Police

Introduction

Custody visiting allows members of the public to check on the welfare of people being detained in police custody and its origins date back to the 1980s, following the Scarman Report into the Brixton disorders of 1981. The then government welcomed custody visiting as a means of bringing the police and the community closer together, partly from having a better understanding of what goes on in police stations.

Custody visitors are appointed to local panels, each of which appoints its own chair, who draws up the rota for visits. There are currently eight panels in Kent, which are responsible for undertaking visits to police stations at not less than monthly intervals, in accordance with the Kent Police Authority’s current guidelines.

Although independent custody visitors are voluntary, unpaid members of the local community, they receive travelling expenses when undertaking visits.

The visiting process

Custody visitors can visit police stations in pairs, at any time, to visit people who have been arrested and detained. The visits are unannounced and custody visitors carry out their inspection of custody conditions and talk privately with those detainees who agree to be seen by them. Discussion is confined to the conditions under which detainees are being held and how they are being treated, not the reasons why they are in custody.

After inspecting the custody centre, the visitors complete a report, leaving a copy with the custody officer and sending a copy to the Authority.

Follow-up action and support

Any relevant comments made by the visitors in their report are followed up by the police at the station visited and subsequently by the Authority.

General comments made by custody visitors are disseminated to all the other custody visitors and there is an annual meeting, where issues of general interest are discussed, together with any developments that custody visitors should be aware of. Meetings are also held between the custody visitors and the Kent Police Area Commander to discuss matters relating to local visits.

The Authority is keen to offer maximum support to its custody visitors and they are invited to contact the Authority’s Secretariat whenever appropriate.

Independent custody visitors - profile

Custody visitors are ordinary members of the public, living in Kent and over 18 years of age. No formal qualifications are required but they need to be independent persons of good character who are able to make informed judgements. Ideally, custody visitors represent a good cross-section of the community in terms of age, gender and ethnicity. They should enjoy the confidence of the local community and be seen as fair critics by the police. Confidentiality and impartiality are key aspects of custody visiting.

The appointment process

Anyone interested in becoming a custody visitor is asked to complete an application form. Applicants may then be invited for local interview, involving the Chairman or a Member of the Committee, the local panel Chair and the Clerk or another member of the Authority’s Secretariat staff.

Once appointed, custody visitors attend a training session and are issued with an identity card which will enable them to enter police stations. Initially, visits are undertaken under the guidance of the panel Chair.

Custody visitors are initially appointed for three years (with a six-month probationary period) after which appointments are reviewed.

To prevent possible conflicts of interest for the individual and to maintain the independence of the scheme as a whole, applicants should not have any direct or indirect involvement in the criminal justice system. This includes being a magistrate, a serving or former police officer or a special constable (depending on when and where), probation officer or solicitor.

Anyone who has served a term of imprisonment or who has been convicted of an offence that could carry a prison term within the last five years will not be considered. Applicants must agree to police checks being carried out.

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