their custody are safe8 as well as providing duty of care to detainees and these responsibilities weigh heavily on their shoulders. 1.3 In carrying out the investigation, the police must follow the guidelines stated in Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). This is important to guarantee that the individuals who are being interrogated are not physically and mentally tortured in order to get information or confessions.9 It is the police’s responsibility to ensure those who are detained and under police custody are being monitored at all times to ensure their safety. II. Deaths in Police Custody 1.4 Based on statistics provided by PDRM, 255 detainees died in police custody b between 2000 to 2014. According to the statistics, the main cause of death includes poor healthcare supervision of detainees while in detention. At the same time, police officers/personnel who attend to the detainees also face various health problems. 1.5 High death rate of detainees in police custody has caused dissatisfaction among the public and they are in the opinion that the police are responsible for the deaths that have occured. Complaints from various parties have been filed to the Commission and they urged for an action to be taken in order to investigate the allegations concerning human rights violations. 1.6 The Commission holds the opinion that in order to address the issues deaths of detainess in police custody, a research should be done so that the problems can be identified and several recommendations can be made to reduce the number of deaths of detainess, for short term as well as for long term. 8 Thematic Report: Deaths in Police Custody – A Ten Year Review (New Zealand) 2012. (p 11). Article 1 of Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment 9 2