Short Term Holding Cell and Short Term Holding Facilities
Specialist Policing Consultancy Ltd have designed a new holding cell for 21st century. The ‘fat pack’ or ‘pop up’ cell design meets Home Office and police design standards and is protected by patent.
A Safer Detention Unit (SDU) is a short term holding unit and it is designed for installation is existing locations where a detention room is required at low cost but to a high specification. In a retail scenario the detainee can be placed in the cell allowing for security staff to return to the shop floor. The store detective can safely complete their notes and enquiries with the detainee safe and secure in the SDU. Stores routinely wait up to 4 hours for police to arrive. The SDU is equipped with CCTV, lighting, ventilation (or air conditioning) providing a modern and safe detention environment. The use of the SDU could reduce the risk to staff and many of the 35,000 assaults on staff that occur each year. Many of these assaults take place in the store premises long after the initial detention. The Safer Detention Unit is marketed by The Athelney Group Ltd www.athelneygroup.com
A Short Term Holding Facility (STHF) is where more than one cell are used. This can be installed in a retail complex or a local police station. The units are delivered in 8 sections and installed on site, they can then be secured together in a row. The come independently equipped with internal CCTV, ventilation, lighting, intercom (if required) and a cushioned seat.
In a police environment a group of 5 short term holding cells can process approximately 5,000 prisoners per year in a local unit operating from 1000 to 2200 hours. Such a unit can process minor crime prisoners, non violent crime and drinking and driving prisoners. Each would take between an hour and 90 minutes to process. This would save a minimum of 4.5 hours per detaineee. When prisoners are taken to central custody suites it takes a minimum of 6 hours plus travelling time to process them.
Data in 2015 showed that 80% of suspects that appear before Magistrates Courts end up with a punishment of a fine of less. Why take them in in the first place?
Identify them and take appropriate resolution options, caution, conditional caution, fixed panalty or use Street Bail to make them go to a police station under their own steam at a time more convenient to the officer.
In the retail complex environment it will allow police officers to process detainees on site reducing costs, time away from the patrol site and to improve efficiency for all partners affected by crime in the retail environment.
Background
Policing
There is a critical shortage in custody capacity across the UK police forces. Building new facilities are expensive long term projects and in the current financial climate unlikely. This is at a time when both the public and the community desire that more offenders be brought to justice.
Traditional police cells individually cost in the region of £350,000 to construct. They include a bed and a toilet facility.
However, 80% of prisoners can be dealt with in a short space of time. In fact often cells are in use by minor non-violent offenders when they are needed for violent and serious offenders. On occasions such as this the violent or serious offender has to be taken to another site impacting on the investigation quality and timescales. This is similar to the ‘bed blocking’ scenario suffered by hospitals across the country.
In addition, persons answering bail for administrative purposes are rarely at the station beyond a few hours. Current procedures dictate that once in custody that they are housed in a cell. This is despite the fact that they would not need the full facilities of a cell. In a police station environment, a number of SDUs could be installed to cater for non-violent, minor crime, drink and drive and bail to return prisoners. This would allow the full size cells to be used for the purpose that they were designed for, holding people for longer periods of time to support the investigation of serious crimes. This is a far more cost effective use of resources.
In trials the processing of minor crime prisoners at a STHF returned police officers to patrol quickly and improved patrolling capability by between 60% and 70%. The development of local prisoner processing centres returns police to patrol faster, reduced the number of staff involved in the process by fewer prisoners being driven miles to custody suites, reduces transport and escort costs and wear and tear on vehicles.
Many other government agencies also detain individuals suspected of committing crime, these include police, immigration officers and security staff at airports and ports, all would benefit from the installation of Safer Detention Units.
