Police Reform Act 2002

51 Independent custody visitors for places of detention

(1) Every police authority shall—

(a) make arrangements for detainees to be visited by persons appointed under the arrangements (“independent custody visitors”); and

(b) keep those arrangements under review and from time to time revise them as they think fit.

(2) The arrangements must secure that the persons appointed under the arrangements are independent of both—

(a) the police authority; and

(b) the chief officer of police of the police force maintained by that authority.

(3) The arrangements may confer on independent custody visitors such powers as the police authority considers necessary to enable them to carry out their functions under the arrangements and may, in particular, confer on them powers—

(a) to require access to be given to each police station;

(b) to examine records relating to the detention of persons there;

(c) to meet detainees there for the purposes of a discussion about their treatment and conditions while detained; and

(d) to inspect the facilities there including in particular, cell accommodation, washing and toilet facilities and the facilities for the provision of food.

(4) The arrangements may include provision for access to a detainee to be denied to independent custody visitors if—

(a) it appears to an officer of or above the rank of inspector that there are grounds for denying access at the time it is requested;

(b) the grounds are grounds specified for the purposes of paragraph (a) in the arrangements; and

(c) the procedural requirements imposed by the arrangements in relation to a denial of access are complied with.

(5) Grounds shall not be specified in any arrangements for the purposes of subsection (4)(a) unless they are grounds for the time being set out for the purposes of this subsection in the code of practice issued by the Secretary of State under subsection (6).

(6) The Secretary of State shall issue, and may from time to time revise, a code of practice as to the carrying out by police authorities and independent custody visitors of their functions under the arrangements.

(7) Before issuing or revising a code of practice under this section, the Secretary of State shall consult with—

(a) persons whom he considers to represent the interests of police authorities;

(b) persons whom he considers to represent the interests of chief officers of police; and

(c) such other persons as he thinks fit.

(8) The Secretary of State shall lay any code of practice issued by him under this section, and any revisions of any such code, before Parliament.

(9) Police authorities and independent custody visitors shall have regard to the code of practice for the time being in force under subsection (6) in the carrying out of their functions under the preceding provisions of this section.

(10) In this section “detainee”, in relation to arrangements made under this section, means a person detained in a police station in the police area of the police authority.