The following motion on the proposed closure of
Torquay Police Custody Centre has been proposed by Councillor Jane
Taylor, seconded by Councillor Horner and supported by the
requisite number of Members within the procedural rules.
Background
I am proposing a notice of motion
regarding the proposed 'pilot' closure of Torquay Custody Centre,
on the grounds of efficiency. As I am sure you will have seen
in the press, Police Officers will have to transport prisoners
arrested in Torbay or Teignbridge, to Exeter or Plymouth. It has
been reported that more than 5,000 detainees are processed each
year. Some sources put it has high as 7000, either way it is a lot
of detainees being transported across the County.
Torquay is one of the busiest custody
centres in the force and is frequently full, having to divert
Officers to other custody centres. There are at least 36
cells and numerous other functions are
carried out in custody suites, including breath and blood tests for
drink and drug drivers. This is a time crucial process with a
serious risk of offenders providing samples under the limit, if not
done as soon as possible. Strip and intimate searches, swabs,
bail returnees, interviews, fingerprinting and DNA are also
conducted there, to name a few.
In a previous life, I served 30 years
with Devon and Cornwall Constabulary, starting in Torquay and
spending most of my career in South Devon, including a stint as a
Custody Sergeant. This is an issue which is very close to my heart
because first and foremost it is about the welfare and safety of
our police officers. There are many obvious consequences of closure
and some less, which I have listed below to assist you in your
letter to the Chief Constable.
In relation to the proposed closure
of Torbay Custody Centre, the Council notes that:
- Officer Safety - Violent
prisoners need to be transported the shortest possible distance for
the safety of Officers and the detainees. Currently violent
prisoners can be restrained in prison vans for long periods of time
when Torquay Custody Centre is full. The detainee will remain
restrained while they are transported to the nearest custody centre
with availability, in some case first going to Exeter and then
being redirected to Plymouth.
- Detainee Safety - It is well
documented that prolonged restraint of detainees can contribute to
deaths in custody, as was the finding of the Coroner in the sad case of Thomas Orchard. On
arrival at a custody centre the waiting times to process detained
persons are regularly longer than two hours and up to 7/8 hours,
the whole of the officer's shift!
- Officer Abstraction -
Officers would be out of area for longer, leaving little or no
response capability. The effectiveness of any policing
response will be seriously impacted. The consequence of this will
be incurred overtime cost, increased time in lieu being accrued and
officers being refused time off and annual leave.
- Response Times - Response
times will increase with fewer officers available locally they
could be dispatched from as far away as Plymouth and Exeter,
leaving other areas exposed. It is impossible to attend
incidents within target times if travelling 40 minutes to get to
the scene.
- Injury Prevention - There is
a strong causal link between response time and the increased
likelihood of injury, particularly in domestic
violence. (HMICFRS The police response to domestic abuse). On
average two women a week are murder by a partner or ex
partner
- Impact on arrest and
investigation - The odds of the arrest of an offender decrease
with every minute of the police response, as well as the reduced
likelihood of detecting crime. Delays may result in rushed and
poor quality investigations. Also,
specialists such as CID and Domestic Abuse officers will have to
travel out of area to process and interview detainees.
In summary, any perceived savings
cannot and must not be to the detriment of public safety and
safeguarding. You cannot put a cost on a life.
The Council resolves to:
- Write to Mr James Vaughan, the Chief
Constable of Devon and Cornwall Police, opposing his proposal to
close Torquay Custody Centre.