Longsight Police Station reopens with advanced airport-style scanners
GMP’s modernized facility enhances custody and safety provisions
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) is set to unveil a newly modernized custody suite at Longsight Police Station, featuring airport-style scanners to enhance safety and efficiency. The facility’s reopening on Thursday marks a significant milestone in GMP’s commitment to improving custody services.
The facility, closed since 2019, now boasts 44 state-of-the-art cells equipped with the latest technology. This includes provisions for youth detainees, neurodivergent individuals, and remote court hearings. The airport-style scanners follow recommendations from Dame Vera Baird KC to minimize degrading strip searches.
Advancements in custody provision
Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson emphasized the importance of the new facility: “It offers us more space to put suspects and keep the public safe, more safety for our staff and detainees, and a more modern and efficient facility to help GMP continue its improvements in custody provision.”
Under Watson's leadership, GMP has significantly improved since 2021, doubling arrests, increasing stop-and-search activities, and solving more crimes.
Enhanced infrastructure
The Longsight station reflects GMP’s investment in leadership and infrastructure, transitioning from concerns highlighted in 2023 to becoming a leader in custody services. The new facility ensures detainees and staff experience safety and dignity while also expanding capacity for suspects.
The integration of remote court processes and comprehensive safety measures, including CCTV and phonelines in every cell, offers a modernized approach to custody management, setting a benchmark for police facilities nationwide.