'It has helped us process our grief to know Alan's life means something'

POLICE ADOPT FORCER PROTOCOL IN THE HOPE OF SAVING MORE LIVES

- By SOPHIE DOUGHTY Crime reporter

WHEN troubled army veteran Alan Forcer was reported missing police assessed him as being “medium” risk, despite being told he was suffering from PTSD and had attempted to take his own life.

And three days later officers from Cleveland Police found the 40-year-old dad-of-three dead in Woodland near Stockton.

But now Alan’s legacy is helping to save the lives of other forces personnel and veterans on Tyneside.

Northumbria Police became the second force in the country to adopt the Forcer Protocol last year.

Developed following tireless work by Alan’s ex-wife Claire Lilly, the protocol is a tool that helps police accessed key information about former or serving members of the forces quickly should they be reported missing.

Now one of the first questions a police call handler will ask when responding to a missing person’s report is if the person involved has ever been a member of the forces.

They will then be able to access information about the individual within minutes and assess whether they could be at serious risk of suicide.