Independent Custody Visitors – Your voice in policing

The main area that people can volunteer with the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner is as an independent custody visitor (ICV).

Belonging to the custody visiting scheme is a way to volunteer for the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner as a member of the public and help your community to be safe, resilient, and connected.

Independent custody visitors (ICVs) must be 18 years old or over and must be independent of the police service. For this reason, serving police officers and others who work in the criminal justice system such as police staff, special constables, lay justices, or members of the police and crime panel cannot undertake this role.

Visitors must live or work in Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly and have been resident in the UK for the three years prior to application.

Watch the video below to find out more about Independent Custody Visitors.

What time is needed to be a volunteer?

Each visit to a custody centre can take between half an hour to two hours. Volunteers visit during the morning, day, or night. Visitors arrange the start time of the visit themselves and in accordance with a roster.

Custody centres include Exeter, Torquay, Plymouth, Barnstaple, Newquay, and Camborne. Visitors visit their closest two stations. Out of pocket expenses including travel costs are refunded. You may be asked to make one to two visits a month.
What skills and experience do visitors need?

Custody visitors do not need any specific experience or qualifications.

Visitors are members of the public and must maintain their impartiality. They do not take sides but look, listen and report accurately on what they find in the custody centres. The detainees will be identified by their custody numbers only and strict rules of confidentiality apply.

The Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) is a major reference for custody visiting. Diversity and human rights legislation is also fundamental to visiting. An introductory visit to a custody centre and induction training is provided. Visitors learn in the role during a probationary period (around six months). All visits are conducted with another custody visitor. Further training is provided via online courses and meetings (four a year) which visitors must attend as part of the role. These may be during the week, evening, or weekend.
What happens during a visit?

Visitors arrive unannounced in a pair at the police station. ICVs enter the custody centre where they will be escorted. Visitors decide which detainees to visit. The detainees will be identified by their custody numbers only and strict rules of confidentiality apply. ICVs must maintain their impartiality. They do not take sides but look, listen and report accurately on what they find using a structured checklist.

Visits are conducted with each detained person’s consent. Priority is given to visiting children and vulnerable people. The checks focus on if the detained person has been offered their rights, entitlements, and welfare and an appraisal of conditions of detention. Immediate areas of concern will be raised by visitors with the custody officer at the time of the visit and any necessary action taken.

A straightforward report is completed after each visit. Copies of the reports are given to the local custody inspector and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner. Custody visit reports are an essential element of the Commissioner’s scrutiny of police custody management. Any areas for action are highlighted for further action.
ICV demographic information
Interested in becoming an ICV?
We particularly welcome applications from diverse members of the community. Support prior to application is available from the Positive-Action team. Positive action is a range of support initiatives for people from under-represented groups who are looking for volunteering opportunities with us. Please ask if you require further information or support prior to application.

When we recruit, this is via the OPCC website, social media as well as Devon and Cornwall Alert – you can register for this via the Devon and Cornwall police website: https://alerts.dc.police.uk

You will need to demonstrate:

An understanding of the role of an independent custody visitor
Commitment to the role
Respect for and understanding of equality, diversity, and human rights
Excellent communication skills
Impartiality
If you are successful at interview, you will be asked to go through relevant security checks. You will be issued with an official identity card, which you use when visiting.

Following clearance, you will be invited to attend a familiarisation visit to custody, and Induction training. Please note that having a previous conviction is not necessarily a bar to applying as each application is considered individually.

If you would like to hear more about our current recruitment plans, please email the office on opcc@dc-pcc.gov.uk. The person specification is provided here.
Further information