police Treatment and conditions • It was brought to the attention of the NPM during interviews with persons deprived of their liberty that the lights in their cells had not been switched off for the night despite their requests. According to police prison rules, lights must be out during the night unless security reasons necessitate that they are kept switched on or the person detained requests otherwise. In another police prison, the security cameras had been fitted with motion detectors during the prison renovation, and cameras would operate even if the room was dark. Usually, however, in these cells, which were mainly used for intoxicated persons, lights were kept at least on low during the night. • Interviewed persons who were deprived of their liberty said they were allowed to shower approximately three times a week, while in another police prison the detained persons were able to shower once a week, and in another police prison only on request. The Deputy-Ombudsman stated that, in line with the principle of normality, persons deprived of their liberty should, as a rule, be able to shower once a day. He found it reasonable that persons deprived of their liberty are offered the opportunity to shower every day. Follow-up: The National Police Board has instructed police departments to aim to arrange the opportunity for detained persons to shower daily. • Persons deprived of their liberty were given breakfast items the previous evening, although the breakfast included perishable food. The Deputy-Ombudsman recommended that breakfast be served in a manner that is compliant with the food legislation. Follow-up: The National Police Board has instructed police departments that they should organise the serving of breakfast and the evening snack so that any perishable products can be kept in the fridge until they are consumed. Breakfast that includes perishable foods cannot therefore be distributed to the cells the day before, for example, when serving dinner. • The NPM noted that one of the cells was untidy and, in particular, that the person deprived of their liberty was keeping food on the floor, even next to the toilet seat. The Deputy-Ombudsman regarded the way the food was stored as unacceptable. Follow-up: The police department responded that the daily routines in the police prison have been changed so that persons detained in the prison are urged to tidy up their cells daily. The cells of long-term detainees are cleaned by a professional cleaner. 29