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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are advised that this website contains the names and images of people who have passed
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Police observations must be recorded
That police instructions should require the adequate recording, in relevant journals, of observations and information regarding complaints, requests or behaviour relating to mental or physical health, medical attention offered and/or provided to detainees and any other matters relating to the well-being of detainees. Instructions should also require the recording of all cell checks conducted.
Priority for Further Work:
High
Relevance and potential impact | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Low (0-2) | Moderate (3-4) | High (5-6) | |||
Extent of action taken and evidence of outcomes | High (5-6) | ||||
Moderate (3-4) | |||||
Low (0-2) | |||||
Background
The Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (RCIADIC) emphasised that a significant number of cases examined by the Commission demonstrated deficiencies in record keeping in police watchhouses:
A lack of care in the making of detailed entries in appropriate station records regarding matters such as cell checks; the provision (or offer) of medical assistance and/or medication to prisoners; behaviour and other matters relevant to the well-being of prisoners.
Watchhouse records provide a permanent record to ensure officers on subsequent shifts are ‘apprised of all relevant information regarding the condition of those in custody’ and that information can be used to inform their decisions and actions taken in relation to persons in their custody.
The judgments made by officers on subsequent shifts may be critically affected by their knowledge of a person’s previous behaviour, complaints or apparent condition.
At the time of the RCIADIC Final Report, some jurisdictions had intake assessment forms for police watchhouse detainees that enabled records to be kept of the time of cell checks, detainee observations, medication and medical treatment. However, it was noted that where such forms are in place, it is vital that officers responsible for the care and supervision of detainees ‘are under an obligation to acquaint themselves with the information contained in them’ and that an officer in charge of an outgoing shift should be responsible for drawing the attention of incoming officers to ‘all matters relevant to the wellbeing’ of detainees.