42 NORWEGIAN PARLIAMENTARY OMBUDSMAN National Preventive Mechanism ANNUAL REPORT 2016 Photo: Helge Sunde/Samfoto/NTB Scanpix Bergen police custody facility Police custody facilities Bergen police custody facility 25 January 2016 The custody facility at the police station in Bergen has 27 cells and, at the time of the visit, was West Police District’s primary custody facility. Main findings During the visit, the police's procedures for preventing serious incidents in the custody facility were reviewed. The available information indicated that the police had satisfactory procedures for assessing detainees' condition at the time of detention. It was emphasised that the police had an arrangement that ensures a good information flow between the custody facility and the prison in connection with the transfer of remand inmates if there is a risk of suicide or other special circumstances. The NPM looked at what means of restraint were available at the custody facility and the procedures for using them. Written procedures were lacking for the use of handcuffs in connection with transport assignments. The police district also had access to a BodyCuff restraint system, which was occasionally used at the custody facility to prevent self-harm. No complete overview existed of the use of this system. The NPM looked at the police's efforts to prevent solitary confinement during stays in the custody facility. The use of solitary confinement is an invasive measure that must be strictly necessary in each individual case. The police had not implemented sufficient measures to prevent solitary confinement where such a measure was not warranted. The challenges are primarily due to the fact that the custody facility building is not designed for human contact. To avoid systematic violations of ECHR Article 8, building alterations appear to be needed.