Police Force Criticized Over Custody Conditions and Oversight Deficiencies

A police force has received criticism from regulators concerning the “dirty” state of some cells and a deficiency in “enough oversight” of its custody suites. During a July visit, inspectors reported discovering “badly stained” toilets at Thames Valley Police stations and advised senior leadership to implement enhancements. HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services, along with the Care Quality Commission, also stated that incidents involving the use of force required enhanced scrutiny to guarantee they were consistently “justified, necessary and proportionate.” Thames Valley Police indicated that its quality assurance procedures have “completely changed” subsequent to the inspection. In the 2023/24 period, approximately 34,000 individuals were detained by Thames Valley Police and held in one of its 132 cells located across Berkshire, Oxfordshire, and Buckinghamshire. Although inspectors observed that senior leaders were “actively involved in seeking to improve custody services,” they noted that the force had not achieved sufficient progress in areas previously identified in a 2018 report. Regulators reviewed 20 incidents, finding that in six of them, detainees were not adequately controlled, or handcuffs were incorrectly applied. One instance involved a detainee escaping while awaiting booking into custody, and another detainee adjusted their handcuffs. Additionally, two other detainees attempted self-harm during the booking-in process. The report identified that staff were “stretched at times” due to vacancies, which prevented them from arranging showers or exercise for detainees. Force leaders acknowledged the necessity for improvements, with plans for rebuilding custody suites in Maidenhead and renovating facilities at Loddon Valley. However, a significant issue was discovered in Milton Keynes, where a ceiling mirror was “angled so detention officers [could] fully see a detainee showering while monitoring them for safety reasons.” Regulators deemed this arrangement “wholly inappropriate.” Regulators commented that the state of custody suites “varies.” The report further stated, “Many communal areas are reasonably well maintained, although some cells were dirty and the toilets in the cells at Loddon Valley, Maidenhead and Milton Keynes were badly stained.” Det Ch Supt Emma Garside of TVP stated: “Our quality assurance processes have completely changed since the inspection and I am confident that the issues raised are all being responded to.” She further added: “Since the last inspection, a number of improvements have already been made, such as upgrades to our CCTV and better authorisation for strip searches. We have also improved how we manage those in custody experiencing drug withdrawal or overdose.” Garside concluded: “We remain committed to delivering an effective custody service across the force, being responsive to the needs of our staff and improving outcomes for detained people throughout the different stages of detention.”