Surrey Police's custody services have improved, but further changes are needed
Surrey Police has improved its custody services, but further changes are needed to maintain privacy and dignity for detainees when receiving health care, a new report has found.
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Report on an unannounced inspection visit to police custody suites in Surrey
Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) found that Surrey Police generally cares well for detainees taken to custody.
The inspectorates also found that the police force is committed to diverting children and vulnerable adults away from custody, and that custody officers and staff deal with detainees in a patient and respectful manner.
However, HMICFRS and HMIP said they had two main causes of concern about Surrey Police’s custody services, which were:
- maintaining privacy and dignity for detainees receiving health care in custody, including that patient assessments sometimes take place with the door open; and
- meeting legal requirements, including that detainees are not consistently provided with a written copy of their rights and entitlements.
The inspectorates have therefore made recommendations for Surrey Police to address these concerns, while also highlighting an additional 20 areas for improvement.
Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary Roy Wilsher said:
“Anyone detained in custody should be treated fairly and kept safe from harm. Surrey Police has made good progress on the recommendations we made in 2015.
“Detainees are generally well cared for, and custody officers and staff deal with detainees in a patient and respectful manner. Overall, the approach to risk is good.
“However, we still have concerns in some areas, including protecting the privacy and dignity of detainees receiving health care. We will be working closely with Surrey Police and monitoring its progress against our new recommendations.”
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Report on an unannounced inspection visit to police custody suites in Surrey
Notes
- For further information, the HMICFRS Press Office can be contacted on 07836217729 or at HMICPressOffice@hmicfrs.gov.uk.