The Independent Police Conduct Authority (the Authority) is the designated NPM in relation to people held in Police cells or otherwise in the custody of the Police. The Authority is an independent Crown entity, which exists to ensure and maintain public confidence in New Zealand Police. The Authority does this by considering and, if it deems necessary, investigating public complaints against Police of alleged misconduct or neglect of duty and assessing Police compliance with relevant policies, procedures, and practices in these instances. The Authority also receives from the Commissioner of Police notification of all incidents involving Police where death or seriously bodily harm has occurred. It may investigate those incidents and other matters involving Police policy, practice, and procedure where it is satisfied that it is in the public interest to do so. In addition, the Authority entered into a Memorandum of Understanding in 2013 with Police under which the Commissioner of Police may notify the Authority of incidents involving offending or serious misconduct by a Police employee, where that matter is of such significance or public interest that it places or is likely to place the Police reputation at risk. The Authority acts on these notifications in the same manner as a complaint. There are two aspects to the Authority’s NPM work: firstly, oversight of the nature and quality of Police custodial facilities; and secondly, oversight of the operation and management of both those facilities and other places in which custodial management is the responsibility of the Police. Police operate 437 custodial management facilities nationwide. The majority of these are cell blocks contained at police stations. In addition, however, Police have responsibility for prisoners in District and Youth Courts. While Police are not responsible for the physical nature of the cell facilities, which are the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice, the Authority nevertheless has jurisdiction over those facilities. Visits and inspections Where possible during the reporting year when the Authority has visited Police facilities in the course of its ordinary work, the opportunity has been taken to conduct an unannounced visit of the attached custodial facility. This occurred in a number of places throughout the year, notably Christchurch, Nelson, Rotorua, Manukau, Auckland, Waitakere, Nelson, and Masterton. The Authority has worked closely with Police to develop National Standards for the management of detainees in Police custodial facilities. A programme of audits of individual districts on a rolling basis to monitor compliance with these Standards has subsequently been established. Resource constraints meant that this programme was not commenced 26 as quickly as planned. However, the first audit, comprising an examination of a random sample of 100 custody records, was undertaken in the first half of 2017. The process has been refined as a result of that audit, and a full programme of audits will be conducted during 2017/18, with a view to ensuring that all Districts are audited every two years. Complaints and incidents During the reporting year the Authority received 2,614 complaints and referrals, compared to 2,441 complaints and referrals in the previous year. This increase has put added pressure on the Authority’s operational resources. Over the past 12 months it has been increasingly difficult to achieve the outcomes within the time frames that have been set in the Statement of Performance Expectations. The Authority is working with Police to develop more Human Rights Commission