FEDERAL POLICE AND CUSTOMS would not be issued with the general instruction to knock on the door or draw attention to themselves in another manner before entering a cell. The Ministry stated that it must be guaranteed that, for example, acts preparatory to an attempt to escape or to selfharm or the use of smuggled drugs can be observed without officers being observed and that these acts are then prevented. Bremen Federal Police District Office has found an alternative to the peepholes: The toilet is partitioned off from the rest of the cell by means of half-height double doors. These sufficiently protect the privacy of the person going to the toilet and at the same time appropriately meet the individual’s need for safety and protection. incorporated into the computer system used to process cases and will then automatically be called up whenever a person is taken into police custody. The Federal Agency recommended having the German version translated into other commonly spoken languages. Fixtures, furnishings and equipment Bochum Federal Police Station still had a mechanism for restraining and fixing someone to a bench. Given that the Federal Police as a whole no longer uses physical restraints, this mechanism was removed following the Federal Agency’s visit. Custody cells should always have dimmable lighting, smoke detectors and, when new facilities are built, access to daylight. This was still not the case in all the stations visited. Even though the Federal Ministry of the Interior confirmed that refurbishment work would be carried out in relevant cases, or that the matter would be raised with the owner of a particular property, stations in which these basic fittings are not yet available should be upgraded soon. The same applies to other rooms used by people who are taken into custody, for example those known as “secured rooms”. Documenting periods in custody The custody record books in nearly all the Federal Police stations visited are regularly checked by supervising officers. Nevertheless, shortcomings were still noted in some cases. For example, officers sometimes did not note who had carried out a custody check, or checks were entered at only irregular intervals. What was particularly surprising was that officers at Bochum Federal Police Station were not even aware of the existence of a custody record book. When anyone was taken into custody there, this was merely entered in the electronic processing system. According to the Ministry of the Interior, following the respective visits, officers in all the police stations were again informed of the need to keep the custody record book in order. Some Federal Police stations use cell check sheets, i.e. forms which are stuck to the door of a custody cell when it is occupied and on which checks and other comments are noted. Reference was made in the respective custody record books that the cell check sheet was being used and the sheets were archived together with the custody record sheets. Insufficient human resources and room capacities The Federal Police stations in Rosenheim and Weilheim are faced with a strong increase in the number of refugees being taken into custody. A total of 3,076 people had been taken into custody in Rosenheim Federal Police District Office by 31 July 2014 (2012: 1,670). Weilheim Federal Police Station had taken 105 people into custody in the same period. Refugees are generally apprehended in groups. Even though officers endeavour to ensure decent conditions of detention for those they apprehend, both stations have neither the human resources nor room capacities required to accommodate larger groups of people. For example, Weilheim Federal Police Station only has one single-occupancy custody cell with an open toilet. It is not possible to provide humane conditions of detention for more than one person under these circumstances. Rosenheim also only has capacity to accommodate up to 16 people. Although one room was equipped with camp beds, the station is also overstretched both logistically and organisationally when it needs to accommodate large numbers of people. That is why the Federal Agency recommended initially adapting staff numbers in the facilities concerned to the new circumstances. However, room capacities need to be adapted in order to be able to deal with the increase in the number of detainees. It Instruction about rights The Federal Agency has for several years been calling for the introduction of written forms containing information about rights which are to be provided to those detained under police law. Those affected should be notified in writing about their right to be examined by a doctor upon request and at their own expense, to contact a lawyer and relatives, and to call in an interpreter in the case of language difficulties. In September 2014 the Federal Ministry of the Interior then introduced the form the Federal Agency had hitherto recommended. It was initially only available in the information section of the Federal Police’s intranet (Infothek) and officers were unaware of it. However, by the end of the year it will have been 21