Staffordshire’s Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Arnold joined Independent Custody Visitors (ICVs) from across the region at a special event in Birmingham.
Around 50 people attended the annual Regional Independent Custody Visitors Seminar at Lloyd House on Saturday, 21 September.
Guest speakers at the learning seminar included Commissioner Derrick Campbell from the Independent Police Complaints Commission and Crown Prosecution Service duty prosector Celia Thorpe.
Mrs Arnold said: “Independent Custody Visitors play a vital role in inspections of police custody sites and the people detained in them. They make a difference – not just to people in custody, but also in promoting public confidence in the system which is essential to making Staffordshire safer.
“In Staffordshire, we’ve made their work easier by giving them direct access to electronic custody records – which has also freed up hundreds of hours of police time.
“Several important initiatives – such as an alcohol and drug diversion scheme to offer treatment to offenders and help prevent re-offending – were discussed at the seminar.”
