The Custody Process: What to Expect

When a person is arrested and taken to a designated police station, they enter the custody process. This begins at the custody desk, where a custody officer (a sergeant who is independent of the investigation) must decide whether there are sufficient grounds to authorise detention. The custody officer will explain the reasons for detention and the detained person's rights.

The booking-in process involves recording the detained person's personal details, conducting a risk assessment (covering physical and mental health, self-harm risk, drug or alcohol use, and any vulnerabilities), taking fingerprints and a DNA sample (if applicable), photographing the person, and removing and storing their personal property. The custody officer will ensure the person is offered the opportunity to exercise their rights: to have someone informed of their arrest, to consult a solicitor in private and free of charge, and to read the Codes of Practice. These rights are displayed on a notice in the custody area and are explained verbally.

The detained person is placed in a cell and their welfare is monitored throughout the detention period. PACE Code C requires that the person is visited at least every hour (or more frequently for at-risk individuals), that they are offered meals at normal mealtimes, and that they are allowed at least eight hours' continuous rest in any 24-hour period. If the person is unwell or injured, a healthcare professional (formerly known as a "forensic medical examiner" or "FME") must be called.

Throughout the detention, the custody officer maintains a custody record documenting every event: arrivals, departures from the cell, interviews, meals, visits by solicitors, healthcare assessments, and any incidents. The custody record is a legal document and the detained person (or their solicitor) is entitled to a copy. At the conclusion of the investigation, the person will either be charged, released on bail pending further enquiries, released under investigation, or released with no further action.