The Zaporizhzhia District Police Department has launched the Custody Records system, a modern tool for electronically recording actions taken with detainees and law enforcement officers. Zaporizhzhia became the 113th city in Ukraine to implement this project, which aims to prevent human rights violations in police work and ensure transparency and control in the handling of detainees.
What is Custody Records?
The Custody Records system is a British model of electronic recording and control of actions taken in relation to persons who are detained or held in custody. It includes video recording of all processes that take place with detainees – from the moment of arrest to their stay in a temporary holding room. Every step taken by police officers in relation to detainees is documented, which helps to ensure their rights and protect law enforcement officers from false accusations.
This project was initiated by the National Police of Ukraine with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation, the Ukrainian Legal Aid Foundation and the Expert Centre for Human Rights. It aims to bring the Ukrainian law enforcement system closer to European human rights standards.
Why is this necessary?
The introduction of Custody Records has several important goals:
– To provide legal guarantees for detainees, which minimises the risk of violations of their rights.
– Reduce the likelihood of conflicts between detainees and law enforcement officers by ensuring more open interaction.
– To protect police officers from unfounded accusations of violations and unlawful acts in the course of their duties.
How does it work in practice?
At the presentation of the new system, the attendees were shown the algorithm of police actions on the example of detaining a suspected offender. From the moment the offender was brought to the police station to his interview and placement in a temporary holding room, each stage was demonstrated and commented on. The video recording took place continuously, which made it possible to clearly show how Custody Records affects the rights of detainees and the transparency of police actions.
How Custody Records works in practice
Effectiveness of the system in other regions
In those regions of Ukraine where the Custody Records system has already been implemented, it demonstrates high results. In other regions, there has been a reduction in the number of conflicts and complaints about police actions, as well as an improvement in detainee conditions. Now Zaporizhzhia has joined the system to strengthen human rights protection in the region.
What’s next.
Zaporizhzhia police plans to continue implementing the latest international standards of work aimed at protecting human rights. ‘Custody Records is only the first step towards a complete transformation of police units towards more transparent and responsible operations.
The introduction of such innovations is intended to change the perception of policing and strengthen public trust in law enforcement.
Source: Media Locator
