The Zaporizhzhia District Police Department has implemented 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 activities and ensure transparency and control over the treatment of detainees.
What is Custody Records?
The Custody Records system is a UK model for the electronic recording and monitoring of actions taken in relation to people who are detained or held in custody. It involves the video recording of everything that happens to prisoners – from the moment they are arrested until they are held in a temporary holding cell. Every step taken by police officers in relation to detainees is documented, helping 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 objectives:
- Provide legal safeguards for detainees, minimising the risk of violations of their rights.
- To reduce the likelihood of conflict between detainees and police officers by ensuring more open interaction.
- To protect police officers from unfounded allegations of violations and unlawful acts in the performance of their duties.
How does it work in practice?
During the presentation of the new system, the audience was shown the algorithm of police action using the example of the arrest of a conditional 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 was continuously recorded, which made it possible to demonstrate how Custody Records affects the rights of detainees and the transparency of police actions.
Effectiveness of the system in other regions
In those regions of Ukraine where the Custody Records system has already been implemented, it has shown good 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 the conditions of detainees. Now Zaporizhzhya has joined the system to strengthen human rights protection in the region.
What’s next?
The Zaporizhzhia police plan to continue implementing the latest international standards of work to protect human rights. Custody Records is only the first step in a complete transformation of police units towards more transparent and accountable operations.
The introduction of such innovations is intended to change the perception of police work and strengthen public trust in law enforcement.
Source: Media Locator
