Inspectors warned not to call on PACE reviews
INSPECTORS should only conduct PACE reviews by telephone in “extreme circumstances”, the chairman of South Yorkshire Police Federation has warned.
Under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE), an inspector has to assess whether a detainee should remain in custody after a six-hour period. Neil Bowles, federation chairman, (pictured) said telephone reviews should only be used: “When you really cannot attend in person.”
But concern has been mounting about the growing use of telephone reviews and the increase in the number of custody centres that some PACE review officers are required to cover.
Neil Bowles has said that in some forces there might only be one or two inspectors covering a night shift. If two PACE reviews need to be done at opposite ends of the force area, inspectors might be tempted to do one by telephone in order to avoid spending a long time travelling.
But Mr Bowles warned: “The message to all inspectors and acting inspectors is only do telephone reviews in extreme circumstances when you really cannot attend in person.
“Even if it means arriving late, attend in person and speak to the person detained.”
The law does permit officers to conduct the reviews by telephone but Home Office guidance suggests duty officers with PACE responsibilities should conduct the reviews in person, especially for detainees deemed to be ‘at risk’.
The position of the national Police Federation’s Inspectors’ Central Committee is that all reviews should be conducted in person. However, it has stated that if members must conduct a review by telephone it is advisable for the reviewing officer to record their rationale, as “should there be an incident in custody, it’s likely that the review will be of significant interest”.
The Inspectors’ Central Committee also advises inspectors to notify the custody centre’s senior management in writing, and retain a copy of any such communication, if they are regularly unable to complete reviews in person and on time, primarily due to operational demands, numbers of persons detained or the geographical locations of centres.