Police Cells in Campbeltown not fit for purpose?
Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 12:44 amInteresting article in The Herald earlier this week suggesting the "Half of police cells 'are not fit for purpose" - surely this can't be the case with 2 year old Police Station in Campbeltown??
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/crim ... e.16777003
MORE than half of Scotland's legalised police cells have been earmarked for closure as they are not considered fit for purpose.
Her Majesty's Inspector of Prisons yesterday recommended that five out of the nine legalised cells in Scotland should be shut down.
The cells are in police stations in remote rural areas, where there are no jails, and can be used to hold prisoners – as opposed to people taken into custody by police – for up to 30 days to ease access to far-flung courts.
But the report by Brigadier Hugh Monro raises serious concerns about safety in some of the units and recommends those at Lochmaddy, Thurso, Campbeltown, Dunoon and Oban are discontinued.
Concerns raised include lack of access to exercise in the open air, lack of electricity in cells, and toilets that are not screened.
The report also points out the use of legalised cells for prisoners has reduced dramatically since the prisoner escort programme was privatised in 2007.
Some of the busier legalised cells, such as Lerwick, held 88 prisoners last year. Others were not used at all.
Most of the cells are also used regularly for police custody.
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: "We have received the Inspector's report on legalised police cells. We are aware that some of the cells have not been used as legalised cells for a number of years and are considering the recommendations of the report carefully."
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/crim ... e.16777003
MORE than half of Scotland's legalised police cells have been earmarked for closure as they are not considered fit for purpose.
Her Majesty's Inspector of Prisons yesterday recommended that five out of the nine legalised cells in Scotland should be shut down.
The cells are in police stations in remote rural areas, where there are no jails, and can be used to hold prisoners – as opposed to people taken into custody by police – for up to 30 days to ease access to far-flung courts.
But the report by Brigadier Hugh Monro raises serious concerns about safety in some of the units and recommends those at Lochmaddy, Thurso, Campbeltown, Dunoon and Oban are discontinued.
Concerns raised include lack of access to exercise in the open air, lack of electricity in cells, and toilets that are not screened.
The report also points out the use of legalised cells for prisoners has reduced dramatically since the prisoner escort programme was privatised in 2007.
Some of the busier legalised cells, such as Lerwick, held 88 prisoners last year. Others were not used at all.
Most of the cells are also used regularly for police custody.
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: "We have received the Inspector's report on legalised police cells. We are aware that some of the cells have not been used as legalised cells for a number of years and are considering the recommendations of the report carefully."
