Redbridge YOS Appropriate Adult Training for Volunteers
Objectives
Understand the Role of police when yp are arrested
Understand the Role of AA when called to the police station
Understand Redbridge YOS/police Appropriate Adult protocol
Who are the Police in Redbridge?
The police use the Phonetic Alphabet, each station has a call sign
JI (JULIET INDIA) = Ilford police station
JB= (JULIET BRAVO) = Barkingside police station
JN (JULIET NOVEMBER) =Wanstead
JF (JULIET FOXTROT) =Woodford
Officers have ranks, and are known by numbers and call signs
Ilford Police Station
274-290 High Road
Ilford IG1 1GT
Custody tel:-
0208 345 2629/30
Custody Offices
Ilford Police Station based in High Road Ilford. It is the main station for all prisoners. CID and Case Progression Unit are based there.
Barkingside Police Station can be used as an overflow, so you could be called there as well
Process when police arrest a person
Evidence of an offence Grounds to arrest
Arrest
To police station ASAP
Booked in
Interviewed
Disposal
Who deals with what?It is the core team that deal with the day to day calls – they will be
first on scene but can contact specialist staff via their radio E.g.
Dog handlersTraffic carsHelicopter
Mounted branchCid
Robbery squadFraud squad
Serious crime squadSexual offences investigators
Territorial support
Appropriate Adult?
This is a term that is used within Criminal Justice and means someone who is an ‘adult’ and who is ‘appropriate’, to ensure that young and vulnerable people are looked after and understand what is happening to them. So if such a person is arrested the police should call an ‘Appropriate Adult’
“Appropriate Adult”
Means: The parent, guardian, or if the juvenile is in
local authority …a person representing that authority or organisation
A social worker of a local authority Failing these, some other responsible adult
aged 18 or over who is not a Police Officer or employed by the police”
Codes of Practice C Para 1.7
Legal Requirements
The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) first introduced a legal requirement for young people under 17yrs to have an appropriate adult (and 17 year-olds to be offered one)
The PACE Codes of Practice lays down guidelines for people kept in police detention(Codes of Practice)
It was the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 that made YOS responsible for providing appropriate adults if parents could not attend
Who requires an Appropriate Adult?
Whether arrested or at Court, the following will require an Appropriate Adult:
Any Young Person aged 16 years or under
Any adult over 16 who is vulnerable
17 year-olds are offered the service but can turn it down
If anyone appears to be under 17 they shall be treated as a juvenile for the purposes of the detention- Code C Para 1.5
Who should act as AA?
The best person to act as Appropriate Adult is the young persons parents or carers.
The police should make enquiries to get the yp parentsor carers first before calling the YOS for an AA
The Custody Officer
The Custody Officer is a Sergeant who is in charge of all those arrested and taken to the police station.
Usually there are a number of Civilian Detention Officers who assist the Custody Officer
PACE 1984
The act says the custody officer must inform the parents of those under 17 or another ‘appropriate adult’ of his/her detention and get that person to the police station.
The act also says the young person cannot veto this.
(para. 3.9)
This is different from the young person’s right to have someone informed of his/her arrest.
Scenario- Residential Burglary
Young person Johnny- was seen by a member of the public carrying a DVD recorder at 4 am. He was seen coming out of rear alley behind residential houses. Police were called. When they arrived Johnny refused to say where he got the DVD recorder from. Nearby police saw a house with a broken window and signs of a burglary.
Police arrest for suspected Burglary and take to station, where it is found that Johnny is 16 years old.
.
Johnny
The justice process
The police have the power to arrest Johnny (on suspicion of Burglary), take him to the police station and interview him about what has happened.
There may be an innocent reason why he was carrying the DVD recorder-it may be just a coincidence that a nearby house had been burgled…..
The Role of the AA
Under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 an Appropriate Adult is someone who supports a young person when they have been arrested.
They observe the interview by the police to ensure that it is carried out fairly and properly
At the police station
The police will take Johnny to the police station. He will be booked in by the Custody Officer who will start a Custody Record. However because he is only 16 years, they cannot interview him without an Appropriate Adult present
In the old days…..
Police call YOS for AA
Before the police interview Johnny they will need to have an Appropriate Adult present. The first thing the police will do is try and get hold of a parent/relative. Failing this, there is a protocol on how they should go about calling for a volunteer
Cases Volunteers will not deal with
Murder Manslaughter Rape Serious assaults
YOU are called to act as AA
As a volunteer, we will train you and support you in your role as AA. The YOS have regular supervision sessions to help you in this role
When you are called to the Police Station
At police station phone custody or tell station officer you
have arrived
Someone will take you to custody suite
Introduce yourself and speak to custody officer or officer
in case to find out what is happening
Check custody record
Start to fill in pace form
Introduce yourself to Johnny- who will be in a
Detention room rather than a cell
On arrival at Custody Suite
Ilford Custody Area
Detention Rooms
Speaking to young person Do not let Johnny speak to you about the offence. Why do you think this is important? Check Johnny is ok and understands why he
has been arrested
Explain what is going to happen
Tell Johnny you will be at the police station throughout his stay
(if you have to leave make sure you let him know)
What will AA have to do? Johnny will have his rights read again in your
presence You will attend the interview when officers
ready You will complete a PACE form for the YOS You will be present at charge or bail etc You may be present for fingerprints etc
Rights of detained person
Under PACE a detained person has the right to have;-
Someone informed that he/she has been arrested.
To have legal advice i.e. Duty Solicitor or to speak to a Solicitor on the phone
Consult the Codes of Practice
PACE Codes of Practice-Code CGuidance for dealing with people in Detention e.g. So far as it is practical, not more than one detainee
should be detained in each cell –Code 8.1 Access to toilet and washing facilities must be
provided-Code 8.4 At least two light meals and one main meal should be
offered within any 24 hours-Code 8.6 Meals should so far as practicable, be offered at
recognised meal times, or at other times that take account of when the detainee last had a meal-Code 8B
Rights…
Under PACE the young person has a right to consult privately with the Appropriate Adult at any time
(para. 3.12)
Solicitors
PACE states if the Appropriate Adult thinks that the young person needs legal advice, the Police are required to treat this as a request for a lawyer by the young person himself/herself
(annex c para.2)
Guidance on calling a Solicitor
It is Redbridge YOS policy to call a solicitor every time. But what if the yp refuses and tells you he doesn’t want one. If you call one, the yp could be kept longer than is necessary…….
Gillick decision -mature minors have the right to make decisions regarding their welfare -so if they refuse a solicitor where do you stand…..
NAAN Guidance Young person 15yrs and under, over-
rule them and call a solicitor –ensure custody officer marks it up on custody record. Record it on PACE form
Try to persuade the young person to speak to the solicitor when he/she arrives
Consider whether they are looked-after
YP 16 years and over…
Try to persuade the young person to have a Solicitor or at least speak to one over the phone. If they are still adamant that they do not wish to have one then ensure that what you have done is marked up on custody record. But tell young person that you are not a Solicitor and you strongly request they get one if they are charged
The Solicitor arrives
When the solicitor arrives, let Johnny speak to him on his own. Solicitors have legal privilege whereas you don’t. Solicitors have access to the police evidence. Support Johnny by explaining that the solicitor is there to help him and advise him on what to tell the police.
Once Johnny has spoken to his solicitor, the police will interview him about what has happened.
As AA you will be with Johnny throughout the interview
process
Police Interviews
Before the interview begins the police officer must;- Identify himself and other officers present by name
and rank Caution Johnny Put to Johnny any significant statement or silence
which occurred before his arrival at the police
station
Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994
AA’s role in Police interview
Code 11.17 says:’
‘If an Appropriate Adult is present at an interview, they shall be informed;
They are not expected to act simply as an observer The purpose of their presence is to;
• Advise the person being interviewed• Observe whether the interview is being
conduced properly and fairly• Facilitate communication with the person being
interviewed’
Caution…
“You do not have to say anything. But it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence”
Effect of caution in interviews
The right to silence has not been abolished. All the changes relate to the right to comment on a person’s silence.
E.g. “but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court and anything you do say may be given in evidence”
Consequences???
If Johnny refuses to answer any questions even though he has been given ample opportunity to explain what has happened, the court may draw its own conclusions from this
S34 Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994
Interviews
After the interview the police will decide on what will happen next
Disposal options
Charge and bail to court Charge and remand to local authority
secure accommodation Charge and remand in custody to court Police bail to return NFA Youth Caution Youth Conditional Caution PND Refer to YOS for Triage Bailed for CPS advice
Charging
Regarding charging a person, Code 16C says:-
‘There is no power under PACE to detain a person and delay action…solely to await the arrival of the Appropriate Adult. After charge, bail cannot be refused, or release on bail delayed, simply because an Appropriate Adult is not available’
What happens next for the AA? As AA you will complete the PACE form
and hand it to the YOS (this is needed for statistical data)
Your role then finishes - although if the young person has no parent and is bailed to return, you could arrange with the YOS to go back as AA
YJB Secure Placements
Phone YJB Secure Placements, they have several beds all over the country. The problem is with this- is where they can accommodate the young person and is it practicable for the young person to attend there?
E.g. if the young person is bailed to the next day, how appropriate is it for them to travel to a bail bed in say Manchester which will take 3 hours only to have to beproduced at court the next day.
Bail Beds continued If the bail bed is nearby then you need to arrange for transport to collect the young person from the police station to the secure accommodation. You will need to phone Wrixon. They will also need to be booked to collect the young person from the secure accommodation and take them to court the next day
The police will need to give you a specific form which will go with the young person to the secure
accommodation
Getting home
Do NOT transport the young person home.
If you have concerns that they do not have the means/are too young to make their own way, inform the custody sergeant.
It is the police’s responsibility to ensure they get home safely.