Annual Report 2010 by the National Preventive Mechanism against Torture Visits from legal counsel 166. Detainees can receive visits from their legal counsel and from consular staff and consular staff are in the case of foreign nationals. Visits from family and friends require authorisation permitted from the examining magistrate handling the case. Detainees are handcuffed 167. During inspection visits it was observed that detainees were handcuffed from entering the cells until from the time of admission to the time when they left the cells. Other means of leaving. The protocol followed in a case of resistance was observed restraint were available at all the establishments visited. Examination of the recordings made at Les Corts station in Barcelona revealed the protocol followed in dealing with a detainee who resisted and displayed violent behaviour: he was fitted with a protective helmet to prevent him injuring himself, then restraining straps were applied and the detainee was placed under permanent surveillance. These measures were lifted when the custodial officers considered that he had calmed down. Officers placed their 168. It was observed on the inspection visits made that both the custodial firearms in a weapons officers and the officers who escorted the detainee to the police station placed locker before entering the holding area their firearms in a weapons locker before entering the holding area. This is considered a good practice that enhances the safety of detainees and custodial officers alike. Custodial officers were 169. At the establishments visited the custodial officers were observed to be properly identified properly identified and wearing their badge numbers in plain sight, as provided for in Decree 217/2008 of November 4 of the Generalitat [Autonomous Regional Government of Catalonia] concerning the use of identity numbers. Searches are recorded on 170. Detainees undergo an initial, superficial search at the time of arrest, CCTV. Female detainees are followed by a more thorough search prior to admission to the cells. In this searched by female officers. Transsexuals are searched by officers of the gender that they manifest second search (an example was observed during the visit to the station of Les Corts in Barcelona) the detainee’s clothing is removed item by item and any valuables or objects which could be used to cause self-inflicted injuries are confiscated. These searches are usually conducted by the officers on duty, assisted by one of the officers from the patrol that made the arrest, in a specific room located at the entrance to the holding area. Searches are recorded on CCTV. There is also an audio recording system, though it is not activated automatically. Female detainees are searched by female officers. Transsexuals are searched by officers of the gender that they manifest unless they refuse to co-operate, in which case they are searched by officers of the gender that appears on their national identity documents. Strip searches must be Strip searches require the authorisation of the officer in charge of the shift on duty, noted in the custody log. and the fact of and reason for such searches must be recorded in the custody log and They are also recorded reported to superior officers. These searches are also recorded, using the same system described above. Audio recordings are activated from the search room itself, with detainees being informed that an audio recording is to be made. 90 THE OMBUDSMAN OF SPAIN