Keep Society's Most Vulnerable Out Of Cells

People with mental health problems are far too often subject to custody suites, they must be taken to an appropriate place of safety. "You should stop using police station cells as a place of safety for people with mental health problems" said Deborah Cole, Co-director of the charity Inquest – which provides advice to bereaved families and carries out policy work on contentious deaths.

Coles was addressing members of the House of Commons Affair Select Committee, she was speaking after being questioned by Conservative MP James Clapperson about practical steps that could be taken to mitigate the risks of deaths following police contact. She stated that police officers must stop using cells to detain society’s most vulnerable people.

The Inquest Co-director is also a member of an independent panel assisting the IPCC with the review into deaths in custody that started last month. On October 23 she appeared at the Palace of Westminster, alongside Marcia Rigg, whose brother Sean died following a police contact incident, to give evidence. Both she and Rigg were giving evidence as part of an inquiry MPs have been holding into the work of the police watchdog. Both witnesses said they were concerned about the large number of ex-police officers who now work for the IPCC and are responsible for conducting investigation.

While Coles said she understands the rationale behind employing ex-officers, there should have been a transfer to a more independent ethos in the eight years since watchdog was created, with the employment of more independent investigators. She also added that private security companies providing services to police forces should also be subject to IPCC scrutiny where necessary.

Marcia Rigg shares Cole’s belief and concerns, stating that people would have greater confidence in the IPCC if they employed less ex-police officers. She welcomes the implementation of the £4 million package to improve and enhance the CCTV in Metropolitan Police Vans but added that it is of the utmost importance that they keep up their commitment to transparency.