Police Custody: Video Conferencing
(asked on 14th October 2020) - View Source
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many police custody suites have been brought online since the introduction of the Cloud Video Platform.
Answered by
Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
In response to social distancing restrictions introduced due to Covid-19, the majority of Police Forces across England and Wales responded to the request from Her Majesty Courts and Tribunals Service to facilitate remote hearings via Cloud Video Platform. This was a short-term emergency response to allow hearings to continue to take place during the height of the pandemic and support court recovery.
The decision on the long-term use of Video to facilitate remote hearings from police custody suites remains an operational matter for police forces. However, we continue to engage with Criminal Justice partners on the long-term use of Cloud Video Platform as developments continue.