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Home Office

Answer

Mr. Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on plans to civilianise the post of custody sergeant; and what consultation his Department has conducted with interested parties. [206684] Ms Blears: [holding answer 21 December 2004]: Clauses 111 and 112 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill, currently before Parliament, proposes that chief officers of police may appoint a staff custody officer in the role of custody officer as set out in Part IV of the Police and Criminal evidence Act 1984. The proposal to appoint staff custody officers was contained in the public consultation document "Policing: Modernising Police Powers to Meet Community Needs" published on 12 August 2004. Some 141 responses were received to the exercise, with a number of respondents commenting on the specific area of designated police staff carrying out the function of custody officer. There was strong support for the measure as well as concern about the ability of non- police officers being used in this post. We intend to build on the successes already identified in the use of police staff through the workforce modernisation programme. Meetings have taken place with stakeholders at both ministerial and officials' level. Further meetings are planned early in the new year to discuss this and other areas of police powers contained in the Bill. We will use these meetings to consider how best to introduce the role of staff custody officer.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

206684; 429 c589-90W;429 c587-8W

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Civilians Police Police custody

Legislation

Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill 2004/05

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk