Strathclyde Police has unveiled its new extended custody facility at Saltcoats Police Office.
The modular cells are a significant development says the force as the Ayrshire site is the first in Strathclyde. This will save police officers time transporting prisoners to other cells within the Strathclyde area and allow officers extra time patrolling their local communities. Since Saltcoats only had ten cells, the extra nine modular cells are an extension of the current police office and will address the current prisoner demand. If the demand for cells changes the modular cells can be moved to other areas throughout Strathclyde.
The office will also be covered by a new CCTV system with cameras in four of the cells and an intercom system to allow prisoners to speak to staff. All of which means supervised time with prisoners is kept to a minimum and this will provides a safer environment for both prisoners and police.
As well as the new cells, the existing custody centre has undergone improvements to maximise the safety for staff and officers and to cater for people with a disability. This includes a secure visits room with prisoner telephone facility, a search room, secure property storage and the conversion of two detention rooms to cells. A state of the art metal detector has also been installed on a trial basis to improve staff and prisoner safety.
Speaking about the upgrade
Chief Constable Stephen House, said: "Multiple cell occupancy had become the norm in the Ayrshire area therefore there was a need to upgrade and modernise the custody facilities. The benefits of these modern improvements will assist the management of prisoners throughout north, east and south Ayrshire. Officers will spend less time supervising and transporting prisoners and spend more time patrolling their local communities.
"Modular cell buildings are a new approach to prisoner and staff facilities and are an important investment to the Force.
"The development has given us an extra 11 cells, taking our capacity up to 21 in Saltcoats.”
