Deputy chair responds to HMICFRS custody report

22 August 2023

West Midlands Police Federation deputy chair Jason Dooley says a collaborative approach with the Force has led to “significant improvements” in custody provision.

Jase said the Federation had been working with the Force to tackle issues “head on” and that work was ongoing to continue to improve custody provision.

His comments follow a report on an inspection visit from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) in May.

The report found progress had been made since HMICFRS’s last inspection in 2017 but there were still areas to improve.

Chief inspector Jason Nunn, the Force’s custody lead, said work was already underway to address many of the points raised in the report.

He said: “West Midlands Police custody staff work incredibly hard in a specialist policing area. This requires them to prioritise and manage multiple risks in an environment where things can change very quickly.

“We started work to improve the service we provide some time ago, supported by all of the custody teams.

“We welcome the observations made by HMICFRS, which complement the ongoing work our hardworking staff were already doing.

“The new operating model has improved the service we provide, additional facilities have reduced travelling time and ensure officers are returned to frontline duties quicker.

“We are working diligently through the recommendations, with the support of our partners, to see how we can improve and enhance the service in the coming months.”

Jase said that chief inspector Nunn had approached the Federation to work with the Force on improving its custody provision.

Jase explained: “He was aware of some of the shortcomings in the custody block.

“He came to me and said would you help us in challenging the problems we have in custody, working alongside the Federation and alongside police regulations.

“He has taken a decent approach. He’s seen the issues and hit them head on and there have been significant improvements since the inspection.”

The inspection report highlighted four areas of concern:

Leadership of custody wasn’t making sure safe and respectful custody services were consistently provided
The Force’s management of detainee risk isn’t good enough. The force isn’t always assuring detainees’ safety and isn’t following authorised professional practice guidance in all areas
There were several areas where the force wasn’t consistently meeting the requirements of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and its codes of practice
The governance and oversight of the use of force in custody wasn’t good enough.

His Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams said: “West Midlands Police has shown some improvement in its custody services since our last inspection.

“Frontline officers have a good understanding of vulnerability and consider this when deciding whether an arrest is appropriate, and custody staff treat detainees with respect and do their best to meet individual needs.

“However, progress has been limited and there are still several areas of concern, including West Midlands Police’s oversight of the use of force in custody and the lack of consistency in the custody services it provides.

“We will be working closely with West Midlands Police and monitoring its progress against our new recommendations.”

Jase said he would challenge the report’s findings on the management of detainee risk.

He said that people who come into West Midlands Police custody suites routinely had the cords removed from clothing and shoes.

“But now they’re saying the authorised professional practice (APP) of the College of Policing states this should be on an individual basis and should be risk-assessed on each one,” he said.

“But you can’t get into someone’s mind. If someone wants to do something they’ll do it.

“I think it could be discussed a bit more and take in the opinions of all of the people who work in that area, but I don’t think it has."