Police to quiz suspects remotely as lawyers boycott ‘unsafe’ station
HUMBERSIDE Police has said it hopes to introduce remote interviews with suspects and their solicitors from this week.
It follows criticism from lawyers in Hull, who say the majority of firms are not prepared to have staff attend interviews at Clough Road police station, in what they claim is an “unsafe” environment.
They have expressed concerns that it is impossible for four or five people – sometimes including an “appropriate adult” or interpreter – to keep two metres apart in a “small” interview room.
A protocol was signed between the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), Crown Prosecution Service, Law Society, Criminal Law Solicitors’ Association (CLSA) and the London Criminal Courts Solicitors’ Association at the start of April.
It says police have a duty to ensure “all reasonably practicable” steps are taken to protect visitors to custody suites, including using personal protective equipment and a video link for interviews with suspects “whenever possible”. Setting up an audio link was another option.
Last month Humberside Police announced it was the first force in the country to launch a virtual video appointment system for victims and witnesses. It hailed the move as a “great digital step forward” in keeping the public safe during the Covid-19 crisis.
Hull-based chairman of the CLSA Bill Waddington said: “If they can do it for complainants they can do it for solicitors as well. The only safe way to do it is remotely at present.
“The irony of all this is when the Coronavirus Act was brought in no sooner had that landed on the desks of all stations they were out in force issuing fixed penalty notices. Yet six weeks down the line we are finally talking about remote conferencing. A very limited number of solicitors are going into an interview room.
“We are not. The majority of law firms aren’t prepared to have staff attend in an unsafe environment.”
Superintendent Matthew Peach said the force had provided solicitors and other visitors to the custody suite with the same level of PPE as officers. Police assessed visitors for symptoms and the facility was regularly cleaned.
He added: “The custody team adhere to the social-distancing guidelines as far as is reasonably
Superintendent Matthew Peach, of Humberside Police.
possible, whilst still maintaining the safe running of the custody suite. Masks and gloves are offered to all solicitors that come into the suite and these are also made available for their clients whilst they are with them.”
The force had minimised the officers involved in interviews and spaced furniture “which where possible is over two metres apart”.
It hopes from this week to be able to complete interviews with solicitors virtually, rather than them having to attend in person.
Other forces in the region were approached. Acting Chief Inspector Richard Ogden, from North Yorkshire Police, said it had introduced video-conferencing facilities in all custody suites to enable remote interviewing. “Perspex screens have been installed in all interview and consultation rooms and at custody desks and full PPE is also available in all locations,” he added.
West Yorkshire Police said it was adhering to NPCC guidelines “making every possible provision to minimise physical contact and enhance safety within a custody setting”.
The force is using body cameras to conduct suspect interviews for less serious crimes, reducing the need to even enter a police station.
South Yorkshire Police also said it was following the national guidelines in regards to the arrest and processing of suspects.
Masks and gloves are offered to all solicitors that come into the suite.