Kent Police's custody services have improved, but further changes are needed

9 Dec 2021 11:35 AM

Kent Police has improved its custody services, but further changes are needed to ensure the safety of detainees, a new report has found.

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Report on an unannounced inspection visit to police custody suites in Kent

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) found that Kent Police generally cares well for detainees taken to custody.

The inspectorates also found that the force has a good focus on diverting children and vulnerable people away from custody when detention might not be appropriate, and that it has measures to identify and address any disproportionality in how detainees are treated.

However, HMICFRS and HMIP said they had two main causes of concern about Kent Police’s custody services, which were:

The inspectorates have therefore made recommendations for Kent Police to address these concerns, while also highlighting an additional 22 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. Kent Police has made good progress against the recommendations we made in 2014.

“Custody staff treat detainees respectfully, are calm and patient when talking with them, and respond well to their diverse needs. During our inspection, detainees spoke very positively about their care in custody.

“However, we still have concerns in some areas, such as ensuring detainees are kept safe at all times and how effectively custody services are managed. We will be working closely with Kent Police and monitoring its progress against our recommendations.”

Get the report

Report on an unannounced inspection visit to police custody suites in Kent

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