A criminal use of police cells? The use of police custody as a place of safety for people with mental health needs

Summary

The police have powers under section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983 to take individuals who are suffering from mental health issues in a public place to a ‘place of safety’ for their protection, and so they can be medically assessed.

This review examines the extent to which police custody is used as a place of safety under section 136; and identifies the factors which either enable or inhibit the acceptance of those detained under section 136 into a preferred place of safety, such as a hospital or other medical facility.

The joint inspection was carried out by HMIC, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons, the Care Quality Commission and Healthcare Inspectorate Wales.

Get the report

A criminal use of police cells? The use of police custody as a place of safety for people with mental health needs (PDF document)

Get the press release

Press release for A criminal use of police cells?

Get the police and crime commissioners’ responses to the report

Avon and Somerset police and crime commissioner’s letter in response to ‘A criminal use of police cells?’

Cambridgeshire police and crime commissioner’s letter in response to ‘A criminal use of police cells?’ (PDF document)

Chair of the Police Committee for the City of London’s letter in response to ‘A criminal use of police cells?’ (PDF document)

Cleveland police and crime commissioner’s letter in response to ‘A criminal use of police cells?’

Dorset police and crime commissioner’s letter in response to ‘A criminal use of police cells?’ (PDF document)

Dyfed Powys police and crime commissioner’s letter in response to ‘A criminal use of police cells?’

Essex police and crime commissioner’s letter in response to ‘A criminal use of police cells?’

Leicestershire police and crime commissioner’s letter in response to ‘A criminal use of police cells?’ (PDF document)

North Wales police and crime commissioner’s letter in response to ‘A criminal use of police cells?’

North Yorkshire police and crime commissioner’s response to ‘A criminal use of police cells?’ (PDF document)

Nottinghamshire police and crime commissioner’s letter in response to ‘A criminal use of police cells?’ (PDF document)

Surrey police and crime commissioner’s letter in response to ‘A criminal use of police cells?’ (PDF document)

Sussex police and crime commissioner’s letter in response to ‘A criminal use of police cells?’ (PDF document)

Get the free PDF Reader from Adobe (external link)