Question
Is there a PSNI strategy for Custody Suites, including Dungannon, Omagh and Enniskillen, which explains the rationale for closure for refurbishment, cost of refurbishing and, where appropriate, why re-opening was delayed and/or cancelled?
Answer
The current strategy document for all Police Service Custody Suites is the Custody Estate Reform 2020 strategy which was drafted in 2015 and set out a plan to move from what was then 16 custody suites, to 9 designated suites, with 125 cells and an ability to safely manage approximately 28,000 detained persons per year. This led to a programme of work under the Custody Reform 2020 programme to deliver this and improve the custody estate.
The strategy will achieve a milestone in Spring 2023 with the delivery of a new purpose built suite in Waterside, however it is of some age now and so a review of the strategy was commissioned in November. That review is underway and is due to complete by March, seeking to understand the trends in detained persons since 2015 and map out the areas for development for the next decade or so in custody.
On a more operational level however custody suites are complex and technically challenging buildings. The Home Office produce a detailed building specification for police custody facilities which is amended and reviewed on an on-going basis and, as you would expect the buildings need on-going maintenance.
As a minimum each suite will close for 8 days per year (2 per quarter) for maintenance checks, these are used to identify issues, conduct minor repairs and plan longer maintenance works. Our estate is old and our custody estates vary in age so frequently issues are identified on these maintenance checks which require further work to ensure the safety of detained persons and staff. The work done within custody suites is very specialist contractors, primarily based in England, with an order of priority, to access them. In the past works have been delayed by delayed due to poor standards of completion on the works, availability of specialist contractors and the lead in time for specialist supplies.
For each building work project a separate business case and funding approval process is completed to ensure value for money is identified. Approval is given through a Strategic Custody Group chaired by ACC Justice with representatives from across the Service. Where there is a recommendation to close a suite that decision will rest with the Strategic Management Board. Projects in the past have been cancelled due to the refurbishment not representing value for money or there being a change in the operational requirements, operational demand and a desire to remain efficient.
Mike Nesbitt - UUP