Night in the cells? No, a night in our ‘safe place’

AS places to lock up suspects, police cells are not normally known for their luxury fixtures and fittings.

But police chiefs have decided to transform the traditionally minimalist cells into ‘modern, safe places’ for offenders.

The plans would see dingy holding cells refurbished and modernised to give prisoners a greater feeling of security.

Critics yesterday slammed the proposals as the latest ‘soft-touch’ approach to justice in Scotland.

They have questioned the use of already stretched police budgets to fund the refurbishment.

The revamp has been suggested as part of the Scottish Police Authority’s annual strategy. It calls for existing custody facilities to continue to be upgraded ‘from places of detention to modern, safe places and gateways for the delivery of wellbeing, diversion and transformation services’.

Scottish Tory justice spokesman Jamie Greene said: ‘Police cells should be used to keep the public safe from potentially dangerous criminals – it’s not a hotel. It is clear the SNP Government impose their soft-touch approach across Scotland’s justice system and the result is violent crime set to rise to the highest level under Nicola Sturgeon’s government this year.

‘This latest attempt to focus on the wellbeing of offenders will leave many asking, “What about the wellbeing of victims?” That is why the Scottish Conservatives will put victims of crime at the heart of Scotland’s justice system by introducing our Victims Bill.’

Chief Constable Iain Livingstone said: ‘I see us providing a national holistic service of safety and security just as the NHS provides a national service of health care.’

A Police Scotland spokesman said: ‘We will continue to improve our custody suites following recommendations made by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland to ensure they are fit for purpose.’

A spokesman for Justice Secretary Keith Brown said: ‘Custody facilities are an operational matter for the chief constable, who is held to account by the Scottish Police Authority.’

IT may sound like a belated April Fool’s Day joke but since this is soft-touch Scotland, it is depressingly true.

Police Scotland has announced plans to revamp the cells in which suspected criminals are held, turning them into ‘modern, safe places and gateways for the delivery of wellbeing’.

Chief Constable Iain Livingstone says the new facilities will be part of ‘a national holistic service of safety and security’.

No wonder law-abiding citizens are so afraid of crime: it sometimes appears that it is only the criminals who are allowed to feel safe these days.