INSPECTORS should only conduct PACE reviews by telephone in \u201cextreme circumstances\u201d, the chairman of South Yorkshire Police Federation has warned.<\/p>\n
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.\u00a0Neil Bowles, federation chairman, (pictured) said telephone reviews should only be used: “When you really cannot attend in person.”<\/p>\n
But concern has been mounting about the\u00a0growing use of telephone reviews and the increase in the number of custody centres that some PACE review officers are required to cover.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
But Mr Bowles warned: \u201cThe message to all inspectors and acting inspectors is only do telephone reviews in extreme circumstances when you really cannot attend in person.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven if it means arriving late, attend in person and speak to the person detained.\u201d<\/p>\n
The law does permit officers to conduct the reviews by telephone but Home\u00a0Office guidance suggests duty officers with PACE responsibilities should conduct the reviews in person, especially for detainees deemed to be ‘at risk’.<\/p>\n
The position of the national Police Federation\u2019s Inspectors\u2019 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\u2019s likely that the review will be of significant interest”.<\/p>\n
The Inspectors\u2019 Central Committee\u00a0also advises inspectors to notify the\u00a0custody centre’s\u00a0senior 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.<\/p>\n
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