Annual Report 2014 of the National Preventive Mechanism 79. The existence of video-surveillance and video-recording systems at places of deprivation of liberty is of particular importance, since it is considered that such systems would considerably facilitate the investigation of any allegation of undue conduct on the part of the personnel providing their services at such facilities. This would benefit both the persons who may have suffered such undue conduct of the police and the police officers unreasonably accused of ill-treatment or psychological pressure. Accordingly, it is considered necessary for such technical means to be used at all places at which persons deprived of liberty may remain, including their conduction to the cells, other than toilets and rooms for interviews with lawyers. The number of facilities that are proceeding to install these systems grows although, in the case of the State Security Forces and Corps, it would be very much valued for the economic restrictions not to impede a full coverage of their facilities. We should like to point out once again that the recording of the interrogatory or taking of statements is another additional relevant safeguard against eventual conduct not considered to be adequate on the part of the police officers and would also reduce the possibilities that the purported culprits could deny, later, to have made certain statements when these were taken. 80. Special attention is given, during the visits made, to the access to the cell area of the police facilities. Although at many of such facilities, particularly those newly built, the access to the custody area is provided through the garage or through entrances other than the principal entrance, in others, the detainees are led through the main door. It should be ensured that such access is not provided through the common areas used for general attention to citizens, given the implications of this, from both a security point of view and given the exposure it implies for the person who, although deprived of liberty, maintains the fundamental rights to honour and one’s own image. 81. It is a matter of satisfaction to verify that, at the visited police facilities, in the distribution of detainees in the various cells, it is ensured that they are separated by gender and age. Nevertheless, it is considered that, to the extent possible, it should be ensured that persons who have purportedly perpetrated a crime should remain separate from those who have been detained for not having the proper documents. 82. Special importance is given during the visits to the items or material of the doors to the cells and we are concerned and bring the attention of the authorities to what has been observed at certain facilities, in which the cells contain items that persons deprived of liberty could use to injure themselves or attempt suicide, such as, for example, horizontal bars, metal plates around the locks, bolt locks, etc. 52