Role of an Independent Custody Visitor
The Custody Visitor
Custody Visitors are independent members of the local community appointed by the Police Authority to visit police stations to:-
- observe, comment and report on the welfare of people detained in police custody;
- conditions in which they are held; and
- the operation of the rules governing their detention.
Such visits provide an independent check on detained persons, the way police officers carry out their duties with regard to detainees and seek to secure greater public understanding and confidence in such matters.