Public confidence in local policing is a matter that the Police Authority has been keen to raise in Dyfed-Powys.

One of the ways in which they do so is through an Independent Custody Visiting Scheme. Independent Custody

Visitors are members of the public recruited specifically to visit police stations unannounced to check on the treatment of people detained in custody and on the conditions under which they are held.

David Sinnett, a local driving instructor in Brecon has been volunteering for the Dyfed Powys Police Authority for three years. He says he very much enjoys the role and says the benefits of doing so are considerable.

"I was attracted to joining the scheme because it enables volunteers to play a small but important part in the criminal justice process.

"I do two visits a month, usually to Brecon police station. These are low crime areas, so the suites are not very busy.  

"Working in pairs, we look round the custody suite and speak to detainees. Sometimes it is not possible to do so as not all detainees are prepared to talk. 

"We find out whether the detainees have been treated according to the law, for example if they were informed of their right to a solicitor and to have someone contacted.

"We also check whether they have received food and drink or had the opportunity to sleep and exercise. Volunteers don't get involved in discussions about the reasons why detainees were arrested as this falls outside the remit of our role.

"Being involved as a visitor brings me into contact with a wide range of people. Fellow volunteers come from many different walks of life. The scheme requires us to visit in pairs, and regular review meetings and training sessions enable us to compare notes on our experience of visits.

"I have also met custody sergeants, staff at the police station as well as the organisers of the scheme in the Police Authority. 

I believe the visits broaden my own experience and understanding of society.

"It is good to feel that I am making a contribution in the process to ensure that those held in police custody are treated with respect.

"It is not difficult to make the time to carry out the visits as times and days are flexible although I do try to make sure I visit when it is more likely that there will be detainees held in the suites.

"By volunteering in this way, I consider I am making a contribution to my community".

The scheme offers protection to detainees and will soon become the responsibility of the Police and Crime Commissioner in November 2012.

If you would like more information about the Independent Custody Visiting Scheme in Dyfed-Powys or if you are interested in volunteering for the Police Authority, please e-mail [email protected]">[email protected] or telephone 01267 226440.