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Spotlight on custody

Safety must be the priority, Praise for officers as custody deaths at zero

custody seminar told Custody officers and staff were praised for more than 3,000 Hell’s Angels descended future operations in Eastern Europe.
upon Surrey and Sussex for their 50th year
their professionalism and the level of care

He told the seminar: “We have a custody
provided to detainees as latest figures
service that is transparent, safe and
celebrations, as a prime example of the best of
revealed no one died in a custody suite last
British policing.
professional it’s something we should all be
year. For this unprecedented event, Europol and really proud of.”
The Independent Office for Police Conduct police officers from 12 countries were in “I want to particularly thank those who
(IOPC) statistics for England and Wales attendance for the operation along with more work day in, day out in custody centres in a
ustody sergeants should feel ACC Kemp, of Surrey Police, told the
confident to close a suite when it is seminar’s custody sergeants: “Ultimately, 2018/2019 cover a range of incidents where than half of forces in England and Wales pivotal role in the criminal justice process and
Cat capacity and not be pressured into the buck stops with you.” He advised that there have been fatalities after the police have providing mutual aid. dealt with around 700,000 detainees last year,
taking risks with safety, delegates were told custody sergeants should couch their had contact with a person prior to their death. Despite between 70 and 80 per cent of the some are the most challenging and vulnerable
at the two-day Federation National Custody arguments in terms of health and safety. On the release of the figures, Assistant Hell’s Angels and associated groups having people in society.”
Seminar. Earlier in the seminar, Mr Kemp had Chief Constable Nev Kemp, National Police criminal convictions for violence, including He also revealed the NPCC is currently
Assistant Chief Constable Nev Kemp, hailed progress made in reducing deaths in Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) custody lead, said: “Last convictions for murder and bomb-making, discussing how to introduce national custody
custody lead for the National Police Chiefs’ custody to zero in the last year. year, none of the 698,737 people brought into officers arrested 53 members over a two-day training.
Council, Sergeant Chris Bentley, chair of the However, Ms Lyon, who chairs the IAPDC, custody in England and Wales died as a result period and not a single officer or member of “Whether there will be a comprehensive
Police Federation’s National Custody Forum, raised the high number (58,000 recorded of harming themselves. the public was hurt. package or a national training standard in only
and Juliet Lyon CBE and Jenny Talbot OBE, cases) of custody detainees self-harming “Given that when detainees are brought According to ACC Kemp, none of them high risk areas is unclear but chief constables
both representing the Independent Advisory and suggested the Government should carry into custody they are at their lowest and resisted arrest – attributing it to officers will be considering it in the next few weeks
Panel on Deaths in Custody (IAPDC), formed a out a safety assessment ahead of any future feeling vulnerable – that is a very impressive treating people fairly and with dignity. and we – the College of Policing and the NPCC
panel session at the seminar to discuss this cuts in staff numbers. testament to the care and professionalism of The lead Europol officer, with decades of – are pushing for an improvement to the
issue and others raised by officers at the “We’ve seen people being asked to do officers and staff.” experience, has since commended the status quo, which is a wide variety of courses
seminar which was held in Hinckley, things that pushed them to the edge of ACC Kemp also highlighted Operation operation for being ‘the best he has ever seen’ and training methods which are variable in
Leicestershire on 10 and 11 September. what’s safe,” she said. “There were 63 deaths Foreland, carried out at the end of May as and Mr Kemp said it would pave the way for quality and often out-dated,” he said.
Dave Beverley, an Essex Police custody Assistant Chief Constable Nev Kemp, following police custody and we know that
sergeant, described his role of 13 years as custody lead for the National Police Chiefs’ 13 of these were linked to drugs or alcohol Acid attacks, drugs and Better support
‘challenging and demanding’ and noted that Council. – 10 had a known mental health issue – so it restraint the restraint was responsible in part.”
custody is a ‘very pressured environment’. is quite clear that the solutions lie in health.” He also spoke about the effectiveness of
With 18 months until he retires, he said their concerns, adding: “I just want to Tom Milsom, operations manager of the On Day 2 of the seminar, delegates heard CT scanners to detect drugs and mobile
he is currently working harder than ever protect all custody sergeants – we come to Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC), about the dangers of concealed drugs and phones concealed within the body and
before. work to try to do our best, to keep everyone took part in the discussion, assuring the Acute Behavioural Disturbance (ABD) from techniques that can be used, such as
He explained: “We are under constant alive and sometimes it’s difficult to juggle audience that a culture change is in medical experts Dr Meng Aw-Yong and Dr positioning the detainee forward when
pressure from our command to keep custody all the balls.” progress. He said: “I accept that perhaps our Johann Grundlingh. arresting them if officers fear they may have
suites open. We are being told it is inspectors Sgt Bentley, who is also a full-time reports in the past have been over-zealous in Dr Aw-Yong is medical director for the swallowed drugs or objects.
who make decisions to close, not custody Federation rep, reminded colleagues of trying to find [fault]. We’re now on a path of Metropolitan Police Service and a past Dr Grundlingh presented on acid attacks,
sergeants. In the NHS, it’s one nurse for every regulations which state that only a looking at how we can support the evidence member of the Independent Advisory which had peaked in 2017 after a five-year
eight patients and as soon as you go to nine superintendent can relieve a custody base to improve policing.” Panel on Deaths in Custody and Dr growth in cases, fuelled by criminal gangs.
another nurse must be found. As custody sergeant of command, adding: “Until then a Mr Kemp acknowledged there had been Grundlingh is a consultant and chief Delegates were shown graphic images of
sergeants, we’re being allowed to drown and custody sergeant is supreme, we choose to a ‘change in tone’ from the IOPC in recent executive of SFR Medical. injuries and advised on the best ways to
are told we must keep suites open at all cost.” deprive people of their liberty and at that months with more of a focus on learning. Dr Aw-Yong called for more treat victims. He also spoke about SFR
Dave suggested a pro forma should be point we become responsible for their “It’s a lot less adversarial than it was and understanding of ABD among healthcare Medical which has carved out its niche in Ché Donald (pictured above), the
created for custody sergeants to document health and safety.” we’re better for it,” he said. staff, stating that despite it being listed as speeding up the transfer of medical evidence Federation’s national vice-chair, also
a medical emergency in the Royal College from the NHS to police investigators. addressed the seminar to share the
of Emergency Medicine’s best practice findings of the recent demand, capacity
DIVERT success have gone through the programme - 150 of Inspector Katie Andrews of guidelines, it is often not recognised as Design guide should set and welfare survey and Cambridge
University’s research into post-traumatic
such. Affected individuals may suffer
A custody programme which reaches out whom are now employed, with another 100 Derbyshire Constabulary was presented sudden cardiovascular collapse and/or standard for custody stress disorder (PTSD). He called for
to young adults in a bid to steer them in training and development for work. with the Outstanding Contribution to cardiac arrest with little or no warning. suites ring-fenced funding for the Police
away from a life of crime and into jobs Only seven per cent have re-offended. Police Custody award. Merseyside Police Often sedation will be required to prevent A Police Custody Design Guide is being Treatment Centres and the enhancement
including football coaching has yielded The success of the programme has led Custody Team 2 were announced as the the onset of symptoms. created so that forces can build and refurbish of the Welfare Support Programme to
some impressive results. to it being rolled out across other forces. Custody Team of the Year and Ulla He has been involved in six inquests custody suites nationwide to a common deliver counselling to Federation members
Inspector Jack Rowlands from the From January 2020, Thames Valley Police, Wachowska, a nurse who works for the where ABD was a factor and said standard. in the future.
Metropolitan Police Service delivered South Yorkshire Police, Lancashire and Metropolitan Police at Heathrow, was minimising the restraint time for someone Assistant Chief Constable Nev Kemp, the
a presentation on DIVERT at the Nottinghamshire Police will be joining the honoured for her thoroughness and at risk of the condition is vital. The use of National Police Chiefs’ Council lead on Custody visitors
seminar. scheme. hard work. Taser could be considered to help that. custody, announced the launch of the guide The seminar received a presentation on the
DIVERT is designed to divert 18 to City of London Sergeant, Richard He said: “I am keen to protect officers, when he addressed the seminar. work of the Independent Custody Visitors’
25-year-olds away from offending and Awards ceremony Longden was named Custody Officer of to avoid them having to grip the rail if It should now be used as the reference Association (ICVA).
into employment, development and Officers judged to have made exceptional the Year and Professor Michael Zander there is a death in custody and the document for any custody estate work and They speak to around 29,000 detainees
education. contributions to the world of custody were was presented with a certificate of subsequent investigation. Even if that will also be of interest to construction in a typical year and have been taking part
Between its launch in 2015 and recognised at an evening awards ceremony special recognition for his services to restraint was proportionate and there companies, architects and suppliers who in a pilot scheme at Derbyshire
October 2018, more than 320 people on the first day of the seminar. police custody. were other contributing factors, the provide custodial design support or custodial Constabulary to drive forward
coroner’s verdict will still come back that products. improvements.

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