Custody Visiting in the New Policing Landscape Andrew Alexander Police Powers & Protection Unit

2 Contents –Why Custody Visiting Matters –Increasing Accountability –Reducing Bureaucracy –The PACE Review –Improving Efficiency and Effectiveness –Custody Visiting – The Future –Raising Standards –Maintaining Standards in a Difficult Climate

3 Why Custody Visiting Matters –Increasing Accountability –Community Oversight of police custody –Relationship with Police and Crime Commissioners –More detail soon – hopefully later this month –National Preventative Mechanism –Reducing Bureaucracy –Report Forms –Standardisation –Easy to use –Custody Checkers not Box Tickers

4 The PACE Review –Formal PACE Review Process ended March 2010 –Published Report on Home Office Website –Working to progress recommendations as finances and Parliamentary time permit –Improving Efficiency and Effectiveness –Always looking for ‘better’ ways of doing things –Please send suggestions to

5 Custody Visiting – The Future –Raising Standards –We know PACE compliance is generally good –HMIC/HMIP published their ‘Expectations’ in January –Look around those expectations –Maintaining Standards in a Difficult Climate –As budgets are squeezed, there will be pressure to cut corners –Pressure on the Police and on ICVs –You have a key role in ensuring detainee welfare is not compromised