Volunteers who carry out checks at Staffordshire custody sites could be given the latest technology to make their vital work more accurate and efficient.
Independent Custody Visitors are appointed by the Police and Crime Commissioner to check on the wellbeing of people held in custody by Staffordshire Police. The 51 volunteers make regular, unannounced visits to custody sites throughout the year.
Now new tablet technology is set to replace the 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 the ICVs’ findings.
The work is part of a revolution in mobile technology led by the PCC which is also seeing police officers across Staffordshire get new smartphone and tablet devices to help free up an extra 250,000 hours of police time on the beat a year.
It follows an IT upgrade in 2013 which gave ICVs direct access to electronic custody records at the force’s three custody sites in Burton, South Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
Deputy PCC Sue Arnold was introduced to the latest technology with ICVs last night, Thursday 9 July.
She said: “The role of Independent Custody Volunteers is crucial to people in custody and in promoting public confidence in policing across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
“This is about giving ICVs the right tools to do their job, making it easier for them to enter information in a uniform way and ensuring that police have quick and easy access to the important information ICVs provide.
“Being an ICV is just one way people can volunteer to shape the future of policing in their area. To find out more visit www.staffordshire-pcc.gov.uk/volunteer/ “
The new technology will be trialled in each custody area before a final decision is made.
