Police say 'no decision has yet been made' on closing Torquay custody suite
Lib Dem Steve Darling has written to the Home Secretary to raise concerns and Devon Defence Solicitors are also challenging the proposal
Devon and Cornwall Police say no decision has yet been made, as Torbay's MP calls on the Government to stop Torquay Custody suite being closed.
Lib Dem Steve Darling has written to the Home Secretary to 'raise serious concerns about the proposed closure' calling it 'vital for public safety', suggesting 'closing it would stretch frontline policing, delay investigations and put victims at risk — especially during our busy summer months'.
Mr Nigel Butt of Devon Defence Solicitors and Advocates has also written to the chief constable and Police and Crime Commissioner calling on them to 'reconsider' the proposal.
He said: "Torquay Custody Centre is one of the busiest in the region.
"It serves a large population across Torbay, Teignbridge and South Devon, and plays a vital role in keeping local policing efficient and accessible.
"The claim that only 2,500 people are detained there each year is simply not accurate — the true figure is likely between 5,000 and 7,000. Any decision based on the lower figure risks being fundamentally flawed."
“On many evenings, there are only around eight response officers covering the entire Torbay area,” Mr Butt explained.
“A single incident involving several arrests — which is not uncommon on busy summer nights — could take up most, if not all, of those officers.
"If they have to transport detainees to Exeter, there would effectively be no officers left to respond to other serious incidents. Victims of crime could be left waiting for help in a perilous situation We attend the custody suite daily to assist in the fair and efficient administration of justice.
“This proposal will not save money — it will cost more. It will slow down investigations, reduce police effectiveness, and hit the most vulnerable people hardest.”
What have police said?
Chief Constable James Vaughan said: “I have commissioned a programme of work to review the Force custody estate to explore how improvements can be made to secure consistency of custody services, strengthen detainee safety and control costs. This includes the potential pilot closure of Torquay Custody and the temporary redeployment of staff . A final decision has yet to be made with proposals being discussed and carefully considered in Force this week and the PCC will be kept fully informed of our plans.
“It is vital that we improve the capacity, resilience and operating environment of our custody estate. Our current provision across Devon and Cornwall (Camborne, Newquay, Plymouth, Torquay, Exeter and Barnstaple) presents strategic and operational challenges creating welfare, health and safety risks for detainees and staff. Operating costs exceed budgets, and further costly improvements are needed to bring some custody suites up to safety compliance. Providers of healthcare, legal adviceand appropriate adult services also report difficulties in maintaining consistent services across all six centres.”
Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez added: “I am aware that the police are considering a pilot closure of Torquay custody and the temporary redeployment of staff.”
“This is part of a wider review of the custody model across the force, and it is a requirement of mine that any changes result in improvements to the safety of detainees and an increase in the wellbeing and performance of staff and officers.”
“The findings from the review will be used by my office to inform decisions about the investment of taxpayers’ money to ensure buildings comply with safety regulations.”