October is Black History Month. Perhaps this is the first time you’ve ever really paid any attention to it, but it is a movement that started more than 30 years ago to challenge racism and to highlight and celebrate the history and contribution of Black Britons to life in the UK.  2020 has been an extraordinary […]

Independent custody visiting schemes across the UK have continued to monitor police custody throughout COVID19.  Through a combination of techniques including face-to-face visits, remote visits, custody record scrutiny and meetings with custody staff, ICV schemes have overseen custody and provided feedback on key issues throughout this time. Six months into the pandemic, ICVA has brought […]

Independent Custody Visitors (ICVs) are amazing people.  They give up their own time to visit police custody, speak to detainees and recommend changes.  ICVs are valued by the offices that run the schemes (usually Police and Crime Commissioners, but sometimes police authorities and policing boards) and make a real difference to custody. For the past […]

At 4:45pm on April 11th 1981 a young Black man was arrested on Atlantic Road, London. On the surface of it that may not sound that remarkable. However, that arrest lead to the start of the Brixton Riots. In turn those riots lead the then Home Secretary, William Whitehall, to commission Lord Scarman to head […]

Policing and race has been in focus over recent months.  The world’s attention was brought to the brutal killing of George Floyd in America and people across the world, including the UK, have questioned racism and equality in policing. Independent custody visiting has questions of discrimination and equality woven into its history.  The Scarman Report […]