PCC highlights the fantastic work of custody volunteers

Cumbria’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Peter McCall, attended a custody inspection in Kendal to show his support for the incredible work carried out by the Independent Custody Visitors (ICVs). 

ICVs are members of the public who make unannounced visits to Police Custody units every week to check on the welfare and well-being of the people who are detained, to ensure that their rights are observed and that they are looked after properly. The ICVs visit in pairs to guarantee that all evaluations are fair and precise.

During the visit, Peter McCall and the ICVs checked the facilities within the custody cells including access to clean water, bedding and clothes, checked the expiry dates on food products, and spoke to the officers on recent detainees and if there had been any recent incidents.

Speaking on the visit, Peter McCall, said: “The health and wellbeing of detainees is very important to us here in Cumbria and we want to ensure that anyone being held within our suites is well taken care of.

“That’s why the ICVs are so vital – we need these volunteers to be completely unbiased towards the Police so that we can receive an accurate representation of our custody suites and make any necessary improvements.

“The ICVs are doing an absolutely fantastic job and I really want to thank all of them for devoting their time to such an important subject.”

Anyone interested in becoming an independent custody visitor can find more information and apply through the Police and Crime Commissioner website https://cumbria-pcc.gov.uk/recruitment/independent-custody-visiting/