National Preventive Mechanism Third Annual Report 2011–12 Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons HMIC has a statutory duty to inspect and report for Scotland on the efficiency and effectiveness of policing. Following the ratification of OPCAT, HMIC’s role has included carrying out inspections of police custody facilities in England and Wales in partnership with HMIP. From 2012, HMIC has the statutory power to inspect customs custody facilities operated by UK Border Force. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary for Scotland In 2011–12, the role of HMICS was to monitor and improve police services in Scotland. It scrutinised the work of Scotland’s eight police forces, as well as the operational policing aspects of the Scottish Crime and Drugs Enforcement Agency. HMICS inspects all aspects of policing, including police custody. Following the merging of Scotland’s eight police forces into one national service on 1 April 2013, the role of HMICS will be to monitor the state, efficiency and effectiveness of the Scottish Police Authority and the police service. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons HMIP is an independent statutory organisation that carries out regular inspections of places of detention to assess the treatment of and conditions for detainees. HMIP inspects all prisons in England and Wales, including YOIs, all immigration removal centres, short-term holding facilities and escort arrangements for immigration detainees, and all police custody facilities in association with HMIC. By invitation, HMIP also participates in inspections of prisons in Northern Ireland (in partnership with CJINI) and inspects some military detention facilities. In 2012, HMIP was granted powers to inspect court custody facilities and also began inspecting secure training centres in partnership with Ofsted, and customs custody facilities with HMIC. 46 HMIPS inspects prisons, including YOIs, paying particular attention to the treatment of and conditions for prisoners. The Inspectorate also has a duty to inspect legalised police cells. These cells are used to hold prisoners awaiting trial in their local area, rather than transfer them to distant prisons. It also inspects prisoner escort arrangements – this includes the conditions in which prisoners are transported from one place to another – as well as court custody facilities or other places where prisoners are held temporarily outside a prison. Independent Custody Visiting Association Independent custody visitors are volunteers from the community who visit all police stations where detainees are held to check on their welfare. Custody visiting is statutory and visitors have the power to access police stations, examine records relating to detention, meet detainees for the purpose of discussing their treatment and conditions, and inspect facilities, including cells, washing and toilet facilities, and facilities for the provision of food. Independent Custody Visitors (Scotland) Independent custody visitors in Scotland carry out regular, unannounced visits to police stations to monitor the treatment of and conditions for detainees. Custody visitors in Scotland have not been designated separately as a member of the UK NPM but are members of the ICVA, although they retain their own funding and management framework. By virtue of the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012, custody visiting in Scotland was given a statutory basis.