Police custody facilities – joint inspections
Criminal justice joint inspections
Youth Offending Teams – joint inspections
Police custody facilities – joint inspections
This page sets out information about HMICFRS’s joint inspections of police custody, including:
- why we inspect police custody facilities;
- our rolling programme;
- who we work with;
- published reports; and
- related documents.
Why we inspect police custody facilities
These inspections contribute to the UK’s response to the UN Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, or the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT).
To comply with obligations under OPCAT, all places of detention must be inspected regularly to monitor treatment of, and conditions for, detainees. This approach is known as the National Preventative Mechanism (NPM).
Who we work with
HMICFRS leads the programme of police custody inspections, as part of the NPM, to assess outcomes for detainees. We work with the Care Quality Commission, which inspects health outcomes for detainees.
The programme started in 2008 and, until July 2022, police custody inspections were carried out by HMICFRS and HM Inspectorate of Prisons.
Rolling programme of custody inspections
Police custody inspections are carried out on a rolling programme across all 43 Home Office-funded police forces in England and Wales. The programme ensures that each force is inspected regularly inspected.
We also inspect Border Force and British Transport Police custody facilities, and in 2019 our first inspection of Terrorism Act (TACT) facilities took place. For further information, see the TACT custody facilities page.
Police custody inspections assess how well each police force is fulfilling its responsibilities for the safe detention and respectful treatment of those detained in police custody. They focus on outcomes for detainees.
Assessment criteria
Custody suites are assessed against criteria set out in our Expectations for Police Custody. These criteria have been developed through consultation with the police service and other relevant stakeholders. They are frequently reviewed to achieve best custodial practice and drive improvement.
The expectations set out five principal inspection areas:
- leadership, accountability and partnerships;
- pre-custody: first point of contact;
- in the custody suite: booking in, individual needs and legal rights;
- in the custody cell: safeguarding and health care; and
- release and transfer from custody.
The inspections also assess compliance with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 Codes of Practice and the College of Policing’s ‘Authorised Professional Practice – Detention and Custody’.
Inspections of specialist custody suites assessed against criteria set out in the Expectations for Border Force Custody Suites and Expectations for TACT Custody Suites.
The welfare of vulnerable people in police custody
In 2015, HMICFRS published its thematic report on the welfare of vulnerable people in police custody. This inspection was commissioned by the Home Secretary.
The inspection focused on three groups where there was “a pronounced concern” about their treatment in police custody:
- those with mental health conditions;
- those from ethnic minority backgrounds; and
- children.
The findings from this inspection continue to inform our approach to police custody inspections, reflecting our focus on vulnerable and child detainees.
Force reports
For inspection reports and their related press releases, please choose from the list below.
Report on an inspection visit to police custody suites in Thames Valley Police – November 2024
Report on an inspection visit to police custody suites in Essex Police – October 2024
Report on an inspection visit to police custody suites in Cambridgeshire Constabulary – August 2024
Report on an inspection visit to police custody suites in Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary – July 2024
Report on an inspection visit to police custody suites in Avon and Somerset Police – May 2024
Report on an inspection visit to police custody suites in West Yorkshire Police – February 2024
Report on an inspection visit to police custody suites in South Wales Police – October 2023
Adroddiad ar ymweliad arolygu ag ystafelloedd dalfa’r heddlu yn Heddlu De Cymru – October 2023
Report on an inspection visit to police custody suites in West Midlands – August 2023
Report on an inspection visit to police custody suites in Lancashire – July 2023
Report on an inspection visit to police custody suites in Dorset – May 2023
Report on an inspection visit to police custody suites in Cumbria – March 2023
Report on an inspection visit to police custody suites in Wiltshire – February 2023
Report on an inspection visit to police custody suites in Greater Manchester – February 2023
Report on an inspection visit to police custody suites in North Yorkshire – September 2022
Report on an inspection visit to police custody suites in Lincolnshire – August 2022
Report on an unannounced inspection visit to police custody suites in Hertfordshire – June 2022
Report on an unannounced inspection visit to police custody suites in Gloucestershire – June 2022
Adroddiad ar ymweliad arolygu dirybudd â dalfeydd yr heddlu yn Gogledd Cymru – April 2022
Report on an unannounced inspection visit to police custody suites in West Mercia – April 2022
Report on an unannounced inspection visit to police custody suites in Warwickshire – February 2022
Leicestershire Police – Joint inspection of police custody – May 2020
British Transport Police – Joint inspection of police custody – April 2020
Sussex Police – Joint inspection of police custody – February 2020
Bedfordshire Police – Joint inspection of police custody – February 2020
Northumbria Police – Joint inspection of police custody January 2020
Durham Constabulary – Joint inspection of police custody – October 2019
South Yorkshire Police – Joint inspection of police custody – October 2019
Devon and Cornwall Police – Joint inspection of police custody – September 2019
City of London Police – Joint inspection of police custody – March 2019
Nottinghamshire Police – Joint inspection of police custody – March 2019
Cheshire Constabulary– Joint inspection of police custody – February 2019
Metropolitan Police Service – Joint inspection of police custody – January 2019
Merseyside – Joint inspection of police custody – November 2018
Norfolk and Suffolk – Joint inspection of police custody – October 2018
Derbyshire – Joint inspection of police custody – August 2018
Thames Valley – Joint inspection of police custody – June 2018
Northamptonshire – Joint inspection of police custody – June 2018
Humberside – Joint inspection of police custody – March 2018
Dyfed-Powys – Joint inspection of police custody – March 2018
Cambridgeshire – Joint inspection of police custody – February 2018
Gwent – Joint inspection of police custody – December 2017
North London – Joint inspection of police custody – November 2017
Border Force – Joint inspection of police custody – September 2017
Essex – Joint inspection of police custody – August 2017
Staffordshire – Joint inspection of police custody – August 2017
West Midlands – Joint inspection of police custody – June 2017
Avon and Somerset – Joint inspection of police custody – December 2016
West Yorkshire – Joint inspection of police custody – December 2016
South Wales– Joint inspection of police custody – November 2016
Lancashire – Joint inspection of police custody – November 2016
Dorset – Joint inspection of police custody – September 2016
Greater Manchester – Joint inspection of police custody – July 2016
Met Detention South – Joint inspection of police custody – April 2016
North Yorkshire – Joint inspection of police custody – March 2016
Lincolnshire – Joint inspection of police custody – February 2016
Hertfordshire – Joint inspection of police custody – November 2015
Cumbria – Joint inspection of police custody – September 2015
Gloucestershire – Joint inspection of police custody – August 2015
Border Force – Joint inspection of police custody – July 2015
Surrey – Joint inspection of police custody – June 2015
Cleveland – Joint inspection of police custody suites – May 2015
Warwickshire and West Mercia – Joint inspection of police custody – May 2015
North Wales – Joint inspection of police custody suites – May 2015
Leicestershire – Joint inspection of police custody suites – March 2015
Kent – Joint inspection of police custody suites – February 2015
Durham – Joint inspection of police custody suites – December 2014
South Yorkshire – Joint inspection of police custody suites – December 2014
Bedfordshire – Joint inspection of police custody suites – October 2014
British Transport Police – Joint inspection of police custody suites – September 2014
Northumbria – Joint inspection of police custody suites – July 2014
Islington – Joint inspection of police custody suites – May 2014
Southwark – Joint inspection of police custody suites – May 2014
Newham – Joint inspection of police custody suites – April 2014
Thames Valley – Joint inspection of police custody suites – February 2014
Camden – Joint inspection of police custody suites – February 2014
Barnet – Joint inspection of police custody suites – February 2014
Devon and Cornwall – Joint inspection of police custody suites – January 2014
Barking and Dagenham – Joint inspection of police custody suites – January 2014
Havering – Joint inspection of police custody suites – January 2014
Dyfed-Powys – Joint inspection of police custody suites – October 2013
Derbyshire – Joint inspection of police custody suites – September 2013
Cheshire – Joint inspection of police custody suites – August 2013
Nottinghamshire – Joint inspection of police custody suites – August 2013
Westminster – Joint inspection of police custody suites – August 2013
Essex – Joint inspection of police custody suites – June 2013
Hampshire – Joint inspection of police custody suites – May 2013
Border Force customs – Joint inspection of police custody suites – May 2013
Haringey – Joint inspection of police custody suites – April 2013
Merseyside – Joint inspection of police custody suites – March 2013
Gwent – Joint inspection of police custody suites – January 2013
Avon and Somerset – Joint inspection of police custody suites – December 2012
City of London – Joint inspection of police custody suites – November 2012
Staffordshire – Joint inspection of police custody suites – September 2012
Lewisham – Joint inspection of police custody suites – September 2012
Bromley – Joint inspection of police custody suites – September 2012
Greater Manchester – Joint inspection of police custody suites – September 2012
Norfolk and Suffolk – Joint inspection of police custody suites – August 2012
Waltham Forest – Joint inspection of police custody suites – May 2012
Redbridge – Joint inspection of police custody suites – May 2012
Humberside – Joint inspection of police custody suites – May 2012
South Wales – Joint inspection of police custody suites – March 2012
Tower Hamlets – Joint inspection of police custody suites – March 2012
Northamptonshire – Joint inspection of police custody suites – February 2012
Heathrow – Joint inspection of police custody suites – February 2012
Hounslow – Joint inspection of police custody suites – February 2012
Northumbria – Joint inspection of police custody suites – January 2012
Nottinghamshire – Joint inspection of police custody suites – January 2012
Hammersmith and Fulham – Joint inspection of police custody suites – November 2011
Lancashire – Joint inspection of police custody suites – September 2011
Cleveland – Joint inspection of police custody suites – September 2011
Cambridgeshire – Joint inspection of police custody suites – September 2011
West Yorkshire revisit – Joint inspection of police custody suites – July 2011
Sussex – Joint inspection of police custody suites – June 2011
Sutton – Joint inspection of police custody suites – June 2011
Croydon – Joint inspection of police custody suites – June 2011
Lincolnshire – Joint inspection of police custody suites – May 2011
Kent – Joint inspection of police custody suites – April 2011
West Midlands – Joint inspection of police custody suites – March 2011
North Wales – Joint inspection of police custody suites – January 2011
Avon and Somerset – Joint inspection of police custody suites – January 2011
Harrow – Joint inspection of police custody suites – November 2010
South Yorkshire – Joint inspection of police custody suites – November 2010
Bedfordshire – Joint inspection of police custody suites – November 2010
Brent – Joint inspection of police custody suites – September 2010
Greenwich – Joint inspection of police custody suites – September 2010
Kensington and Chelsea – Joint inspection of police custody suites – September 2010
Bexley – Joint inspection of police custody suites – August 2010
Kingston upon Thames – Joint inspection of police custody suites – August 2010
Merton – Joint inspection of police custody suites – August 2010
Surrey – Joint inspection of police custody suites – June 2010
North Yorkshire – Joint inspection of police custody suites – June 2010
Wandsworth – Joint inspection of police custody suites – June 2010
Hackney – Joint inspection of police custody suites – May 2010
Cumbria – Joint inspection of police custody suites – September 2009
Wiltshire – Joint inspection of police custody suites – September 2009
Leicestershire – Joint inspection of police custody suites – August 2009
Tower Hamlets – Joint inspection of police custody suites – July 2009
Ealing – Joint inspection of police custody suites – July 2009
Durham – Joint inspection of police custody suites – June 2009
Lambeth – Joint inspection of police custody suites – June 2009
Enfield – Joint inspection of police custody suites – May 2009
Hertfordshire – Joint inspection of police custody suites – January 2009
Cambridgeshire – Joint inspection of police custody suites – November 2008
West Yorkshire – Joint inspection of police custody suites – October 2008
Gloucestershire – Joint inspection of police custody suites – July 2008
Hillingdon – Joint inspection of police custody suites – June 2008
Islington – Joint inspection of police custody suites – May 2008
Southwark – Joint inspection of police custody suites – April 2008
Related documents
Expectations for Police Custody: Criteria for assessing the treatment of and conditions for detainees in police custody – Updated June 2022
Data analysis template for inspected forces to complete (Spreadsheet) – 2022
Inspection evidence and logistics requirements template for inspected forces to comply with (Document) – August 2022