Recommendation - North Yorkshire Police, March 2021
Published
09 Aug 2021
Learning
We identified organisational learning from a death or serious injury review relating to a detainee self-harming whilst in custody.
IOPC reference
2019/124576
Date of recommendation
Date response due
Recommendations
The IOPC recommends that North Yorkshire Police should:
- re-position/re-configure the CCTV cameras within the cells at Scarborough custody suite to ensure that there is comprehensive CCTV coverage of the interior of cells. In particular, any re-positioning/re-configuration of CCTV cameras should ensure there is an unrestricted view of the bed area within cells.
- review the CCTV coverage within the cells at their other custody suites to establish if there are any blind spots within the cells at these suites. If any blind spots are identified then the CCTV cameras should be re-positioned/re-configured to ensure there is comprehensive CCTV coverage of the interior of cells.
Until any work on re-positioning/re-configuring any CCTV facilities are completed North Yorkshire Police should put in place interim measures to mitigate the risks posed by CCTV blind spots in cells.
This follows the receipt of a DSI report where an individual had been found unresponsive in a CCTV cell having been able to secure a ligature around their neck without being seen due to a 'blind spot' in the cell which obscured their head.
Recommendation accepted: