The Northern Ireland Policing Board today published the annual Independent Custody Visiting Report.
An official statistics publication, covering 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024, this statistical report details the number of visits made to custody suites in Northern Ireland by independent Custody Visitors (ICVs). ICVs cover both custody suites and serious crime suites.
The report includes matters raised by detainees or custody visitors regarding facilities, conditions of detention, treatment and welfare of detainees in both custody suites and serious crime suites.
ICVs are volunteers from across the community and are independent of the police and criminal justice system.
SUMMARY
- There were 23 Custody Visitors at 31 March 2024.
- They made 470 visits to custody suites in Northern Ireland.
- 1,048 detainees were selected for interview and 480 were visited.
- 15 detainees refused to be interviewed.
- The most frequent reason for detainees not being visited was that they were asleep (58.0%) or being interviewed (10.7%).
- The most frequent welfare matter, which was raised on 26 occasions, was in relation to medical attention where detainees are waiting to see a healthcare professional or for medication to arrive. Custody visitors check such requests have been made to custody staff but do not wait for medication or healthcare professionals to arrive.
- There were 6 allegations of concern expressed to ICVs during the year. These allegations included 2 instances were detainees alleged assault or sexual assault.
- Issues of conditions of detentions raised by detainees or by ICVs were mainly in relation general maintenance and faulty equipment (25 out of 54 instances). Safety/security hazards were reported 13 times during the year and included an open ballpoint pen lying in a medical room and a problem with the operation of the back door to the custody suite. The remaining concerns raised, related to cleanliness, heating/lighting, and the condition of medical rooms/health equipment.
- 918 custody records were checked during the year.
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For any further information please contact the Policing Board’s Communications Office on 028 9040 8500.
Notes for Editors:
1. Independent Custody Visitors (ICVs) make unannounced visits to police custody suites where they inspect and report on the rights, health and wellbeing and conditions of people being detained in custody, either by conversing with them and/or checking custody records.
ICVs are divided into three Custody Visiting Teams and cover custody suites allocated to them based on the team’s geographical remit. However, there are occasions when a team member/s may visit detainees in a custody suite outside of their regular team-area. The three teams and custody suites are as follows;
North-West: Coleraine, Strabane, Strand Road and Waterside
South-East: Antrim, which is also used as a contingency Serious Crime Suite (SCS), Banbridge, Bangor, Musgrave and Musgrave SCS
Tyrone-Fermanagh: Dungannon, Lurgan and Omagh
ICVs carry out visits to check on the rights and entitlements of the detainee, their health and wellbeing and the conditions and facilities of detention.
A copy of the report can be found here:
https://www.nipolicingboard.org.uk/independent-custody-visiting-reports
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