The Kingston Police Cells Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2013120001928

Q: When people are arrested from other areas than Kingston and attend your custody unit, what arrangements, if any, are in place to ensure that they can get home? A: The Custody Officer will always conduct a Pre !elease !is" Assessment #P!!A$ prior to a detainee lea%ing the station& An appropriate and meaningful P!!A will 'e completed for e%ery detainee, 'ut when ris"s are already "nown, it is essential that it ta"es into account all "nown information a'out the detainee& When completing the P!!A, the initial and any su'se(uent ris" assessment and the custody record will 'e re%iewed& This will highlight any issues and any incidents that may ha%e occurred during the detainee)s detention& The correct completion of a P!!A may identify ris" and %ulnera'ility for detainees, and allow for the implementation of control measures to assist the detainee and attempt to pre%ent them from coming to harm once they ha%e left police detention& There are some circumstances where consideration will 'e gi%en to offering a detainee a lift home 'y police transport e&g& %ulnera'le person, inclement weather, a drin" dri%e detainee who has pro%ided a sample which is under the limit, a person whose detention has not 'een authorised& The circumstances are different for each detainee and arrangements are considered on a case 'y case 'asis& Q: *o you pro%ide a ser%ice where they are dri%en 'ac" to where they were arrested? A: +ee response a'o%e Q: *o you ensure that pu'lic transport is a%aila'le and that they ha%e sufficient means to pay for it? A: ,o, 'ut this is considered as part of the P!!A& A rail tra%el warrant may 'e issued in appropriate circumstances& As part of the P!!A, Custody Officers may consider such things as a%aila'ility of pu'lic transport and pro%ide local information- a%aila'le funds at the detainee)s disposal- allow phone calls to a friend or family mem'er to arrange collection, etc& Q: Are the custody sergeants made familiar with the PAC. Act Code / re(uirements regarding the necessity for arrest and its implications?) A: 0es& )The re%ised Code / of the Police and Criminal .%idence Act #PAC.$ Codes of Practice 'ecame effecti%e on 12th ,o%em'er 2312, and reinforces the need for arresting officers to ensure that all arrests meet 'oth the elements set out in the code- a person)s in%ol%ement or suspected in%ol%ement etc in the commission of a criminal offence A,* reasona'le grounds for 'elie%ing that the person)s arrest is necessary& 4ollowing an arrest, the custody officer will determine whether there are grounds for detention&

Although in essence the pro%isions of the Code ha%e not changed, the supporting notes for guidance ha%e 'een enhanced to clarify when arrests may or may not 'e considered necessary and pro%ide, amongst other things, clarification regarding the arrest of persons who ha%e attended the police station %oluntarily for inter%iew #,ote 2/$& A compulsory training pac"age regarding Code / is now a%aila'le on the 5P+ 5anaged 6earning .n%ironment which all officers are e7pected to complete& Q: *o the custody sergeants re(uire the arresting officers to e7plain to them why an arrest was necessary and remind the arresting officers not to forget to note the PAC. Act re(uirement to write reasons for necessity in their note'oo"s? A: Custody officers are not re(uired to in(uire into the legality of the arrest, they are entitled to assume that it was lawful& The custody officer does not need to su'8ect the arresting officer to any detailed (uestioning of his or her reasons for deciding that the arrest was necessary& The custody officer should decide whether they ha%e sufficient e%idence to charge the person with the offence for which they were arrested and may detain them to secure or preser%e e%idence, or to o'tain such e%idence 'y (uestioning Q: 9s there any rule in place to ensure that, if ordered 'y the custody sergeant, a doctor must attend within a specified time limit and, if so, what is the time limit that should 'e adhered to? A: There is no specified time limit in which a :ealth Care Professional #:CP$ must attend& Times of attendance will %ary according to demand le%els& Once contacted, an :CP will generally gi%e an estimated time of arri%al& 9f the :CP is unli"ely to 'e a'le to attend within a reasona'le timeframe, there are %arious options for custody staff to consider in order resol%ing the issue& 9f a detainee is deemed 'y the custody staff to 'e in urgent need of medical attention an am'ulance will 'e called or he;she will 'e ta"en to A<.& 9f a detainee is still unfit, due to into7ication, to 'e dealt with four hours after his ; her detention, a :ealthcare Professional must 'e called& Q: 9s it mandatory to ensure that the custody sergeant records, either 'y %ideo or audio recordings, con%ersations 'etween himself and the arrested person or is this entirely down to his discretion? A: The custody officer has no discretion as to whether or not a con%ersation is recorded where CCT= and audio recording e(uipment has 'een installed& All 5P+ custody facilities ha%e CCT= and audio co%erage& Only the :CP room is e7cluded from CCT= and audio co%erage to ensure pri%acy and confidentiality during medical e7aminations&

Q: +hould those recording 'e a%aila'le to the arrested person from the Pu'lic Access Office if he or she pays the appropriate fee? A: +imply paying an appropriate fee would not entitle an arrested person to a copy of the recording& A person can as" for his;her personal information %ia the *ata Protection Act and any re(uest would 'e considered on a case 'y case 'asis& Q: 9s there any re(uirement that telephone calls made to and from the police station custody unit are logged? A: There are a num'er of circumstances where incoming and outgoing telephone calls are logged on the custody record e&g& calls in%ol%ing a solicitor, an :CP, an appropriate adult, a nominated person #to let them "now of the detainee)s presence at the station 'ut this will 'e done with the e7press permission of the detainee$, interpreter, foreign em'assy& Lara Humphrey in!ston "pon #hames $orou!h % &upport &taff