Anti-racism ICV policy

Office of the Kent Police and Crime Commissioner
Independent Custody Visitors Anti-Racism Policy

1            Principles

Racism and discrimination of any sort have no place in our society and no place at The Office of the Kent PCC. We all have a personal and professional duty to know where inequality persists and to call it out if we see it. We must address these issues together, as colleagues and as citizens, to make society fairer and to support each other. Independent Custody Visiting schemes have a unique position in terms of ensuring the equitable and respectful treatment in an often hidden, and high-pressure area of policing.

This Anti-Racism policy applies to all OPCCs working on the independent custody visiting scheme and all volunteers engaged with the scheme. It is intended that all should view anti-racism as a key component to all monitoring of police custody and volunteer functions.

The aim of the Anti-Racism policy is to ensure that the independent custody visiting scheme and all of those who come into contact with the scheme and its volunteers are clear on the OPCC anti-racism commitment.

2            Legislation

The OPCC is committed to compliance with relevant equality legislation including the Equalities Act 2010 to create environments where:

• Unlawful discrimination, harassment or bullying is not tolerated.
• People are treated fairly, and according to their needs.
• There is equality of access to all opportunities.

We will treat everyone with the same attention, courtesy, dignity, and respect regardless of age, disability, race, sex, gender identity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, marriage, or civil partnership status, pregnancy, or maternity status.

3            Independent Custody Visitors (ICVs)

ICVs will ensure that they effectively challenge and report any issues regarding discriminatory language or behaviour seen in custody to the appropriate managing body for investigation/escalation/management action. ICVs commit to ensuring that police custody has equitable treatment for all that are detained there.

ICVs commit to ensuring that their own practices are inclusive, and that detainees are treated respectfully regardless of any protected characteristic.

4            OPCC Commitment:

We commit to:

• Create a culture whereby discriminatory language and attitudes are appropriately challenged and action taken where necessary in all our work.
• Continue to review the ethnic diversity in our volunteers and work toward a scheme which is representative of the local community.
• Continue to work towards effective monitoring of disproportionality of treatment in police custody in the UK.
• Continue to train volunteers in anti-racism and equitable treatment for detainees.
• Embed our commitment to anti-racism across our membership outreach work by building relationships with – and learning from – black and brown-led organisations and grassroots organisations individuals who experience racism.
• Continue to educate ourselves about the barriers and challenges facing those from ethnic minority communities.