❓ The WA Police outlines policies and procedures in place to prevent Indigenous deaths in custody, including Standard Operating Procedures, the Aboriginal Visitors Scheme, Sobering up Shelters, safe cells, officer training, and legislative requirements. They also state they are actively implementing recommendations from relevant inquiries.
AnsweredQoN 2441Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(a) what policies exist that are directly aimed at preventing Indigenous death in custody, and -
(i) if they exist, how are they implemented; and
(ii) if there are no policies, why not?
(i) if they exist, how are they implemented; and
(ii) if there are no policies, why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
14 August 2007
Responded by
Minister for Police and Emergency Services
Response time
61 days
(a) Standard Operating Procedures and a Lockup Manual for the management of Police Lockups and detainees are maintained, regularly reviewed and where necessary amended to ensure the Western Australia Police minimise the incidence of self harm and death in police custody. A computer database is also maintained and accessed to identify high risk detainees.
(i) Custodial care begins from the moment a person is taken into custody as a detainee or arrested person. Custodial care requires a Police Officer to be vigilant and consistent in preventing a detainee or person in custody from suffering illness, injury or death. Where necessary this includes medical treatment prior to admission to a lockup or whilst in police custody.
A policy aimed at preventing indigenous deaths in custody is the Aboriginal Visitors Scheme (AVS) which is in operation at most Police Station Lockups throughout the State. An example of the scheme relates to the Perth Watch House where it is recorded that since January 2007 there have been 96 visits to the Perth Watch House by Aboriginal visitors involved in the scheme. The AVS relies on the participation of community volunteers. However, the effectiveness of the scheme in some Police Sub-Districts is affected by the availability of volunteers.
Where Sobering up Shelters are available persons taken into Police care for drunkenness are conveyed to these facilities instead of Lockups. Community patrols operate in some towns to assist in conveying inebriated persons to their place of residence or Shelters.
Safe cells are provided in all new police stations and the conversion of existing cells is being progressed state-wide as a priority basis within funding allocations. Safe cells are designed to reduce the opportunity for self harm and enhance the monitoring of persons in custody.
Police Officers' training incorporates 'Use of Alternative Force Options" and the awareness and prevention of Positional Asphyxiation. Officers are also required to undergo training and qualify in Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation.
Section 262 of the Criminal Code provides a legislative requirement and sets out the duty of every person having charge of another in detention to provide the necessaries of life. Any person by reason of any omission to perform that duty commits an offence.
WA Police have been active in implementing recommendations from the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and the Gordon Inquiry through the Government Action Plan.
(ii) Not applicable.
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(i) Custodial care begins from the moment a person is taken into custody as a detainee or arrested person. Custodial care requires a Police Officer to be vigilant and consistent in preventing a detainee or person in custody from suffering illness, injury or death. Where necessary this includes medical treatment prior to admission to a lockup or whilst in police custody.
A policy aimed at preventing indigenous deaths in custody is the Aboriginal Visitors Scheme (AVS) which is in operation at most Police Station Lockups throughout the State. An example of the scheme relates to the Perth Watch House where it is recorded that since January 2007 there have been 96 visits to the Perth Watch House by Aboriginal visitors involved in the scheme. The AVS relies on the participation of community volunteers. However, the effectiveness of the scheme in some Police Sub-Districts is affected by the availability of volunteers.
Where Sobering up Shelters are available persons taken into Police care for drunkenness are conveyed to these facilities instead of Lockups. Community patrols operate in some towns to assist in conveying inebriated persons to their place of residence or Shelters.
Safe cells are provided in all new police stations and the conversion of existing cells is being progressed state-wide as a priority basis within funding allocations. Safe cells are designed to reduce the opportunity for self harm and enhance the monitoring of persons in custody.
Police Officers' training incorporates 'Use of Alternative Force Options" and the awareness and prevention of Positional Asphyxiation. Officers are also required to undergo training and qualify in Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation.
Section 262 of the Criminal Code provides a legislative requirement and sets out the duty of every person having charge of another in detention to provide the necessaries of life. Any person by reason of any omission to perform that duty commits an offence.
WA Police have been active in implementing recommendations from the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and the Gordon Inquiry through the Government Action Plan.
(ii) Not applicable.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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