Police and Crime Commissioners from across the country have united to urge the Government to update legislation around the treatment of female detainees held within Police custody.

At present, there is no statutory requirement to provide female detainees with access to a female Police Officer. In addition, there is no requirement for Police Officers to check if female detainees need any menstrual products whilst in Police custody or to make them aware that these will be provided free of charge.

In response to a Home Office consultation, members of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) have come together to demonstrate their backing for changes that would ensure the dignity of menstruating detainees is considered by all Police forces.

APCC Custody Lead and ICVA Chair, PCC Martyn Underhill welcomed this support from colleagues across the country, saying: “This issue has united Police and Crime Commissioners and will hopefully bring about what we consider to be long-overdue changes to legislation that fails to recognise the needs of female detainees. The number of signatures attached to our response is clear evidence of support for these reforms and we hope the changes are accepted and brought about at speed.”

APCC Victims Lead, Dame Vera Baird QC said: “Action was needed to protect the dignity of women and girls having their period in police custody and now together with our partners, we are starting to see a much-needed change. We need to see an immediate review of policy across the country. Women in this situation should be treated with the respect, sensitivity and the dignity they deserve.

“I’m pleased that in Northumbria we have taken great strides forward with regards to the support of women in custody and have ensured that ‘hygiene packs’ are routinely offered to women on arrival in custody and in addition available on request.”

Katie Kempen, Chief Executive, Independent Custody Visiting Association said: “Female detainees have had to suffer through humiliating experiences, poor products and face barriers to basic needs like being able to keep clean. These detainees often have complex needs and cannot ask for menstrual products in what’s very often a male-dominated environment.  This treatment is wholly unacceptable and has no place in 21st century policing.  The reforms to the PACE Codes embed dignity and require police forces to overcome the taboo of menstruation to deliver what should have already been in place.

“I am delighted that Police and Crime Commissioners, alongside other partners, have come out in such numbers to demonstrate strength of feeling and support for the reforms.  This acknowledges the vital work of independent custody visitors and the essential role they perform to safeguard dignity and human rights in police custody.  The support is overwhelming and underlines the need for change.  We will continue to work with PCCs to monitor the reforms and ensure that they are successfully implemented.”

Police and Crime Commissioners and other elected local Policing bodies have a statutory duty to make arrangements for detainees to be visited by Independent Custody Visitors from local communities. It is through such arrangements that Commissioners, strongly supported by the Independent Custody Visiting Association, have been able to monitor detainee well-being and come together to help drive moves to improve conditions for individuals in Police custody, including female detainees.

Home Office PACE Codes C and H consultation – APCC Response- 20181001.

The plea follows an increase in the number of reports received by police in Sunderland and South Tyneside about teenagers and young people posting images of themselves on social network sites of a sexually explicit nature.

Officers are asking youngsters to think carefully about the content they post online and are reminding them that these images have the potential to be shared worldwide with strangers and online criminals.

Southern Area Command T/Superintendent Sarah Pitt said: “If you are posting images of a sexually explicit nature you are putting yourself at risk of unwanted contact from other teenagers, harrassment, bullying and exploitation from cyber criminals.

“Never send or share an explicit image in a text or over the internet. However much you trust the person you are sending it to you have no idea where it could end up.

“It’s also important to be aware that you may also be committing a criminal offence for which you could be arrested. The consequences of this could follow you into your adult life and in certain circumstances may affect your prospects of a career.

“The internet is an essential tool and social networking sites are a popular way for young people to communicate but we need to make sure they stay safe online and know how to use it responsibly.

“Anyone who may have concerns about images they have shared or received should speak with a trusted adult or the police straight away.

“We will be working with local schools across both Sunderland and South Tyneside to educate teenagers around the risks and their personal responsibility to ensure they use social media responsibly, it is a great tool for them to keep in contact with their friends but there are risks attached and these risks can be greatly increased by the content they post.”

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Vera Baird, said: “The internet plays such an important part of everyday life for so many young people, especially with social networking being a popular way to communicate. It’s very important that we make sure young people stay safe online and are aware of the risks and what they can do to avoid them.”

For more information about staying safe online please visit:

http://www.northumbria.police.uk/esafety

Christmas is an opportunity when most people get to spend time with their families and friends, we get to enjoy ourselves, reminisce about what has happened over the year and enjoy a mince pie or two! Sadly, criminals don’t take time off, that is why Northumbria Police has been sending known burglars Christmas cards – letting them know, we know where they are and what they are up to. Police officers and staff along with other emergency service staff will be working across the festive period and I am very grateful to them, as their efforts allow us to enjoy time with our families knowing that they are working to keep our communities safe.
When you are out and about over the festive season and you see your local bobby on the beat – wish them a Merry Christmas, they’ll appreciate it.
2015 has flown by, we have had many challenges but despite them all the Chief Constable and I have ensured that we have protected neighbourhood policing as I know this is a service you value. We have re-located police bases in to the heart of the community – right across Northumbria, making your police officers more accessible. We have continued to deliver for victims of crime, with satisfaction levels at 92%, this reinforces that we put victims of crime at the heart of everything we do. As Police & Crime Commissioner, I will start the new year looking at all budgets to see how we can absorb the cost of further cuts to our police budget – we can talk about that in a few weeks time.
As I sign off, thank you for your continued support. Don’t forget to keep an eye out for a neighbour who may be on their own. Keep warm, secure and stay in touch.
Merry Christmas and best wishes for 2016

Vera

Vera Baird QC

Houses of Parliament – ‘House Magazine Article’

As alcohol-related NHS admissions hit almost 10 million in England, Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Vera Baird has again called for action to be taken in stemming the consumption of alcohol.

Already this year Mrs Baird, together with fellow north east Police and Crime Commissioners Ron Hogg from Durham and Cleveland’s Barry Coppinger, have written of their concerns over the direct link between cheap alcohol and crime and disorder.

The three Commissioners had called on the Government to introduce minimum pricing. Research had shown that by doing this, alcohol related crimes would reduce by thousands each year leading to an improvement in public safety and confidence as well as reducing the health impact of excessive alcohol consumption.

Almost half of violent crimes are linked to alcohol and a survey of north east frontline police officers showed how nearly all questioned could not remember the last time they had been called to a domestic abuse incident where alcohol wasn’t involved.

Today Alcohol Concern has updated its Alcohol Harm Map which shows that six out of every ten alcohol-related hospital visits were A&E admissions as well as almost two-thirds of the cost of inpatient admissions.

The cost of inpatient admissions partly attributable to alcohol was said to be £1.3bn.

“This growing reliance on alcohol is proving both costly to people’s health as well as the financial costs of health care providers,” the Commissioner said.

“Add to this the cost alcohol consumption has on crime and disorder, not just in monetary terms for people and businesses but in its affect on the confidence of our communities, and we are looking at a worrying situation,“ Mrs Baird added.

The Commissioner has also worked extensively in protecting people who become vulnerable while out in the region’s thriving night time economy and has introduced a raft of measures to help keep people safe.

“I’ve introduced vulnerability training locally for door staff, which now happens nationally, and know through the feedback we’ve had that this is making a real difference.

“This training is also being given to others working in the night time economy as well as partner agencies like local authorities, so now we have many more eyes and ears looking out for those who become vulnerable and need help to get home safely or be reunited with their friends and family.”

Mrs Baird added: “The costs we are now seeing to various public services points to a very real need for actions to be taken to help people and alleviate the strain being placed on an already over-stretched public purse.”