A police boss has been given a taste of what it\u2019s like to be locked up in a cell.<\/p>\n
The North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner, Andy Dunbobbin, paid a visit to see the state-of-the-art custody suite at the Eastern Command and Custody Facility in Llay, near Wrexham.<\/p>\n
After being elected in May, Mr Dunbobbin has embarked on a fact-finding mission to get a detailed picture of how the force operates.<\/p>\n
In conjunction with Chief Constable Carl Foulkes, he\u2019s also launched a survey to consult the public about policing priorities as he prepares to write a new Police and Crime Plan which will serve as a blueprint for North Wales Police.<\/p>\n
The facility in Llay, which serves Wrexham and Flintshire, was the most modern police station in the UK when it opened in 2018.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the antiquated high-rise police station in Wrexham has been demolished to make way for a supermarket and a new town centre station with a public front desk has been opened in the former Oriel Gallery.<\/p>\n
The cells in the old station in Wrexham had reached a point where they were no longer fit for purpose.<\/p>\n
Mr Dunbobbin was given a guided tour of the custody suite in Llay by custody manager Inspector Kevin Steele.<\/p>\n
All 32 cells have natural daylight and the complex is teeming with technology, including more than 160 high definition cameras.<\/p>\n
Inspector Steele said: \u201cThe cells at Llay are light years ahead of the ones in Mold and at the old Wrexham station which have both been decommissioned\u2013 they are state-of-the-art.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have some cells for people with limited mobility where they can call for assistance and the beds are higher to allow for any mobility issues.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn another area we have a separate block of cells for vulnerable people, including young people.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople are well looked after here and it\u2019s a gateway to other services for them, should they need it.<\/p>\n
\u201cA large proportion of them have complex issues that require intervention from multiple agencies and, if we can\u2019t make referrals from custody, we can signpost them in the right direction.<\/p>\n
\u201cSafeguarding is an important element in our work and every detained person that comes in here is risk assessed and a care plan tailored to their individual needs is put in place.\u201d<\/p>\n
Inspector Steele also revealed that technology had replaced the need for old fashioned line-ups when witnesses were called to identify suspects.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe VIPER (Video Identification Parades<\/em>\u00a0Electronic Recording) room is where the identity parade is formulated when somebody needs to take part in what is an old-fashioned line-up or identity parade.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s all done on DVD or streamed so that any victims or any witnesses would never have to come face to face with a suspect. It\u2019s made life a lot easier for everybody.\u201d<\/p>\n According to Mr Dunbobbin, the visit had given him a fascinating and important insight into how a custody suite operates.<\/p>\n He said: \u201cThe Eastern Command and Custody Facility is only three years old so everything here is right up to date and is fit for the 21st<\/sup> century.<\/p>\n \u201cThe custody suite is very impressive and the cells are kitted out with integrated high definition cameras.<\/p>\n \u201cAll of them benefit from natural daylight which is in contrast to the traditional image of dark, dank cells in days of old.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s clear everything possible is done to ensure that detainees are well looked after and treated with dignity and respect.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is very important to me and I have a team of independent custody visitors who safeguard the welfare of detainees.<\/p>\n \u201cThey are volunteers who make unannounced visits to the custody suites here in Llay and in St Asaph and Caernarfon.<\/p>\n \u201cThe scheme gives reassurance to the detainees that there is somebody looking out for them and it also provides reassurance to their families that they are being well cared for.\u201d<\/p>\n The Police and Crime Plan survey is now\u00a0 available at <\/strong>https:\/\/www.surveymonkey.co.uk\/r\/SMDKY8R<\/strong><\/a> for people to complete until Friday, August 20. Paper copies of the survey are available by contacting <\/strong>opcc@nthwales.pnn.police.uk<\/strong><\/a> or 01492 805486.\u00a0 An easy read version of the survey is also available.<\/strong><\/p>\n