News
This section contains HMIC’s most recent news items. For all press releases, please choose a year from the menu to the left.
07 May 2013Police custody in Hampshire – improvements needed in health care provision
Police custody provision in Hampshire was generally positive, but health care was in need of attention, said Nick Hardwick, Chief Inspector of Prisons, and Dru Sharpling, HM Inspector of Constabulary, publishing the report of an unannounced inspection.
The inspection was part of a national programme of joint inspections of police custody. It looked at nine custody suites operating 24 hours a day: Aldershot, Basingstoke, Fareham, Lyndhurst, Newport (Isle of Wight), Portsmouth, Southampton, Waterlooville and Winchester. It also looked at two reserve suites, Alton and Havant. Overall there had been improvements, but some areas which still needed to be addressed.
01 May 2013Border Force customs custody suites in England and Scotland – Health services needed attention
Border Force customs custody suites across England and Scotland needed to focus on improving health services, said Nick Hardwick, Chief Inspector of Prisons, and Dru Sharpling, HM Inspector of Constabulary, publishing the report of an unannounced inspection.
The inspection was the first in a programme of inspections of Border Force customs custody suites. It covered the network of custody suites known as ‘spine suites’, with cells similar to those in police custody suites, at Birmingham, Colnbrook (Heathrow), Dover, Gatwick, Manchester and Glasgow. It also covered ‘interview suites’, insecure rooms where suspects are detained for very short periods, at Harwich, Luton, Stansted, St Pancras and Edinburgh. Spine suites are generally used by Border Force to detain people suspected of illegally importing controlled drugs or other goods with a criminal intent of evading excise.
29 April 2013HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary: ‘HMIC assesses policing from the public’s point of view.’
Tom Winsor today used his first major speech as HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary to explain his approach to the job, and how HMIC may be expected to operate in the new policing landscape.
The Chief Inspector, who spoke at the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies (RUSI), discussed the model of British policing; the changing dynamic environment; the pressures and challenges which the police face; and the role of HMIC in serving the public interest.
