Balvir Bhamra with Lord Willy Bach
Leicestershire Police and Crime Commissioner Lord Willy Bach has unveiled a new mobile App improving the efficiency of police custody inspections.
The PCC joined Independent Custody Visitors (ICVs) at Leicestershire Police’s Euston Street custody suite to celebrate the roll-out of the new digital recording system which will enable volunteers to file custody welfare reports online.
ICVs are volunteers recruited by the PCC to carry out unannounced visits to Leicestershire Police’s three main custody facilities at Beaumont Leas, Euston Street and Keyham Lane to check on the rights, entitlements, well-being and dignity of detainees held in police custody.
Their reports, which traditionally have been recorded on paper, enable the PCC to make improvements and recommendations to ensure custody provision complies with national requirements.
The new ICV App will enable volunteers to log their findings instantaneously on an iPad. This information will be immediately accessible to managers, eliminating the need for manual spreadsheet compilation and ensuring the swift resolution of issues and problems.
Leicestershire is a lead force in national improvements to the custody visiting scheme and the PCC is a member of the Independent Custody Visiting Association’s Board of Directors.
He said: “Leicestershire’s ICV scheme continues to go from strength to strength and this is another fantastic milestone for the team.
“The switch to a digital recording system will help us raise and solve problems in a much tighter timeframe, which will ultimately improve standards and protect the integrity of our custody services.
“I am proud of the contribution made by all our ICVs and hope this new reporting platform will make the role simpler and more effective in the future.”
The App will include a report generating system enabling administrators to quickly pull together multiple reports.
ICVs will have their own user log in and will be able to record feedback the same day as their visit, flagging areas of concern more swiftly.
Meanwhile, the automated system ensures reports are sent directly to the appropriate department without any additional work or postage.
Last month, Leicestershire’s ICV scheme earned a coveted gold in the Quality Assurance awards, recognising excellence in volunteer management and visiting standards.
The award, issued on behalf of the Independent Custody Visiting Association (ICVA), was presented at a glittering ceremony at the House of Lords in London.
The scheme is also accredited with the Investing in Volunteers award by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO).
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Posted on Monday 1st July 2019