|
Posted by Editor on 25th October 2011 at 10:28 AM Greater Manchester Police’s custody suites put to the test
Greater Manchester Police Authority (GMPA) volunteers visited custody suites across the region on Wednesday 19 October 2011 as part of a North West and North Wales-wide initiative.
Independent Custody Visitors (ICVs) made surprise inspections at each of Greater Manchester Police’s (GMP) custody suites to check on the welfare of detainees and the conditions of the custody facilities.
Simultaneous inspections took place across the region including Cheshire, North Wales, Cumbria, Lancashire and Merseyside.
Elaine Belton, Chair of GMPA’s Volunteers Steering Sub Committee, said: “While these visits were coordinated across the region, our Independent Custody Visitors regularly make unannounced visits at anytime of the day or night to GMP’s ten custody suites.
“These visits are an important safeguard in ensuring the welfare of detainees. They allow the Police Authority to monitor and scrutinise the Force in this area and also explore and resolve any potential problems raised by the volunteers during their visits.”
Barbara Walton, an Independent Custody Visitor, said: “Carrying out regular inspections ensures that GMP’s custody processes and policies are effective and our feedback helps to improve the service provided by the Force.”
Police authorities have a legal obligation to operate independent custody visiting schemes.
Independent Custody Visitors make random visits in pairs to police stations to check on the welfare of people who are in police custody. During their trips to custody sites, they look at a number of issues from the treatment of detainees and behaviour of custody staff to the effectiveness of custody processes.
Detainees are always given the option as to whether they would like to speak to the ICVs or not.
The number of visits carried out by Independent Custody Visitors is reported to the GMPA Volunteers Steering Sub-Committee.
Related Links
To find out more about GMPA’s volunteer schemes click here
 Comment by Ex Seadog ( member ) 1st November 2011
Shorry Hiram old chap... hic, I meant only to have a sip, hic, you know, for medicinal purposhes... but a big wave came, and, hic, I drank the bloomin lot. |
Comment by Hiram Abiff ( member ) 1st November 2011
Seadog, have you been overdoing your grog ration? Seems you have me and Albert S mixed up here! Pass some of the rumour way next time.... :) |
Comment by TomSO ( member ) 29th October 2011
I find myself compelled to quote a line from Peep Show here: "Bad news, bad news, bad news. Jesus, Jeremy, one bus crash. What about all the buses that made it safely to their destinations?"
Mark Corrigan: "Yes, I suppose the news should just be a dispassionate list of all the events that have occurred the world over during the day. That would be good. Except of course, it would take forever!" (NB, meant in jest) |
Comment by Ex Seadog ( member ) 29th October 2011
Thanks Albert. Your experiences as a community photographer sounds very interesting, and obviously qualifies you to say what you do. I respectfully bow to your knowledge. I must admit that part of me still hopes that the vast majority of people are good, and it's mainly bad people doing bad things that make the news. Sadly, "999 people doing good", is not half as interesting as a headline as "1 person doing bad". |
Comment by Albert.Spiby ( member ) 29th October 2011
Ah Seadog I quite deliberately chose not to name you in my reply to avoid insulting you. My use of the word Sheeple is meant to be thought-provoking rather than insulting, ang again it wasn't aimed at you. That's why I said "IF you believe all Police behave". As a Community Photographer with a particular interest in covering Demonstrations & Protests I observe the Police on a weekly basis. Sadly, it's not a tiny minority that abuse their "power". My own first-hand observations do not support that. I feel sorry for the good policemen who are being misused in the way they are. If you felt personally insulted by my comments Seadog then I apologise. Google "Freeman On The Land" if you would like to see how the LAW is being subverted. |
Comment by Ex Seadog ( member ) 29th October 2011
Thanks Hiram, I'm glad you agree with my main point re the victims of crime getting less support than the criminals. I don't know where you got the impression that I think all police are perfect? I'm far too long in the tooth to think that, and far from being a 'sheeple', (I know this is one of your favourite and much-used insults, so I wont take it too seriously). Of course there are 'bad-uns' in every organisation... (look at the Priesthood), but I like to think they are a tiny minority, and in the main the people in these organisations are decent and law abiding. As for the Law... well it's common knowledge that it is an ass. |
Comment by Albert.Spiby ( member ) 28th October 2011
This is how another old "Sea Dog" was treated recently according to a message I received today. (At 10am one morning, Norman Scarth (who incidentally lives in sheltered housing) answered the door to his flat with the chain on. He was greeted by a young girl who told him that her grandmother had moved into the flat next door and she needed help moving some furniture. Norman being a helpful gentleman quickly got dressed (vest top and flip flops) and went with the girl to the flat. The grandma next door was simply a ruse and once into the flat he was set upon by four police officers. Norman was manhandled and immediately handcuffed! Is this anyway to treat an 85 year old? To trick them from their homes and assault them in this manner? Norman was arrested for 'section 2 protection from harassment' a summary offence which gives the police NO power of entry to a person's home. So the police lied to trick this man into their trap, utterly scandalous. Norman was taken to the police station and held most of the day. His arrest related to his distribution of leaflets and using a loud hailer which he was told 'upset' somebody. Norman only got back to his home (no help from the police) shortly after midnight. When he arrived he found the police had made entry to his home and removed his computer equipment and his mobile phone. This is the state of policing in Britain and how they'll act toward an elderly man and war hero). |
Comment by Albert.Spiby ( member ) 28th October 2011
The people in Police custody have been arrested NOT convicted. Some of them will have committed "Offences" NOT Crimes hence NO Victim. Others will turn out to be innocent upon investigation. A few, (check on the name Stefan Kiszko) will be VICTIMS of The Police! If you think ALL Police ALWAYS behave when not scrutinised then you are Sheeple. Wake Up! Sadly The Police FORCE is misused by Government to oppress the people. Good Policemen need to stand up and be counted by upholding their Oath of Office. The same goes for the judiciary. Do some research on what passes for "LAW" these days. You are charged and tried by the equivelent of McDonalds! (Would you like LIES with that?). There is Victim's Support and the Police happily refer anyone in need, I do agree with your implied sentiment that not enough is done for victims of crime. |
Comment by Ex Seadog ( member ) 25th October 2011
I clicked on the related links to see if I could find any reference to any schemes for visiting the VICTIMS of crime. To check on their welfare, and see how they were coping after the trauma of having their homes broken into, their property stolen or trashed, or worse, having been assaulted or even killed. Needless to say, I couldn't find any. Something about the comment "...our feedback helps to improve the SERVICE, (to the criminals I assume?), provided by the Force"... somehow doesn't sound quite right. |
Due to problems with spam only SalfordOnline members can now leave comments. Becoming a member of SalfordOnline only takes a minute, just hit the red Join Us button at the top right hand side of the page to create your Personal account.
Got a news story? Need help with publicity for an event in Salford? Send it to newsdesk@salfordonline.com or call the SalfordOnline newsdesk on 0161 789 5377.
|
