Police custody and security officer

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A criminal justice police custody and security officer (CJPCSO), formerly known as a turnkey, is a uniformed non-warranted officer of Police Scotland who upholds current vetted employment with Scottish Police Authority and works in a police station within a police custody suite.

Contents

Primary roles of a CJPCSO are ensuring care, welfare, safety and security of the nominals admitted into their care. Proceeding with detaining and delivering their rights in accordance with the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 and ensuring disposal in agreement with the custody sergeant or custody inspectors impartial decision in accordance with the Lord Advocate Guidelines.

Training and safety

This is a rather active and physical job especially in custody suites with high footfall and more experienced clients and despite having no entrance fitness test it requires strength and agility in order to protect the people in the officer's care from harming themself or others. Operational safety training is provided along with personal protective equipment such as stab-proof and basic ballistics proof vest, handcuffs, leg restraints, and personal protective weapons such as Batten and PAVA Incapacitant Spray.

Risks

Police Scotland supports officers in reporting assaults including verbal threats or hate crime related abuse to seek maximum punishment.

The following is not exhaustive of the risks that could be presented to a CJPCSO however some of these are assessed as ultimate risk or injuries following incidents.

Personal protective equipment and weapons are provided subsequent to appropriate training and are only used as a last resort in accordance with police Scotland's use of force policy. Other security and safety measures are unique to each environment. Officers are watched 24/7 by CCTV and have the ability to summon help in a violent situation.

Powers

Officers have powers to [1]

Additional duties

They also have duties to

It is an offence to Assault, Resist or interfere with a Criminal Justice Police Custody and Security Officer (as it is the same for a police officer) in the exercise of their duty when appointed the duty by the chief constable of Scotland as detailed on their authorisation card.

Line management structure

A CJPCSO is answerable to their line manager, a CJPCSO Team Leader (TL) who holds the same duties as listed as a CJPCSO, butr completes various other managerial and supervisory duties such as employee attendance and other basic HR related enquiries as a first line manager.

The CJPCSO(TL) works alongside the custody sergeant in sync.

The team leader manages and risk assesses care and welfare for nominals as well as being a line manager for the staff on duty.

The Custody sergeant is responsible for the legal and lawful aspect of business conduct ensuring it is necessary and proportional in order to keep people detained in police custody only for the time necessary.

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References

1. Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016

2. Scottish Police Authority

3. Police Scotland