Can deaths in police cells be prevented? Experience from Norway and death rates in other countries

•Data on deaths in Norwegian police cells from 90-ties to 20-ties was compared.•The number of deaths has been reduced by app 75%.•Alcohol intoxication has been almost eliminated as cause of death.•A search on deaths in police cells from other countries as was performed.•Death rate vary from 0.14 death/year/million inhabitants to 1.46 in Western societies.

PurposeTo describe the changes in death rates and causes of deaths in Norwegian police cells during the last 2 decades. To review reports on death rates in police cells that have been published in medical journals and elsewhere, and discuss the difficulties of comparing death rates between countries.MethodsData on deaths in Norwegian police cells were collected retrospectively in 2002 and 2012 for two time periods: 1993–2001 (period 1) and 2003–2012 (period 2). Several databases were searched to find reports on deaths in police cells from as many countries as possible.ResultsThe death rates in Norwegian police cells reduced significantly from 0.83 deaths per year per million inhabitants (DYM) in period 1 to 0.22 DYM in period 2 (p < 0.05). The most common cause of death in period 1 was alcohol intoxication including intracranial bleeding in persons with high blood alcohol levels, and the number declined from 16 persons in period 1 to 1 person in period 2 (p = 0.032). The median death rate in the surveyed Western countries was 0.44 DYM (range: 0.14–1.46 DYM).ConclusionThe number of deaths in Norwegian police cells reduced by about 75% over a period of approximately 10 years. This is probably mainly due to individuals with severe alcohol intoxication no longer being placed in police cells. However, there remain large methodology difficulties in comparing deaths rates between countries.