POLICE STATIONS cases, be traumatised on account of their experiences back home. It is hard for them to gauge the consequences of being arrested by the German police. For instance, the self-harm attempts may not only be a means of evading police custody, as officers suspect, they may also be acts of desperation aimed at avoiding the deportation they fear they are facing. That is why it seems important to help the arrested person understand both the situation they are in and the further procedure in order to prevent disproportionate resistance. Calling in an interpreter as soon as possible has a key role to play in this. Pre-prepared documents in the respective mother-tongue of the person taken into custody could help to prevent misunderstandings and to diffuse the situation. In the interests of greater mutual understanding, those with an expert knowledge of the regions concerned and their cultural specifics could take part in a training measure in an advisory capacity. The Joint Commission recommends examining which measures can be taken to teach police officers general intercultural skills and specifically to sensitive them to the challenge of dealing with the above group of people and refugees, respectively. Officers should be taught how to de-escalate situations involving people taken into custody so as to be able to prevent self-harm attempts. Response: The staff employed in police custody all take part in decentralised training courses, their official duties permitting. In order to be able to de-escalate situations involving people taken into custody, an additional “Intercultural Communication” course will be offered as part of police training. The cells in Chemnitz North East Police Station each have a wooden plank bed, but no flame-resistant, washable mattress. Those taken into custody are merely issued with disposable blankets. The Joint Commission already noted this during its visit to Leipzig Central Police Custody on 12 February 2014 and recommended procuring a small number of such mattresses. In a letter dated 14 May 2014 the State Ministry of the Interior of Saxony in principle agreed to issue such mattresses, but announced that the costs would first have to be examined. The Joint Commission asked to be informed of the outcome of this review and recommended, in view of the line of argumentation it put forward in its report following 47 the visit to Leipzig Central Police Custody, that at least a small number of flame-resistant, washable mattresses be procured. Response: The review of whether flame-resistant, disinfectant-proof mattresses can be procured centrally has not yet been completed. An alternative may, for example, be the use 47 of flame-resistant disposable blankets which can also be used as a mattress. There are currently no entirely risk-free mattresses available on the market. There are no fire detectors in the custody cells in the police station. This represents an increased risk for those taken into custody, because in the event of fire they first have to contact officers via the intercom. The Joint Commission recommends installing fire detectors in the cells to guarantee detainees’ protection in the event of a fire. Response: The Free State of Saxony’s service provider for buildings and real estate (SIB-NL Chemnitz) has been commissioned with examining whether fire detectors can be retrofitted into the cells. However, the fire detectors would have to be installed on the cell ceilings in such a manner that those placed in custody are unable to destroy or misuse the devices. That is why the long-term alternative is to have smoke detectors installed in the ventilation system. Irrespective of this, there is already a smoke detector in the corridor in front of the cells. In addition, there is a manually activated alarm in the corridor in front of the custody suite. It is not possible to regulate the light intensity in the custody cells, as a result of which people are either held in custody with all the lights on full or in complete darkness. The Joint Commission therefore recommends installing night lighting in the cells (e.g. a dimmable lamp or a nightlight). Response: The current building guidelines do not provide for dimmable lighting or light intensity controlled night lighting. The option will be borne in mind in future, depending on the budget situation. However, in the interests of police officers’ safety, the cells need to be sufficiently lit when checks are carried out. The visiting delegation was presented with an instruction sheet which is handed out to those taken into custody pursuant to section 22 (4) of the Police Act of Saxony. The delegation welcomes the fact that written instructions are also given to those taken into police custody under the Police Act. For the sake of completeness, the document should also mention that those taken into custody are able to bring in an interpreter, and that they may be examined by a doctor at their own expense in addition to being examined to establish whether they are fit to enter custody. Response: Whether the recommended additions can be made to the instruction sheet and it can be made available electronically across Saxony, including in a number of different languages, is likewise currently being examined. The National Agency replied to the Ministry of the Interior’s response. The Ministry’s second response has not yet been received and can therefore not be included here. ref.: 232-SN/1/14 53