SERIOUS safety concerns have been raised by inspectors over the way people in custody are looked after.

Thames Valley Police records indicated the way force was used was inconsistent and there were further problems with the way intoxicated people were detained.

There were also issues with strip searches not being carried out properly, as several people were able to conceal and smuggle drugs into their cell.

This resulted in two people being taken to hospital while they were in custody.

HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services argued situations were not well managed and staff shortages resulted in problems going unanswered.

Peter Clarke, HM chief inspector of prisons, said: “This inspection of custody facilities in Thames Valley was generally positive.

“The force had demonstrated some progress following our last inspection, especially in health services, and could evidence positive practice.

“With respect to the significant concerns and areas for improvement we identified, we were confident that the force’s strong leadership and clear grip on performance would enable it to act effectively to address these issues.”

The joint inspection was carried out in February between the inspectorates for prisons and the fire and rescue service.

Overall, the force was found to have a ‘strong and focused governance’ with well-maintained cells and a respectful approach to challenging situations.

Responding to the report, superintendent Katy Barrow-Grint, head of criminal justice, said:“Ensuring high standards across all of the custody areas within the force is a priority.

“The inspectors said they are ‘confident the force’s strong leadership and clear grip on performance will enable the force to act effectively to address the issues that have been identified’.

“I will be reviewing the findings of the report closely and working with colleagues and partners across the Thames Valley to ensure that, where areas have been identified for improvement, we will act to address these.

Already we have an interim plan in place to address the main recommendations including training on conducting inspector reviews for complete compliance with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) and a review of training for conducting searches.

“I am pleased that the report has recognised the progress we have made since the last inspection in particular in our health services which were found have improved significantly.

“It states that inspectors found there was a clear commitment to providing effective custody services, custody sergeants were well trained, interactions between custody staff and detainees were respectful and staff paid good attention to individual needs.

"Our custody suites were found to be generally clear and well maintained, with little graffiti. Custody staff dealt well with many challenging detainees, and often de-escalated situations effectively to avoid using force.

“We will act on any learning from this report and welcome the recognition of the progress made and the findings of this inspection which are generally positive.”