Blackstone's Custody Officer's Manual

by Smart, Huw

• ISBN13: 9780199287581
• ISBN10: 0199287589
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-09-28
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

This new, updated 2nd edition of the popular Blackstone's Custody Officer's Manual provides a practical companion for trainee and established custody officers, containing all relevant legislation together with interpretations of the areas of Codes of Practice that are most commonly misunderstood. It offers a comprehensive treatment of all the elements of the custody officer's role, highlighting common problem areas and offering practical guidance. The new edition has been fully updated to include changes as a result of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 such as the civilianisation of the custody officer.

Author Biography

Huw Smart is a serving Police Inspector and qualified Police Trainer for South Wales Police, and is a part-time lecturer at Glamorgan University, South Wales.

Table of Contents

Table of Cases	xv
Tables of Statutes	xvii
Table of PACE Codes of Practice	xxv
Special Features	xxxi
1 The Role of the Custody Officer	1	(23)
1.1 Introduction	2	(1)
1.2 Responsibility and liability	3	(3)
1.3 Designated and non-designated police stations	6	(3)
1.4 Appointment of custody officers	9	(3)
1.5 Designated persons	12	(2)
1.6 Custody officers and impartiality	14	(3)
1.7 Explaining the term 'at variance'	17	(1)
1.8 Summing up	18	(6)
2 Detainees—Initial Action	24	(29)
2.1 Introduction	25	(1)
2.2 Accepting custody of a detainee	26	(7)
2.3 The custody record	33	(2)
2.4 What else must be recorded on the custody record?	35	(7)
2.5 Signing the custody record	42	(2)
2.6 Delay in updating the custody record	44	(1)
2.7 Transferring detainees	45	(3)
2.8 Summing up	48	(5)
3 Risk Assessments and Clinical Attention	53	(106)
3.1 Introduction	54	(1)
3.2 Deaths in police custody	55	(5)
3.3 The 'cell environment'	60	(1)
3.4 Risk assessments	61	(4)
3.5 Suicide and self-harm	65	(6)
3.6 Identifying medical issues	71	(1)
3.7 Clinical treatment	72	(6)
3.8 Medication	78	(3)
3.9 Drugs and alcohol	81	(4)
3.10 Other medical issues	85	(2)
3.11 Protecting custody staff from risk	87	(1)
3.12 Summing up	88	(6)
4 The Detainee's Entitlements	94	(34)
4.1 Introduction	95	(1)
4.2 What the detainee must be told	96	(2)
4.3 Right to have someone notified when arrested	98	(1)
4.4 Delay in notification of arrest (Incommunicado)	99	(2)
4.5 Other entitlements	101	(2)
4.6 Citizens who are foreign nationals	103	(2)
4.7 Access to legal representation	105	(2)
4.8 Delay in access to legal advice	107	(3)
4.9 Interviews without a solicitor being present	110	(5)
4.10 Inferences from silence	115	(1)
4.11 The Terrorism Act 2000	116	(5)
4.12 Summing up	121	(7)
5 Vulnerable People and Appropriate Adults	128	(31)
5.1 Introduction	129	(1)
5.2 Detained persons-special groups	129	(1)
5.3 Appropriate adults-general issues	130	(2)
5.4 Contacting the appropriate adult	132	(1)
5.5 Vulnerable detainees held incommunicado	133	(2)
5.6 Legal advice	135	(1)
5.7 Interviews	136	(2)
5.8 Charging the detainee	138	(2)
5.9 Bail	140	(2)
5.10 Specific matters affecting juvenile detainees	142	(2)
5.11 Specific matters affecting vulnerable adults	144	(2)
5.12 The Mental Health Act 1983	146	(3)
5.13 Other vulnerable detainees	149	(4)
5.14 Summing up	153	(6)
6 Dealing with Property and Searching	159	(106)
6.1 Introduction	160	(1)
6.2 Recording property	161	(3)
6.3 Seizing property	164	(3)
6.4 Searching detainees	167	(1)
6.5 The extent of the search	168	(1)
6.6 'Routine' search	169	(1)
6.7 'Strip search'	169	(3)
6.8 Intimate search	172	(6)
6.9 Intimate searches of vulnerable people	178	(1)
6.10 X-rays and ultrasound scans	179	(4)
6.11 Extended detention of suspected drug offenders	183	(4)
6.12 Summing up	187	(6)
7 Warrants	193	(11)
7.1 Introduction	194	(1)
7.2 Warrants for failing to appear	194	(3)
7.3 Warrants to detain in police custody ('three day lie down')	197	(3)
7.4 Detainees produced from prison ('production orders')	200	(1)
7.5 Summing up	200	(4)
8 Reviews and Relevant Time	204	(32)
8.1 Introduction	205	(1)
8.2 The detention clocks	205	(1)
8.3 Reviews	206	(1)
8.4 What is a review?	207	(1)
8.5 Review officer's checklist	208	(6)
8.6 Who should be reviewed?	214	(5)
8.7 Timing of reviews	219	(3)
8.8 Reviewing detainees who are unfit to be dealt with	222	(1)
8.9 Relevant time discussed in depth	223	(3)
8.10 Answering police bail	226	(2)
8.11 The Terrorism Act 2000	228	(3)
8.12 Summing up	231	(5)
9 Extending Detention	236	(29)
9.1 Introduction	237	(1)
9.2 Superintendent's authority (s. 42)	238	(9)
9.3 Warrants of further detention (s. 43)	247	(5)
9.4 Extension to warrant of further detention (s. 44)	252	(3)
9.5 Review officer's responsibility	255	(1)
9.6 The Terrorism Act 2000	255	(4)
9.7 Summing up	259	(6)
10 Detained Person's Welfare	265	(26)
10.1 Introduction	266	(1)
10.2 Conditions of detention	267	(1)
10.3 Cells and detention rooms	267	(4)
10.4 Welfare issues	271	(3)
10.5 Juveniles and cells	274	(2)
10.6 Documentation	276	(1)
10.7 Care and treatment of detainees	276	(5)
10.8 Independent custody visitors	281	(6)
10.9 Summing up	287	(4)
11 Identification and Samples	291	(49)
11.1 Introduction	292	(1)
11.2 Fingerprints	293	(4)
11.3 Taking fingerprints away from the police station	297	(3)
11.4 Taking footwear impressions	300	(2)
11.5 Examination to establish identity	302	(3)
11.6 Photographing suspects	305	(6)
11.7 Intimate samples	311	(4)
11.8 Non-intimate samples	315	(4)
11.9 Vulnerable people	319	(1)
11.10 Testing for presence of Class A drugs	320	(10)
11.11 The Terrorism Act 2000	330	(2)
11.12 Summing up	332	(8)
12 Dealing with Legal Representatives	340	(22)
12.1 Introduction	341	(1)
12.2 Who may act as a 'solicitor'?	341	(5)
12.3 Understanding the role of solicitors	346	(2)
12.4 Access to the custody record	348	(1)
12.5 Initial disclosure to solicitors	349	(1)
12.6 The solicitor's role in an interview	350	(1)
12.7 Removing a solicitor from an interview	351	(4)
12.8 Objections to charging and bailing suspects	355	(2)
12.9 Summing up	357	(5)
13 Charging Suspects	362	(25)
13.1 Introduction	363	(1)
13.2 Making the decision to charge the suspect	364	(12)
13.3 Charging and cautioning the suspect	376	(1)
13.4 Written statements	377	(2)
13.5 Interviews after charge	379	(1)
13.6 Recording the detainee's responses	380	(2)
13.7 Vulnerable detainees	382	(1)
13.8 Summing up	382	(5)
14 Continued Detention After Charge	387	(26)
14.1 Introduction	388	(1)
14.2 Detention after charge	388	(6)
14.3 Restriction on granting bail	394	(2)
14.4 Other matters affecting refusal of bail	396	(2)
14.5 Attendance at court	398	(3)
14.6 Juvenile detainees	401	(7)
14.7 Summing up	408	(5)
15 Bail	413	(40)
15.1 Introduction	414	(1)
15.2 Granting bail	415	(1)
15.3 Bail to appear at a police station	416	(7)
15.4 Bail to appear in court	423	(1)
15.5 Conditional bail	423	(11)
15.6 Failing to surrender to custody	434	(2)
15.7 Sureties and security	436	(3)
15.8 Specific matters relating to juvenile offenders	439	(3)
15.9 'Street bail'	442	(5)
15.10 Summing up	447	(6)
16 Interviewing	453	(20)
16.1 Introduction	454	(1)
16.2 The role of the custody officer	455	(1)
16.3 Fitness to be interviewed	455	(2)
16.4 Annex G	457	(5)
16.5 Rest periods	462	(5)
16.6 Other matters concerning interviews	467	(2)
16.7 Summing up	469	(4)
APPENDIX 1: Flow Charts
1 Taking an arrested person to a non-designated police station	473	(1)
2 Sufficient evidence to charge (s. 37(7))	474	(1)
3 When medical attention should be arranged	475	(1)
4 Delay in notification of arrest/access to solicitor (Annex B)	476	(1)
5 Authorising an intimate search	477	(1)
6 X-rays and ultrasound scans	478	(1)
7 Superintendent's authority to extend detention (s. 42)	479	(1)
8 Warrant of further detention (s. 43)	480	(1)
9 Extension to warrant of further detention (s. 44)	481	(1)
10 Taking fingerprints without consent (s. 61)	482	(1)
11 Testing for presence of Class A drugs (s. 63B)	483	(1)
12 Transfer of juvenile detainees to local authority care (s. 38(6))	484	(1)
13 Fitness to be interviewed (Code C, para. 11.18(b))	485	(2)
APPENDIX 2: Home Office Circulars
13/2002 Deaths in Police Custody	487	(6)
32/2000 Minimum Standards for Risk Assessing Detainees	493	(10)
28/2002 Learning the Lessons from Adverse Incidents	503	(8)
Index	511