New technology for volunteers who carry out checks at custody sites was showcased at a regional event hosted in Staffordshire.
Independent Custody Visitors (ICVs) are appointed by the Police and Crime Commissioner to check on the wellbeing of people held in custody by Staffordshire Police. The 50 Staffordshire volunteers make regular, unannounced visits to custody sites throughout the year.
ICVs from across Staffordshire, Warwickshire, the West Midlands and West Mercia came together for the regional seminar at police HQ in Stafford on Saturday, 19 September.
They heard about new tablet technology which is being trialled in Staffordshire to replace paper records that ICVs have to fill in every time they visit a cell. As well as improving accuracy, the forms will provide real-time information to police about ICVs’ findings.
Other topics covered at the event included the welfare of young people and non-English speaking people in custody. Speakers included Katie Kempen, the new Chief Executive of the Independent Custody Visitors Association, and Sarah Forrest, Head of Health and Justice Commissioning, NHS England.
Staffordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis, who welcomed around 50 delegates to the seminar, said: “It was fantastic to see so many Independent Custody Visitors from across the region at this important event in Staffordshire.
“ICVs 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 in promoting public confidence in the system which is essential to making Staffordshire safer.
“The new technology is about giving ICVs the right tools for their job and ensuring that police have quick and easy access to the important information they provide.
“This is part of a major investment in mobile technology in Staffordshire which will also free up an extra 250,000 hours of police time to be out on the beat a year – the equivalent of an extra 100 officers on duty.”
Being an ICV is just one way people can volunteer to shape the future of policing in their area. To find out more visit
