Greater Manchester Police responds to findings of probe into strip searches and care of vulnerable people in custody

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) chiefs have apologised and accepted the recommendations of an inquiry into the treatment of people in custody that was commissioned following serious allegations in July 2023.

Dame Vera Baird’s report was published today and identified issues around the arrest, care for domestic and sexual abuse survivors, treatment of women and men in custody, use of strip-search, and the handling of complaints.

The force says it fully acknowledge there is much more to do around the cultural practice of strip-search, particularly for welfare purposes.

GMP will now stop strip-searches for welfare reasons, and to improve clarity and scrutiny around the grounds of a strip-search.

And officers will have better trauma-informed training to ensure the most appropriate response is given to those who are vulnerable.

Dame Vera’s wide-ranging inquiry involves cases that are either currently under investigation by the IOPC or our Professional Standards Directorate (PSD), are subject to legal action, or have been investigated.

GMP says it has already acted in a number of areas to improve our service in custody:

• It no longer uses anti-tear clothing.
• Every female detainee has appointed to her a dedicated female welfare officer.
• Bespoke sealed packs, which contain feminine sanitary products, are proactively issued to all female detainees.
• Strip searches are more transparently recorded, tightly governed and scrutinised.
• A centralised standards and compliance team now examine between 150-200 examples of detentions per month to ensure adherence to the highest standards.  

A spokesman said: "The improvements in GMP since we were placed in ‘special measures’ in 2020 has seen us work to protect those we serve with us responding more quickly to incidents, arresting more suspects at the scene, recording and investigating all crime, bringing more offenders to justice, and bringing down crime.

"This includes an increase in the arrests of domestic abusers 150% accounting for nearly a third of all arrests. We have doubled the number of rape crimes solved and continue to work closely with partner agencies across GM to safeguard survivors and protect them from harm.

"Where the public hasn’t had the service they expect from us, we have worked to improve our complaints system and are now ‘rooting out’ and ‘booting out’ those unfit to wear the uniform.

"Over the last two years, we have tripled the rate in which we’ve been dismissing officers who should not be in our uniform with the Chief Constable overseeing the removal of 86 officers.

"A significant amount of the concerns raised were highlighted by an inspection from His Majesty’s Inspectorate for Constabulary (HMICFRS) published in February 2023 where six causes of concern and 13 areas of improvement were identified.

"We swiftly acted with a comprehensive plan worth £3.1million to address these concerns.

It included new and increased leadership, extra staff, additional technology and training, and greater accountability.

"In addition, £7.5million is being invested for the reopening and refurbishment of Longsight custody. It will be our largest custody site and is set to become a flagship custody centre.

"In revisiting GMP in December 2023, HMICFRS concluded significant progress had been made such that they downgraded the six ‘causes of concern’. The work to address the majority of the areas for improvement is now assessed as complete."

Chief Constable Stephen Watson added: “Firstly I thank Dame Vera and those in the report for drawing together a number of critically important issues. To those given a voice by this inquiry who have not received the care and consideration they are entitled to: I am sorry.

“The issues raised in Dame Vera’s report speaks to a period when our custody system was under pressure not performing to an acceptable standard.

“It evidences poor systems, structures, and incivility, insensitivity and compounded by a lack of routine leadership, scrutiny, and individual examples of low standards, poor behaviour, insensitivity, and a lack of care in the face of vulnerability.

“These issues are of the utmost importance and highlight the need to maintain the highest professional standards. These must reflect our duty, and moral obligation, to respect and uphold the dignity of all detainees but with a particular focus on women and girls.

“I know some of the questions this inquiry set out to answer have not yet been answered and some of these relate to allegations that have caused understandable shock and concern.

“These matters are all subject of continuing independent investigation and GMP will continue to provide the fullest assistance to those charged with establishing the truth.

“All cases where allegations of serious criminal conduct are made will always be taken extremely seriously and any instances of wrongdoing will be relentlessly pursued and my track record speaks for itself in exited people not fit to wear the uniform.

“We accept the recommendations in this report. We commit to implementing them fully and faithfully with a view to making lasting improvements.

“Our ability to take forward the recommendations is immensely strengthened by the substantial progress we have already made.

“We will work with others to ensure that all of the wider recommendations are fully considered and, wherever possible, will seek out opportunities for GMP to play a leading role in their practical implementation to ensure the people of GM get the best possible service.”