Custody Visitors have an independent role, checking that people held in police custody (not yet convicted of any offence) are being properly treated.
When a person is arrested by the police, they are taken to a custody suite where they are detained whilst the details of the case are investigated.
To promote transparency, and provide reassurance to communities about the treatment of detainees, an Independent Custody Visiting (ICV) scheme is in place in West Yorkshire.
ICVs are volunteers, over the age of 18, from a variety of backgrounds and different communities, all whom live or work within the region.
They speak directly to detained people to ensure that detainees understand their rights and entitlements whilst in custody, and check on their general feeling and welfare.
Custody Visitors can also check around the cells, and some areas of the custody suite, for example the food preparation area. They are volunteers and completely independent of the police service.
The Scheme is operated locally by the Mayor of West Yorkshire, independent of West Yorkshire Police.
ICVs can enter a custody suite in pairs, unannounced, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and are asked to make at least 24 visits spread evenly over a 12 month period.
Custody Visitors are encouraged to make visits anytime during the day or night. All custody visits are made without prior notice to the custody suites.
An Independent Custody Visitor is someone who cares and wants to make a difference to vulnerable members of our society, people who have perhaps made one mistake, one error of judgement, people who are scared and perhaps don’t understand the language or what is happening to them. ICVs do not judge - but we do care.
All newly appointed Custody Visitors are provided with training prior to taking up their custody visiting duties.
In addition to the initial training, Custody Visitors are invited to attend training seminars and meetings held during their period of appointment. ICVs are provided with ongoing training, development and support throughout their appointment.
The recruitment window is currently open. Find out more about the role on our dedicated ICV recruitment page.
"It is hugely satisfying to walk out of a custody suite knowing you have made a difference, whether to a detainee or to custody staff. We are all part of society and have our roles to play as human beings looking after each other. Being able to help someone in some way, not matter how small, is an honour."
"I volunteer because it is an opportunity to take part in something that supports the local community. People in custody may feel angry or upset. It may be their first time in custody. To see someone who is friendly, empathic and is non-judgemental, who is interested in how they are and not why they are in custody can be very powerful. People are innocent until proven guilty and should be treated with respect, care, and dignity.
"I remember my first visit was daunting because I wasn’t sure what to expect. Even now, after doing this for nearly three years I’m readying myself for when the cell door is opened, and I see the detainee for the first time. This is a volunteering opportunity where you get to feel that you are making a difference and learn new skills."
"When you become an ICV, it's taking a step into the unknown, or it was for me anyway, having never had any connection to the police or criminal justice system. It gives me a unique and privileged right, as a member of the public, to request entry to any custody suite at any time in 24 hours without notice. There is no reflected glory in it, and in fact only my immediate family, my two referees and the ICV team know what I do. It's not a role you can talk about with friends, but if you are happy with quietly knowing you've done a good job, and learned something along the way, it's reward enough.
"We meet a huge cross section of society within those cell walls, from children as young as 10, to the elderly. We are not aware of the reason they are in custody, but we offer the same to everyone, giving them a chance to tell us about their treatment whilst in custody."
Visits mean different things to different detained people. The visits I get the most satisfaction from are the detainees that open up. You soon recognise the people that are vulnerable in an unfamiliar, closed environment, and respond to a friendly voice there to look out for them. I do not see my role as adversarial, I’m not there to catch people out, I’m there to validate all parts of the system are working correctly to ensure we are acting in everyone’s best interest.
Following an enquiry into the Brixton and Toxteth Disorders in 1981, Lord Scarman's report recommended that random checks be made by persons other than police officers on interview and detention of suspects in police custody.
Following successful pilots, the West Yorkshire Independent Custody Visiting Scheme was introduced in 1983.
A number of changes to the operation of the Scheme have been made over the years; most recently, Section 51 of the Police Reform Act 2002 placed custody visiting on a statutory footing
In preparing the Scheme, the Mayor has had regard to the Code of Practice on Independent Custody Visiting issued by the Home Office under section 51(6) of the Act.
Custody Visitors complete a report form each time they visit a custody suite. The report form details the findings from the visit, as well as the thoughts of ICV’s broader feelings from the visit, and the form is sent to the Policing and Crime Team within the West Yorkshire Combined Authority. The ICV findings are raised with West Yorkshire Police for action, or in some cases, for information. Recurring or significant findings are raised with senior officers within West Yorkshire Police.
The annual report for West Yorkshire's Independent Custody Visiting (ICV) Scheme can be found below. This report provides an overview of the ICV scheme and the fantastic work our Independent Custody volunteers have been doing, including statistics on our volunteers, matters arising from the visits and custody visiting data.
Custody Visiting annual report 2024-2025 (Word document 1.69MB)
This report describes the findings following an inspection of West Yorkshire Police custody facilities. The inspection was conducted jointly by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) and the Care Quality Commission in September 2023. The inspection assessed the effectiveness of custody services and outcomes for detained people throughout the different stages of detention. It examined West Yorkshire Police’s approach to custody provision in relation to detaining people safely and respectfully, with a particular focus on children and vulnerable adults.
Link to the report: HMICFRS – Joint Inspection of Police Custody in West Yorkshire