Norfolk Police criticized after telling family to call locksmith for son

The Incident

In August 2025, Mark and Roberta Harrison called Norfolk Police to request a welfare check on their 30-year-old son, Hobie. Hobie, who lived with schizophrenia and developmental trauma, hadn't been in touch for over 24 hours—a major red flag for his family, who usually spoke with him multiple times a day.

When his parents arrived at his Norwich flat, they couldn't get in because a key was stuck in the lock on the inside. Knowing he had a history of suicidal threats, they felt in their gut something was wrong. Instead of sending officers to check on him, Norfolk Police call handlers, after consulting a supervisor, told the family the situation didn't hit the threshold for a police response and suggested they hire a locksmith. The following day, after a second call, police finally attended the flat and found Hobie dead.

The Policy Problem

The incident is tied to Norfolk Police’s use of the "Right Care, Right Person" (RCRP) policy, which aims to shift welfare and mental health calls away from police to let officers focus on crime and "immediate risk to life" situations.

However, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has slammed the force, saying call handlers should have been more proactive by asking probing questions to assess the actual risk. The watchdog also criticized the force's handling of the family’s later complaint, noting that Norfolk Police wrongly claimed officers shouldn't have attended even the second time.

David Ford, director of oversight at the IOPC, said the watchdog is concerned the force doesn't fully grasp the risks of this policy. Norfolk Police has stated they are reviewing the findings, though they declined further comment ahead of an inquest scheduled for November.

Why it matters

This is a major L for the RCRP framework, which has been under scrutiny for leaving gaps in support. Other coroners have previously flagged that mental health teams often lack the power to enter locked homes, meaning when police step back, vulnerable people can end up with zero help when they need it most.