Independent Custody Visitors (ICVs) are members of the local community who volunteer to visit police stations unannounced to check on the treatment and welfare of people held in police custody.

ICV recommendations can require the police to make improvements for the welfare of detainees. Working as part of a local panel, they play a valuable role in maintaining public confidence in this important area of policing by making sure that detainees are treated well.

Each Police and Crime Commissioner has a legal obligation to make arrangements for a custody visiting scheme to operate in its area. In London, the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) holds overall responsibility for the scheme’s management and administration. ICVs are volunteers from within the community and the scheme is independent of the Metropolitan Police Service.

ICVs volunteer to visit police stations unannounced to check on the treatment and welfare of people held in police custody.