Question
Katie Simpson case – in relation to recommendations from PONI report, PSNI previously indicated that all had been implemented yet ABC protocol was only added to the Death Investigation Manual in July 2025. Why was there such a long delay (c.5 years) to implement?
Answer
The Recommendations made by PONI have been implemented. The recommendations came into PSNI in September 2023, with the initial findings of the investigation published on PONI website 12th November 2024.
There are regular reviews of all policies and manuals, a fundamental level of professional competence in line with subject areas Officers are trained in is assumed, including investigation standards, professional curiosity and ABC. Trained subject areas therefore not reiterated within every individual policy as a matter of course. ABC has been taught within Foundation Faculty for Student Officer training since 2021 and the current lessons, updated in 2023, contain reference to Katie Simpson and address Professional Curiosity, and ABC.
The inclusion of the ABC protocol within the Death Investigation Manual (DIM) was not a specific requirement within the PONI recommendations. The ABC protocol was however initially added to the Death Investigation Manual (DIM) in the review which was published in July 2025. It was added as a brief helpful reminder of the investigative mind-set, which as stated, is already a part of foundation training.
The DIM document is regularly reviewed, prior to July 2025 the DIM was updated in April 2025 to include a Sudden Death Attendance Map (which included a reference to ABC). Previously the original DIM Version 1.01 was published on 09/02/24. Before that, it was a service instruction (SI0216); the most recent version was edited on 25/07/2023, with the previous version updated on 31/01/22.
It is part of authorised professional practice as per National College of Policing and prior to that part of core investigative doctrine from 2005. Its inclusion in the refreshed guidance was to re-emphasise for attending officers at scenes.
Nuala McAllister MLA - Alliance