Custody Capacity Service Improvement Review – progress against the improvement plan

Report: 5
Date: 17 May 2007
By: AC Territorial Policing on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

This report provides an update of the work within the Emerald Custody Directorate arising from the recommendations of the Service Improvement Review concerning Custody Capacity (SIRCC). These recommendations have now been addressed and are complete or are established work in progress.

A. Recommendation

That

1. members sign off the requirement to report against the recommendations in the SIRCC; and
2. agree to future reports being incorporated within the Criminal Justice update report.

B. Supporting information

Key issues

1. Work continues to progress towards submission of planning applications for Borough Based Custody Centres (BBCC) at Merton, Waltham Forest, Haringey, and Hillingdon. The next priority sites to be considered and progressed have been identified as Barking and Dagenham, Croydon and Lambeth (subject to Investment Board and MPA approval). The proposed brigaded site for Kingston and Richmond Boroughs awaits identification of a suitable location / site. It is anticipated that planning applications in respect of Haringey (at Wood Green) and Merton (at Wimbledon) will be submitted in May 2007.

2. The Borough Statement of Community Involvement is crucial for the planning process and also for Property Services discussions with local planning authorities, which are already underway. Failure to complete the community consultation could delay the planning process. The communications toolkit for guidance has been circulated to Boroughs and tailored for local needs. A communication strategy has been developed and a Communications Sub-Group of the BBCC Project Board has been established. Regular meetings are held.

3. The Policy and Standards Unit within the Custody Directorate continues to promote the recording, reporting and sharing of learning associated with the risk assessment of detainees. A new e-mail address has been created to facilitate the reporting of successful interventions that have prevented self-harm or other adverse incidents in custody. The importance of organisational learning has been promulgated through the latest edition of the Successful Interventions Newsletter and at four DPS-led seminars held in April / May at New Scotland Yard that focussed on the prevention of deaths in custody.

4. A full evaluation on the redesigned Form 57M (risk assessment form) is due to be undertaken. In addition, two pieces of independent research into predicting intention to self-harm / vulnerable persons are now being conducted by Dr Jason Payne – James (FME) and Ian Evans (Gwent PCT).

5. A computer-based training package for gaolers has been under trial across five MPS BOCUs (Ealing, Hackney, Harrow, Waltham Forest and Kensington & Chelsea) and at Belgravia Police Station in the City of Westminster. It is aimed at both police constables and Designated Detention Officers (DDO). To date 620 staff have completed the training. The BOCUs involved have agreed that from 30 April only staff who have successfully completed the training package will be able to perform gaoler duties. A full evaluation will then be conducted.

6. The Home Office are seeking a review of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) 1984 with a view to scoping further rationalisation of police powers. A detailed report has been submitted outlining the changes to PACE that the Custody Directorate believes are worthy of consideration.

7. A Criminal Justice Strategic Committee has been arranged for 18th May 2007 to discuss and sign off the revised Custody Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). The latest custody policy monitoring report (the first of 2007) in line with our duty under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act, 2000 is due to be published shortly.

8. The National LiveScan Implementation Team has recently completed its post-installation review of LiveScan use for the Home Office and the team is meeting with Commander Simmons (MPS ACPO lead on LiveScan) to discuss its findings.

Custody estate update

9. The current custody estate comprises of 76 suites of which 22 are over-flow Custody suites totalling 165 cells that are used for various operational reasons namely Bail to Return, Immigration, Football Charging Centres and more recently for use by Operation Safeguard prisoners. There are at present 54 operational MPS Custody suites working on a 24-hour basis with a cell capacity of 809 cells. Carey Way, which is now complete, will provide another five cells to be used as an overflow / SCD dedicated facility.

Operation Safeguard

10. Currently, the MPS is providing approximately 50 cells per day for use in relation to Operation Safeguard. The cell spaces are made available from custody suites that are ordinarily only used for pre-planned events such as football charge centres and by utilising staff who are paid overtime rather than abstracting staff from other duties. In this way, normal business is not affected. Between six and eight overflow sites are utilised, which are geographically spread across the MPS. Full cost recovery from NOMS in line with the Safeguard Agreement is being made. Whilst no charge is made for rent/use of custody facilities, full expenditure recovery in terms of overtime payments and costs associated with detainee care is included.

11. Priority for the use of overflow sites remains with MPS operational requirements. The prison service expects extra beds to come on line in July 2007 and work is in progress around this timeframe. TP Emerald awaits an update from NOMS in this regard.

Premier prisons service update (SERCO)

12. Premier Prison Service re-branded to SERCO in April 2006.

13. The Custody Directorate continues to maintain working relationships with the Prison Escort & Custody Services (PECS) (the Home Office department responsible for the contract with SERCO) and also attend the London PECS Forum. Other members of the forum include the Prison Service, HM Court Service, LCJB and SERCO. This forum addresses issues relating to SERCO’s performance across the Criminal Justice System. SERCO have faced additional operational demands whilst Operation Safeguard has been on-going. However, their performance has remained consistent during this time.

14. Meetings are held with SERCO Directors on a quarterly basis. Agenda items covered include performance monitoring, information sharing and joint working practices. SERCO have made an undertaking that their Area Managers will have a good working relationship with Custody Managers at all boroughs, in order to identify and resolve local problems.

National “Safer Detention” guidance implementation

15. An assessment (completed October 2006) identified eight out of 71 compliance areas that pose a significant potential risk to the MPS. It was agreed to set-up a co-ordination team comprising one sergeant and four police staff to manage the work. The sergeant is in post and an action plan is being developed. The selection of remaining staff is currently underway. However, work continues in raising awareness and positively influencing those parts of the business where the development of current practices is identified.

Service Review and Met Modernisation Programme implications for Custody Estate

16. Investment Board has approved two pilot sites for DDO inputters. The Project Board is well established and is responsible for putting a delivery mechanism in place for three of the four elements of the project: DDO inputters; forensics, and custody medical provision. See also paragraphs 18-20. The fourth element, Evidential Review Officer, has been piloted and is now being rolled out across the Metropolitan Police Service by the Investigation and Detection strand of TP Emerald.

17. The introduction of Integrated Prosecution Teams in support of the custody processes will enable the MPS and CPS to respond more effectively to criminal justice targets relating to Offences Brought to Justice and Effective Trials, criminal justice initiatives such as Simple, Speedy Summary Justice (CJSSS), as well as realising major business efficiencies within the two organisations. (See also the PPRC Criminal Justice report). Likewise, the proposal for virtual courts will also contribute towards improving the delivery of efficient working practices.

Financial / resource implications of current work

18. BBCC is anticipated to be a self funded project within the overall MPS estate management strategy. The sale of existing unsuitable sites is intended to fund the new building work, not only in relation to custody provision but also front office re-development, patrol site building and safer neighbourhood offices. These are being combined where possible and the whole process is being overseen and coordinated through TP Change Coordination Board.

19. TP Command Team is due to review resourcing in May. It has been highlighted that Beacon, BBCC and Short Term Holding Facility (STHF) would benefit from additional project team resources.

Beacon update

20. The first DDO inputter pilot has commenced at Forest Gate police station (Newham Borough) with an extremely positive response. The DDOs taking part in the pilot are a mixture of new recruits and transferees from other boroughs, having undertaken a newly designed custody training course and full NSPIS training. Waltham Forest has been identified as the second pilot site, which is due to commence in October 2007.

21. The Forensics Directorate have submitted their proposal for the project and work is underway to complete the manual of guidance and SOP. The proposal aims to facilitate early forensic recovery from detainees and advise on steps to ensure forensic opportunities are not missed. The pilot is proposed to commence in September 2007 on Barnet Borough.

22. Custody medical provision is the subject of a proposal to TP Command Team and a decision about the preferred option is expected imminently. The options considered have been generated from a custody medical needs workshop involving external expert advice as well as input from representatives of our current FMEs. The options under consideration include a FME service, a nurse or paramedic-based service and a combined doctor/ nurse provision mirroring the current NHS model.

Short Term Holding Facility update

23. The use of Short Term Holding Facilities within a retail establishment in central London continues to be pursued. A large department store has offered redundant space for a custody suite, containing all the requirements under 35 PACE for designation as a police station but with holding facilities rather than cells.

24. A business case has been prepared and funding streams are in the process of being identified. It is anticipated that the build time will be of approximately 14 weeks duration and it is planned to have the facility (subject to funding) on line for mid- November 2007.

Abbreviations

ACPO

Association Chief Police Officers

BBCC

Borough Based Custody Centres

BOCU

Borough Operational Command Unit

CPS

Crown Prosecution Service

DDO

Designated Detention Officer

DPS

Directorate Professional Standards

FME

Forensic Medical Examiner

LCJB

London Criminal Justice Board

MPS

Metropolitan Police Service

NHS

National Health Service

PCT

Primary Care Trust

PECS

Prison Escort Custody Service

SCD

Specialist Crime Directorate

SIRCC

Service Improvement Review into Custody Capacity

SOP

Standard Operating Procedure

TP

Territorial Policing

C. Race and equality impact

1. The introduction of the Custody Directorate enables the MPS to coordinate, develop and introduce a fair and equal process across all custody procedures and services. The establishment of the Independent Advisory Group and the London Custody Forum enables external partners to contribute towards custody policies and practices.

2. The Directorate continues an internal programme/management system that ensures that the diversity implications around each new piece of work are considered at an early stage and these are both documented and acted on.

3. All work that is undertaken is considered in relation to the Disability Discrimination Act and its impact. Members from the Custody Directorate attend the Disability Programme Board to ensure compliance with the Act.

D. Financial implications

1. The average BBCC cost is approximately £7.5 million depending on size and the cost of installing STHF at a central London store is £805,000. Staffing of the STHF has been agreed to be provided by Marylebone and West-End Central officers who will be using the facility and therefore the revenue costs will be met from within existing budgets.

2. Additional interest has been expressed from developers of shopping centres and existing retail chains in housing additional STHF. Should the pilot prove successful future facilities will be subject to IB and MPA approval of funding.

3. The various aspects of the Beacon Project are being funded from within existing TP resources.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Inspector Sharon Heyes, MPS.

For more information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

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