."

The approach was due to go live next week.

The roll-out will be postponed "to give us extra time to provide additional information and reassurance to the public and the wider health and social care system", he added.

The campaign group Save Mental Health in Norfolk and Suffolk previously warned that more deaths could occur if the plans went ahead.

The deaths of Jasmin, 12, Natasha, eight, and Ms Sukpengpanao, 36, are being treated as murder.

Police said Mr Kuczynski's death was not being treated as suspicious and they were not looking for anyone else in connection with the murders.

The incident is being investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

On 21 January, the IOPC confirmed Mr Kuczynski, 45, called 999 shortly before 06:00 GMT from inside the house, in Allan Bedford Crescent, Queen's Hills.

He said he was confused and worried about his mental state.

It is understood he was advised to seek medical advice and contact the NHS on 111.

Police were not despatched until after they received a second 999 call at 07:00 GMT from a member of the public and forced their way into the house.

ACC Davison said: "We believe this is the right thing to do to make sure people in mental health crisis get the right support, which all too often, can be better handled by another agency, and not a police officer."

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