Printed booklets provided to those in custody
Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.24.036735
I note you seek access to the following information:
If a person is arrested and subsequently taken into a MET Police custody police station, that person will be offered the option to read a printed booklet in standard size font and print size, regarding their full rights and entitlements whilst in custody, by the Custody Officer / Custody Sergeant?
Can you confirm what happens in the event the person in custody advises that they are unable to read the supplied booklet, for whatever reason, including say if they are long sighted or have some sort of vision impairment and do not have their reading glasses with them; and have confirmed this to be the case? There could be other reasons, so your reply should cover all known cases this could happen. For instance, but not limited to: Illiterate / not able to read English / Under the influence of Drink and or Drugs / completely without any vision / Long Sightedness / Any other form of vision impairment - are just some examples.
Please confirm, do the MET police have a Large Print version of the same booklet they can provide for people that are long sighted ( hyperopia or hypermetropia )? And if so, is it not unreasonable to expect the Custody Officer / Custody Sergeant to offer that Large print version without being asked? especially given that the person in custody may not know what their rights and entitlements are at the time; and that they can and cannot ask for?
If a Large Print Version does exist, is it available at every MET Police station? If it does exist, from exactly what date was it generally available in all London MET police stations? When was it last printed? And wen was it last updated? And is it at the same version as the standard print size version? What version number is it at?
If a Large Print version does not exist, why not? How would the person in custody reasonably be able to read and understand their rights if they are in the difficult position of not being able to read the standard print version they have been offered / supplied?
In this situation, in my opinion, the person now in custody, is being discriminated against due to say having only long vision, compared to a person with perfect vision, (both short and long vision). Do you agree?
I believe this to be a disability discrimination, unless full alternative means have been thought about, provided for and offered.
If a person who has advised that they are unable to read any provided information due to the fact say, they do not have their reading glasses with them (not everyone carries reading glasses with them all the time, but may make use of other means, say their mobile phone, but in this case, mobile phones are removed from anyone in custody); is it fair to say that the Custody Officer’s / Custody Sergeant’s actions have fallen well below the MET Police’s professional standards if they have not made good endeavour to provide an alternative option?
Is there available a printed summary of a persons most basic rights, available? In both standard print size, and also in Large Print form for those with vision impairment - A version that is easily comprehensible?
Are there copies of the most basic rights and entitlements printed and affixed as a poster (or other means) to every London MET police station cell wall? And if not, why not?
Further, this question is not just about the Rights and Entitlements Booklet; but also all other printed booklets and information made available during a MET Police station custody situation (some examples, but not limited to ; leaflets; booklets; legal information sheets; printed sheets about your ways to make a complaint about the MET Police) - Do the MET Police provide Large Print Versions of all standard size printed material that is offered to someone who has been arrested and is in Custody?
Decision
I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full.
Please find below information pursuant to your request above.
The option pictured below facilitates large font printing. Braille versions were sent to all suites last year.
In addition to this, Met Detention Command – Public Protection – Mental Health, Neuro diversity, Children and vulnerable people, have provided tablets in each suite to facilitate the process of audio access to PACE provisions:
When dealing with a person who is either blind, dyslexic or has difficulties reading a copy of the standard font rights and entitlements or PACE code C.
A copy of the relevant document should be opened on the tablet provided in each suite by using the hyperlink below.
Once this is open click on the Read aloud icon on the tool bar. This will then read aloud the document to the detainee, when required specific passages can be highlighted and read.
Easy read Rights and entitlements - Rights and entitlements, easy read booklet (herts.police.uk)
PACE Code C – CODE C - Revised Code of Practice for the detention, treatment and questioning of persons by Police Officers (publishing.service.gov.uk)
Rights and entitlements (when using audio function open print version not accessible). :
| Language | Translation | Text |
|---|---|---|
| English | English | English text |
| Welsh | Cymraeg | Welsh text |
| Albanian | Shqip | Albanian text |
| Amharic | አማርኛ | Amharic text |
| Arabic | العربية | Arabic text |
| Bengali | বাংলা | Bengali text |
| Bulgarian | български | Bulgarian text |
| Chinese simplified (Mandarin) | 简体字 | Chinese simplified text |
| Chinese traditional (Cantonese) | 繁體字 | Chinese traditional text |
| Croatian | Hrvatski | Croatian text |
| Czech | Česky | Czech text |
| Danish | Dansk | Danish text |
| Dari | دری | Dari text |
| Dutch | Nederlands | Dutch text |
| Estonian | Eesti keel | Estonian text |
| Farsi | فارسی | Farsi text |
| Finnish | Suomi | Finnish text |
| French | Français | French text |
| Georgian | ქართული | Georgian text |
| German | Deutsch | German text |
| Greek | ελληνικά | Greek text |
| Gujarati | ગુજરાતી | Gujarati text |
| Hausa | هَوُسَ | Hausa text |
| Hindi | हिन्दी | Hindi text |
| Hungarian | Magyar | Hungarian text |
| Igbo | Asụsụ Igbo | Igbo text |
| Italian | Italiano | Italian text |
| Korean | 한국어/조선말 | Korean text |
| Kurdish Kurmanji | Kurmancî | Kurdish Kurmanji text |
| Kurdish Sorani | کوردیی ناوەندی | Kurdish Sorani text |
| Latvian | Latviešu | Latvian text |
| Lithuanian | Lietuvių | Lithuanian text |
| Maltese | Malti | Maltese text |
| Norwegian | Norsk | Norwegian text |
| Pashto | پښتو | Pashto text |
| Polish | Polski | Polish text |
| Portuguese | Português | Portuguese text |
| Punjabi | Panjābī | Punjabi text |
| Romanian | Română | Romanian text |
| Russian | Pусский | Russian text |
| Shona | chiShona | Shona text |
| Slovak | Slovenčina | Slovak text |
| Slovenian | Slovenščina | Slovenian text |
| Somali | Soomaaliga | Somali text |
| Spanish | Español | Spanish text |
| Swedish | Svenska | Swedish text |
| Tamil | தமிழ் | Tamil text |
| Thai | ไทย | Thai text |
| Tigrinya | ትግርኛ | Tigrinya text |
| Turkish | Türkçe | Turkish text |
| Twi | tɕɥi | Twi text |
| Ukranian | украї́нська | Ukranian text |
| Urdu | اُردُو | Urdu text |
| Vietnamese | Tiếng Việt | Vietnamese text |
| Yoruba | Yorùbá | Yoruba text |
Due to the nature of tablet devices the person must be supervised while using the tablet.
An audio file has been created (with associated large font text) by the RNIB and will be uploaded onto Video books that are present in all MPS custody suites to allow more flexibility.
When a person’s demeanour or behaviour hinders the use of the Video book custody will revert to large font print versions.
PACE Code C 2019 (accessible) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
This is the link to the government’s printable page which we can print at 200% size.
Same as most documents should be online and printable. They did send out Braille versions to suites last year as well.