Page 29 - WMPF Federation Oct-Nov 2018-flip_Neat

‘Nowhere has closer

You protect us. scrutiny than custody’

We protect you. seminar told

fficers from across England and conditions.” He said: “The study showed that 43 per
Wales have attended an annual Delegates also heard from grieving cent of staff in custody experienced
Oseminar to discuss key issues father Tony Herbert whose son, James (25) psychological distress, compared with 20 per
At Slater and Gordon, we Legal services: affecting police custody. died after being restrained in police custody cent of the general population. Additionally,
Delegates heard from a range of
understand that police work speakers drawn from stakeholders and in Avon and Somerset in 2010. 33 per cent of custody staff experienced
exhaustion or burn-out.”
Police were called after James was

He said: “Acoustics are important,
can be challenging and stressful, • Crime and misconduct allegations partner organisations as well as the Police spotted running and shouting in a road in especially with virtual courts and live link
Federation of England and Wales’ National
Wells, Somerset looking ‘dishevelled’ during
but with us by your side, dealing • Personal injury claims - on or off duty Custody Forum and lead representatives. a mental health crisis. facilities. And there are conversations to be

Assistant Chief Constable Nev Kemp, the
had around TVs in cells. A few years ago
The circumstances surrounding James’
with legal issues needn’t be. National Police Chiefs’ Council’s custody death have since been subject to two people were saying we were bonkers but you
• Family law lead, used the platform to urge the Independent Police Complaints Commission have to remember that a lot of people who
Federation to host national custody awards (IPCC) investigations and an inquest. are arrested lose their sense of time – we
For over 50 years, we have • Employment law at its 2019 seminar. for how deaths in custody would be dealt take their watches from them.
Mr Herbert outlined his personal utopia
“There can be a degree of self-loathing, a
The suggestion came after the results of

been defending, advising and the latest Federation pay and morale survey with, including the Crown Prosecution sense of shame and embarrassment both for
representing thousands of police • Police pensions revealed a high number of custody officers Service being involved much later, with themselves and their families, so the
officers involved obligated to fully report to
want to leave the role as they feel under-
custody environment is really important. We
officers just like you. • Wills, trusts and estates valued by the service and by the public. the Independent Office for Police Conduct need to put operational users and detainees
(IOPC) within six months of the death.

ACC Kemp said: “There will always be a
first in the design of custody suites.”
risk in custody but you have to remember In September 2017, the then IPCC (now He said new facilities in Hampshire
With offices throughout the UK, that custody officers are responsible for IOPC) published a report into James’ death, incorporated a glazed atrium, flooding the
some of the most challenging and difficult
charge room with light. “We had lost our
which pinpointed how a different approach
we are the only firm to offer a people in society, often in very frail physical to policing people with mental health needs way in terms of staff, who have to operate in
and mental health.
could have prevented James’ death in
that environment for 10-12 hour shifts – we
full range of legal services to “Nowhere else in the world has closer custody. need to think about their wellbeing.”
scrutiny on custody – it’s difficult to see how Inspector Tony Maggs, one of the leading The event was held on 11 and 12
the Police Federation. we could be more open and transparent. experts in cell design, also spoke at the September in Daventry and also heard from
Being a custody sergeant is the only role in seminar, about how the design of the design Dr Meng Aw-Yong, medical director for the
policing where you have to go right up to of police custody suites is vital to both help Metropolitan Police, about how better
superintendent to be over-ruled. prevent self -harm by detainees, and protect understanding of the dangers of Acute
“They are charged with sometimes the welfare of custody officers. Behavioural Disturbance (ABD) in custody
making unpopular decisions to deprive Highlighting the results of a five-year detainees is needed among healthcare staff.
someone of their liberty and are a critical Good Police Custody Study by the University Miranda Biddle, North East regional director
and pivotal part of the criminal justice of Sheffield’s Dr Layla Skinns, he revealed of the IOPC, told delegates that ‘timeliness is
process, with a role also in protecting the that staff in 39 police forces had been still our biggest single criticism but we are
public, for example, when deciding bail quizzed about welfare. working hard to address this’.
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Authorised and Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. www.polfed.org/westmids federation October/November 2018 29