Norfolk Police criticised over welfare check failings
Watchdog finds force's 'Right Care, Right Person' policy led to parents being told to call a locksmith for son.
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Norfolk Police has been criticised by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) for its handling of a welfare check request, which saw call handlers suggest the family contact a locksmith. Hobie Harrison's parents made the initial call on 6 August 2025 after their son failed to respond. He was discovered deceased the following day.
The IOPC stated that Norfolk Police's 101 call handlers should have directed the family to mental health services. Instead, they advised the parents to seek assistance from a locksmith. The watchdog also found that the force's response to the subsequent complaint was 'unnecessary and insensitive'.
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Hobie Harrison's parents, Mark and Roberta Harrison, had become concerned when their son, who usually contacted them multiple times daily, had not spoken to them for over 24 hours. They attended his flat but could not gain entry as his key was in the lock from the inside. Certain that he was within and unresponsive, they contacted Norfolk Police, informing them of their son's history of self-harm and suicidal threats.
Following a consultation with a supervisor, the police call handler informed the parents that the situation did not meet the threshold for police attendance and recommended contacting a locksmith. Roberta Harrison told the BBC: 'We didn't know how to make a decision at that point or what to do quite frankly'.
Officers attended Hobie Harrison's flat the following morning after a second call from his parents, where they found the 30-year-old deceased. His parents expressed uncertainty about whether their son was alive when they first called and if intervention could have made a difference.
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Review of 'Right Care, Right Person' policy
Norfolk Police stated that its 'Right Care, Right Person' (RCRP) policy, introduced in 2024, limits officer attendance at welfare calls to incidents involving 'immediate risk to life'. The force reported that this policy reduced officer attendance at welfare-related incidents from 11,831 in the year prior to its introduction to 9,229 in its second year.
David Ford, IOPC director of oversight and casework, expressed concern that Norfolk Police may not fully understand the risks associated with the RCRP policy. He stated that the force has agreed to undertake a review to examine any organisational learnings. The RCRP policy was originally developed by Humberside Police in 2019 and has since been adopted by other forces.
An inquest into Hobie Harrison's death is scheduled to take place in November 2025. Norfolk Police stated they could not comment further due to the ongoing inquest proceedings.
Hobie Harrison had schizophrenia and developmental trauma and was under the care of the Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust Community Mental Health Team. His parents also mentioned a history of drug use.
Questions this report answers
+Why was Norfolk Police criticised?
Norfolk Police was criticised by the Independent Office for Police Conduct because call handlers advised a family to call a locksmith instead of referring them to mental health services when they requested a welfare check for their son, Hobie Harrison.
+What happened to Hobie Harrison?
Hobie Harrison was found dead in his flat on 7 August 2025, the day after his parents made an initial call to Norfolk Police for a welfare check. An inquest into his death is scheduled for November 2025.
+What is the 'Right Care, Right Person' policy?
The 'Right Care, Right Person' (RCRP) policy is intended to reduce police involvement in welfare and mental health incidents, allowing officers to focus on crime and immediate threats. Norfolk Police introduced the policy in 2024, stating it reduced officer attendance at welfare calls.
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