NSW logs 66 custody and police‑operation deaths in 2025, Indigenous deaths hit record high

TL;DR: NSW recorded 66 deaths in custody or from police operations in 2025, 18 more than 2024, with Indigenous deaths in custody reaching a record 12.

The state coroner, Teresa O'Sullivan, released her annual deaths in custody and police operations report on Thursday. It covers all deaths that occurred in NSW prisons or during police actions in 2025.

The report counted 66 deaths in custody or resulting from police operations, 18 more than in 2024.

Thirty‑nine of those deaths happened in custody; 12 involved First Nations people, a record high for Indigenous deaths in custody.

Of the 39 custody deaths, nine were recorded as intentional self‑harm, eight of them by hanging, making up 22% of the total toll.

Five Indigenous deaths in custody were from self‑harm or accidental overdose, five were from natural causes and one cause remained unknown.

Twenty‑seven deaths stemmed from police operations; a third occurred during vehicle pursuits, three followed the administration of sedation for agitation management and five happened while police were containing or restraining a person.

The coroner called the Indigenous death toll a 'profoundly distressing milestone' and noted a concerning rise in unknown causes, prompting additional toxicology tests that found no new drug trends.

Corrective Services NSW said it has spent $16 million to remove ligature points, completing work in almost 800 cells with another 145 slated for completion by July 2025.

The number of people on remand reached a record high, with Indigenous remand populations up 63% over five years and 15 of the custody deaths occurring while on remand.

The data show rising pressures on the prison system, particularly for Indigenous inmates, and highlight ongoing risks in police pursuits and restraint practices.

Authorities face calls to strengthen safeguards before pursuits, improve mental‑health and health‑care oversight, and continue ligature‑point removal programs.

Watch for the government’s response to the coroner’s recommendations and any forthcoming inquest findings that may shape future policy.