blankets and that, on the other hand, they dare to make such a request in the dependent situation in which they find themselves32. During inspections, the respective declarations of officers and persons in custody are often contradictory in this regard. When the stock of blankets is small, there may be all the more reluctance to offer them; or again, since cleaning is expensive, there are reasons for not incurring excessive expenditure. These considerations call into question the possibility of rest given to persons in police custody, in other words their ability to respond to investigators’ questions under reasonable conditions of clear-headedness33. In practical terms, the fundamental right to defence is also thereby indirectly called into question. Are the blankets provided clean? Certain police stations now distribute blankets in a transparent plastic film (as done by dry-cleaners), which guarantees cleanliness. This constitutes an exception. It is more usual to find them on the ground in the cells, in a state which need hardly be described. To the question, “Are the blankets cleaned after every use?” officers readily reply in the affirmative. The reality does not corroborate these words. Out of the thirteen police stations in which it is certain that blankets were distributed, only three allocated clean blankets, that is to say which one might willingly use to cover oneself. The regularity of cleaning of blankets in the other establishments cannot be determined, due to great discrepancies in the information provided (once a fortnight, every month, from time to time etc.). No documents concerning any cleaning contracts that might exist (which, it is true, can be entered into by the SGAP34) have ever been shown to the inspectors. Solutions exist which enable police stations to establish partnerships for the cleaning of blankets with hospitals or prisons a low cost (or free of cost): such initiatives are neither promoted nor encouraged and remain the fruit of local efforts. As far as rest for persons in police custody is concerned, each person does what they can, when the question attracts any interest35. As far as personal hygiene is concerned, two other aspects attracted special attention from the inspectors: the existence of a shower cubicle (and a fortiori of several) in the police station and the distribution of hygiene necessaries to persons in police custody, including soap, toothpaste, towel etc. As far as shower cubicles are concerned, the situation is simple. Considerable investment has been made by the authorities, over the last twenty years, in order to install shower cubicles in police establishments, thus enabling persons in police custody to wash, either before the end of the period of custody, or before possible appearances in court. These efforts have been significant. Out of the fifteen police stations here considered, thirteen have at least one shower. One might therefore think that great progress had been made, in order to guarantee the cleanliness of, and therefore the hygiene of persons in police custody (and indirectly therefore of staff). Naturally, in the Contrôle Général’s field of jurisdiction, it is always necessary to question the effectiveness of rights, in this instance the practical possibility for the persons concerned of 32 The idea that it is possible for persons in police custody to ask for something from officers amounts to saying that relations between the latter and persons in custody are completely neutral and lacking in any effects of domination. 33 In the same way as offenders in a state of drunkenness are left to sober up before they are questioned. 34 Police administrative authorities (Secrétariat général pour l’administration de la police), established in each defence zone. 35 Other solutions of course exist, such as disposable blankets (different from survival blankets, which are scarcely designed for rest) to be thrown away after use, made of very fine synthetic material. Their presence has recently been noted in gendarmeries in the course of inspections; though never in police stations. 39