'Dirty' cells and poor oversight when officers use force - Thames Valley Police has come under fire from a watchdog that said the force's leadership 'isn't good enough'. 

Inspectors from Care Quality Commission and the HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Service said they had 'cause for concern' as the force 'doesn’t have enough oversight of custody services to make sure it can protect the safety and well-being of detainees'.

Custody staff reported that they were 'overwhelmed' by their work load. 

In one case, a detainee managed to escape while they were waiting to be booked into custody. 

Two other detainees tried to self-harm while waiting to be booked in.

In the report, an inspectors found a lack of oversight to ensure that restraint that was 'necessary and proportionate'

An inspector wrote: 'We found that when detainees were under restraint for long periods using handcuffs, spit hoods or leg restraints, custody officers didn’t always supervise incidents to make sure the ongoing force was necessary and proportionate.

'Overall, the governance and oversight of the use of force in custody isn’t good enough.

'This means that Thames Valley Police can’t always assure itself or the public that when force is used in custody it is necessary, justified and proportionate.

'This hasn’t improved enough since our last inspection and forms part of our cause of concern about leadership and accountability.

 'We found there has been little senior leadership focus on improving the standard and quality of custody records. This contributes to our cause of concern about leadership.'

A major concern was found in Milton Keynes, where a ceiling mirror had been 'angled so detention officers (could) fully see a detainee showering while monitoring them for safety reasons.'

Regulators said this was 'wholly inappropriate',

They said the condition of custody suites 'varies'.

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Some cells were dirty and the toilets in the cells at Loddon Valley, Maidenhead, and Milton Keynes were badly stained.

About 34,000 people were taken into custody by Thames Valley Police over the period 2023 to 2024, with 132 cells across Berkshire, Oxfordshire, and Buckinghamshire.

Thames Valley Police is taking the report's conclusions 'seriously', and the force has brought in a raft of changes, according to Detective Chief Superintendent Emma Garside, Head of Custody and Criminal Justice.

Recent changes include upgrades to CCTV and better authorisation for strip searches.

Detective Chief Superintendent Garside said: “We have carefully reviewed the details of the inspection report. We accept the findings and are taking its conclusions seriously.

“The report reflects the force’s position at the time of the inspection in July 2024 and does not take into account the actions taken to address the concerns and recommendations since then.

“We are pleased the report recognised that our custody personnel treat detainees with respect and dignity, that the needs of female detainees are catered for and that staff act in the best interests of children to safeguard their welfare. 

“Our quality assurance processes has completely changed since the inspection and I am confident that the issues raised are all being responded to.

“We remain committed to delivering an effective custody service across the force, being responsive to the needs of our staff and improving outcomes for detained people throughout the different stages of detention.”