A couple of weeks ago , a few of us had quite a heated debate concerning the banning of smoking in police stations for S.Y. police. One of the concerns raised was how much it would cost to provide a Smoking Room , within any police station , with perhaps some sort of extractor fan , so as not to annoy the non-smokers. "Why should smokers get special treatment ?" , went up the cry ..........and the argument took off from there.
To put the cost in perspective, in this week's Weekly Telegraph [no. 753] it reports how S.Y. police are to spend 205,000 pounds on making sure that temperatures in prisoners' cells don't fall below , "the guidelines ".
Without going into all the petty details , a spokesman for the S.Y.P.Federation , Gary West , said ,
" That's a lot of money to resolve the problem by 1 degree.It seems a little bizarre that we are going to spend 200,000 pounds when there may be other options "
He went on to point out that prisoners could have 3 [or even more ?] blankets , if they were cold.
A spokesperson for the Home Office said that the guidelines had been introduced , "to prevent rioting ".
Have we gone totally bonkers in this country or was this report a bit of a joke ?

The report was completely correct. I agree that if the miscreants in the cells are cold - tough - they should behave themselves. Nearly quarter of a million quid just to up the temperature by 1 degree is bloody stupid.

It smells of the Inmates running the Asylum - again! :loopy: :loopy:

What has this got to do with who controls the police?

Carcrash ,


Well , the point I was trying to make was that there seems to be so many strange rulings coming from somewhere in the S.Y.Police heirarchy , I wondered if it emanated from one source or more ?
In years gone by , it was usually the Chief Constables who decided on how their forces were run. They seemed to be more independent , with , "advice " from local Watch Commitees.
These days it seems more complicated . To give one glaring example of rather confused , "planning " , in the case I mentioned about smoking and the S.Y.Police ; apparently , just before the smoking ban was introduced , the S.Y police had had a special smoking shelter built , at considerable cost at a new S.Y. police station. Does that sound like , "logical control " , to you ?
In the meantime , whilst all these airy-fairy things are being considered , mulled over , checked , filed , computerised , and no doubt sent to Somewhere for comparitive studies , crimes of violence and disorder seem to be happening more and more every day on the streets of South Yorkshire . So , the question gets more urgent -------is anybody in control ?

Good topic Fareast, overall proably not, nice to know that the next time I get arrested I will be warm in my cell :suspect:

The South Yorkshire Police are controlled by the Police Authority. Have a look at this link and it will give you all the information you need.

http://www.southyorks.org.uk/police/

Originally posted by Escafeldia
The report was completely correct. I agree that if the miscreants in the cells are cold - tough - they should behave themselves.

What about those that haven't done anything wrong?

The message is simple - cold cells = potentailly a breach of someones human rights (degrading treatment) = a human rights issue rasied at court = accused persons found not guilty. Not because of the evidence of the case but because you breached their human rights.

Does all this stick in my throat ? Of course it does but thats the game played

Andy ,

I think you missed the point that the police spokesman mentioned. He was saying that surely there are cheaper ways to help people keep warm in cells e.g. extra blankets.
I hadn't time to put all the report in but this was only a matter of 2 or 3 degrees C.-----hardly a Siberian icy punishment cell.
Also , to what degree do , "guidelines " have to be followed ? Does it mean the S.Y. Police have to follow guidelines religiously ? Whose decision is that ? I can't get the thread given where I am so could anyone give a straightforward answer ?

Originally posted by Fareast
Andy ,

I think you missed the point that the police spokesman mentioned.

No, I didn't miss the point. I didn't reply to the police spokesman's comments, I replied to another forum member's comment that "if the miscreants in the cells are cold - tough - they should behave themselves". I was pointing out that not everyone in police cells has been misbehaving.

Andy '

Yes , sorry , I was wrong there .
You are correct that there are innocent people locked up and they shouldn't suffer any more than necessary.
However , to go back to what the spokesman said , NO-ONE would suffer if they could have extra blankets if the temperature dropped a couple of degrees.
Also would they really , "suffer " ? .If so , then 90% of all people in the U.K suffered in the past , every night , from Sept. to April , unless they had the sense to get some extra blankets !

Originally posted by Andy
No, I didn't miss the point. I didn't reply to the police spokesman's comments, I replied to another forum member's comment that "if the miscreants in the cells are cold - tough - they should behave themselves". I was pointing out that not everyone in police cells has been misbehaving.

So how do they get arrested in the first place? I'm pretty sure the local coppers don't just stick passers by into the pokey so they have someone keeping the place occupied. The usual scenario is :

Pratt Misbehaves or causes copper to notice something not right - Pratt arrested and taken to the station - questioned about behaviour. Then the pratt is either cautioned and released on police bail or, he is plonked in the cells if the offence is sufficiently serious. :clap: :clap:

I can remember a time when old lags like me on very cold nights would toss a brick through a window in order to spend the night in a warm and comfortale police cell, - as long as is was a bit warmer than freezing we were very happy indeed.

Got a good breccy in the morning too :D

Originally posted by Escafeldia
So how do they get arrested in the first place? I'm pretty sure the local coppers don't just stick passers by into the pokey so they have someone keeping the place occupied. The usual scenario is :

Pratt Misbehaves or causes copper to notice something not right - Pratt arrested and taken to the station - questioned about behaviour. Then the pratt is either cautioned and released on police bail or, he is plonked in the cells if the offence is sufficiently serious. :clap: :clap:

A good friend of mine was thrown in a cell one night for being found uncontious in the road. The police just picked him up, assumed he'ed been drinking and locked him up.

They couldn't get rid of him fast enough in the morning, not that he knew where he was.

He has servere epilepsy and blacks out without warning. He actually needed an ambulance, not a police car.

Because of his condition, he doesn't drink.

Lets hope nothing like this ever happens to you, eh.

Whatever reason someone ends up in a cell for - is 1 degree really going to make that much of a difference?

In the whole scheme of things, £250k isn't a huge amount of money but is it worth it? When an extra blanket would probably be as, if not more effective?

I doubt decisions such as these are made by one individual, more likely to be by committee....

Blankets?

Never seen a blanket in any police cell that I've been in overnight!

Well I've never seen the inside of a police cell (touch wood) so I can't really comment on the temperature, but I will say one thing:

Please please please South Yorkshire Police get rid of the signs that say Accident Occured Here Witnesses Needed.

There are one or two that have 'occurred' spelled correctly but seemingly loads that have it spelled as 'occured' and it really bugs the inner pedant in me whenever I drive past one, as indeed I did today on the way out towards Hollow Meadows from Rivelin. Either get them replaced or paint another r onto them because it makes you look really dumb. It's just a little thing I know, but it would cost about 43p compared to the £250k discussed above.

well, I think & it's only my opinion, it's all to do with them not wanting to get sued by some toerag for millions. Cos thats the social climate of this sad world.
As for smoking, yes some cops do cos it's the stress of the job, park up somewhere and have a crafty fag, otherwise it's go into car park outside and have one.
They should'nt get preferential treatment, maybe the smoking ones will then cry discrimination.
Who knows only they.

As for who runs the joint, think thats the government and the queen who get to say what budget they get...then it's up to some person high up at snig hill who says how they spend it.

A couple of comments:

The police authority don't contol the police. The police (i.e. the Chief Constable) are accountable to the police authority, but the authority don't control the police- they are there to represent the public interest.

As others have said, the outlay of £200k on ensuring temperature is regulated is essential to avoid the potential legal costs of defending a case in court, should a prisoner complain of being cold.

The police really don't have an option here.

Originally posted by GabbleRatcht
A good friend of mine was thrown in a cell one night for being found uncontious in the road. The police just picked him up, assumed he'ed been drinking and locked him up.

They couldn't get rid of him fast enough in the morning, not that he knew where he was.

He has servere epilepsy and blacks out without warning. He actually needed an ambulance, not a police car.

Because of his condition, he doesn't drink.

Lets hope nothing like this ever happens to you, eh.

Perhaps he could wear one of the warning braclets that I believe epileptics with this type of problem wear.

Originally posted by metalman
Well I've never seen the inside of a police cell (touch wood) so I can't really comment on the temperature, but I will say one thing:

Please please please South Yorkshire Police get rid of the signs that say Accident Occured Here Witnesses Needed.

There are one or two that have 'occurred' spelled correctly but seemingly loads that have it spelled as 'occured' and it really bugs the inner pedant in me whenever I drive past one, as indeed I did today on the way out towards Hollow Meadows from Rivelin. Either get them replaced or paint another r onto them because it makes you look really dumb. It's just a little thing I know, but it would cost about 43p compared to the £250k discussed above.


Just had a reply from SYP traffic department today - they werent aware of the spelling mistake and are checking all signs this week. Why not fill in the feedback site at www.southyorks.police.uk rather than winging on here or even better do both

not sure who is in charge think this is a recrutement poster from the 80's
http://www.cardmine.co.uk/list24/a240850.jpg

sorry for any offence caused and yes my car tax is in date officer
and I only have a black and white dog cause the licence is cheaper.