Questions on custody death circumstances to linger until coronial report

Details about how a 29-year-old man died while in police custody at the Hobart Reception Prison will remain scarce until the State Coroner's investigation finishes, police say.

Tasmania Police Assistant Commissioner Adrian Bodnar said it would now be the Coroner's job to investigate how the man's condition declined between being taken into custody at 1.55am and being found unresponsive at 2.30am on Saturday morning.

Assistant Commissioner Bodnar said he did not know if it was the first time the man had been arrested.

"All I can say is that unfortunately a 29-year old man from Glenorchy has died, his senior next of kin were notified this morning ... it's very tragic and it's very sad," he said.

Mr Bodnar said that the man was arrested following "multiple reports" that he was "acting in a suspicious and erratic manner".

"The circumstances surrounding the arrest will be subject to the coronial investigation and, certainly, people aren't arrested just because they're looking suspicious," he added.

"There are other elements to arrests that occur and police need to be satisfied about as well."

A police spokesperson added that they could not comment on whether breathalyser or oral fluid tests were taken at the time of the arrest: "Those aspects will be a matter for the Coroner to determine".

A professional standards investigation has been launched and the Integrity Commission has been notified, police said.

EARLIER:

A 29-year-old Glenorchy man has died while in custody overnight, police say.

A Tasmania Police spokesperson said the man was arrested in Moonah in the state's south at about 1.55am on Saturday, April 13, after reports he was "acting in a suspicious and erratic manner".

He was taken to the Hobart Reception Prison.

Police said he died "a short time" after being found unresponsive at about 2.30am.

The spokesperson said a professional standards investigation has been launched and the Integrity Commission has been notified.

A report will be prepared for the coroner.