Page 13 - WMPF Federation Oct-Nov2017 Final_Neat

Custody seen as

“punishment posting”

lmost a fifth of custody officers want “For all those reasons, the survey results that detainees are kept safe,” he said.
to be redeployed away from are not surprising, given the immense The Federation’s annual pay and morale
Adetention duties as soon as possible, challenges faced by those working in the survey included custody-specific questions
according to the results of the Police custody arena. More than 60 per cent of for the first time.
Federation’s pay and morale survey. custody officers said they had low personal Other results from the survey included:
With 18.9 per cent of those working in morale and this is coupled with a shortage l 62 per cent of custody officers said that
custody saying they want to move to a of training – we know of at least one force their workload had increased in the last
different post, nearly three quarters (73.1 which has had no refresher custody training 12 months
per cent) of officers not currently in the role for five years.” l 11 per cent of custody officers intend to
say they would never want to work in He also explained that the number of leave the police within the next two
custody. applications to be a custody sergeant are years.
The survey results back up the long-held also dropping. Andy spoke out on the eve of the
view that custody is still perceived as a “It is not surprising that there is a Federation’s national custody seminar which
“punishment posting” by many, according to reluctance to work within custody when, was held in Warwick in September and
the Police Federation of England and Wales despite the specialist nature of the role, included discussions on deaths and serious
(PFEW). By comparison, less than two per investment in the training and development incidents in custody, mental health policing
cent of firearms officers want to switch jobs. of custody staff is inadequate. When there issues and unlawful detentions, as well as
Andy Ward, the Federation’s deputy are organisational failures, all too often the full impact of the new pre-charge police
general secretary and custody lead, custody personnel are blamed whereas what bail provisions and the restructure and
explained: “Custody is one of the most is needed is a corporate and holistic reform of the Independent Police Complaints
challenging areas of policing with approach, bringing together all relevant Commission (IPCC).
potentially serious ramifications if anything agencies and proper resources to ensure
goes wrong. The responsibility is enormous
in trying to look after detainees’ rights and When there are organisational failures,
welfare as well as managing complex risks
to ensure their safety and security. “ all too often custody personnel are
“There are also additional risks where
those being detained are vulnerable, for blamed whereas what is needed is a
instance through alcohol or drug
impairment or dependency, or where corporate and holistic approach, bringing
suffering with mental ill-health. We have
said repeatedly that police cells are not the together all relevant agencies and proper
right place for those with mental health resources to ensure that detainees are
issues, but budget cuts across the NHS and
local authorities still mean that too often kept safe.
the police service has to step in when “
individuals are in crisis and need a place of
safety.

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