Police force criticised over 'dirty cells'

About 34,000 people were taken into custody by Thames Valley Police over 2023/24 and placed in one of its 132 cells (stock photo)

A police force has been criticised by regulators for leaving some cells "dirty" and not having "enough oversight" of its custody suites.

Inspectors said they found "badly stained" toilets at Thames Valley Police stations when they visited in July and urged senior leaders to make improvements.

Incidents involving force also needed better scrutiny to ensure it was always "justified, necessary and proportionate", HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services and the Care Quality Commission said

Thames Valley Police said its quality assurance processes have "completely changed" since the inspection took place.

About 34,000 people were taken into custody by Thames Valley Police over the 2023/24 period and placed in one of its 132 cells across Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

While inspectors found senior leaders were “actively involved in seeking to improve custody services”, they said the force had not made enough progress in areas highlighted in a 2018 report.

In six of 20 incidents reviewed by the regulators, detainees were not properly controlled or handcuffs were not applied properly.

'Wholly inappropriate'

In one case, a detainee managed to escape while they were waiting to be booked into custody. Another changed the position of their handcuffs.

Two other detainees tried to self-harm while waiting to be booked in.

Vacancies meant that staff were “stretched at times” and could not arrange for detainees to shower or take exercise, the report found.

Force leaders recognised that improvements were needed and there are plans to rebuild custody suites in Maidenhead and to undertake renovations at Loddon Valley.

But a major concern was found in Milton Keynes, where a ceiling mirror had been “angled so detention officers [could] fully see a detainee showering while monitoring them for safety reasons.”

Regulators said this was “wholly inappropriate”.

They said the condition of custody suites "varies".

"Many communal areas are reasonably well maintained, although some cells were dirty and the toilets in the cells at Loddon Valley, Maidenhead and Milton Keynes were badly stained," the report added.

Det Ch Supt Emma Garside, of TVP, said: “Our quality assurance processes have completely changed since the inspection and I am confident that the issues raised are all being responded to.

“Since the last inspection, a number of improvements have already been made, such as upgrades to our CCTV and better authorisation for strip searches. We have also improved how we manage those in custody experiencing drug withdrawal or overdose," she added.

“We remain committed to delivering an effective custody service across the force, being responsive to the needs of our staff and improving outcomes for detained people throughout the different stages of detention.”