Nottinghamshire’s new state-of the-art custody suite will help to improve the swift and efficient delivery of justice when its first detainees arrive later in the summer.
That’s the promise of Chief Constable Craig Guildford, who inspected the site with the new Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry on Wednesday (27 May).
Work on the new purpose-built 50 cell facility started in March last year and is due to be completed in the coming months.
The building, constructed on disused land off Radford Road, Nottingham, has been designed to meet the latest standards and will significantly improve the working environment for custody staff and police investigators.
Chief Constable Craig Guildford, speaking during a site visit with newly-elected police and crime commissioner Caroline Henry, said: “It’s a great facility and I’m really pleased with all the progress that is being made, especially as it’s on time and on budget.
“The old facility is not fit for our future purposes and is not a good working environment for the staff. The building is at the end of its life in terms of all the very costly mechanical and electrical things that you have to do to a building of that age.
“This new facility is radically different – the light, the warmth, the environment where staff can work, the use of technology on site with the use of QR codes and putting telephone calls through to the cells. It will help us process cases a lot quicker.
“The facility will be opening later this summer and I’m looking forward to it.”
Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry said: “Having been to the Bridewell I can see the need for it. It is important for the police officers, staff and partners to have a better environment to work in. It is coming in on time and budget and I want to make sure every penny is spent wisely and we need a facility that looks after people and is fit for purpose.”
Nottingham’s new custody suite has already generated considerable external interest, including from the National Autism Society and other police forces.
Once completed it will join Mansfield police station as one of two dedicated custody facilities serving the north and south of the county. The old Bridewell has been sold to HM Court Service.
