Everything's crossed

I meant to post on this a while back, but there were a few things happening that made me forget.

We are exceptionally lucky in Toy Town™ to have this facility and I, along with many of my colleagues and A&E staff, will be keeping our collective fingers (and toes) crossed it maintains its funding.

Police Officers will readily understand how much easier it is and safer to drop off your D&I custody into the hands of trained staff who have proper facilities for looking after 'drunks.' Not only that, but there's only one form to fill in and no report. Repeat that last bit slowly to take it in properly! Wizzo.

Custody Officers (that would be me occasionally) will appreciate the relief of not having to take care of drunk and incapables, being as they can be one of the highest risks in police care.

For those not Job, then I can only explain it by saying that D&I's would be a royal pain in the posterior, but for this facility. My colleagues up further north who don't have the same luxury will tell you just how much they envy us toonsers. To get the picture, here's the two contrasting scenarios and the possible consequences. Now decide if the designated place is worth funding?

1 - Present set up.

A Drunk and Incapable individual (could be a wino or YOU after a heavy night out!) is technically arrested for a contravention of Section 50 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, and conveyed to Albyn House. Here two staff take over his/her care and breathalyse the stocious 'een. If the reading is too high then it's off to A&E. If it's too low then the 'drunk' is suitably chastised for seeking a warm bed and put on their way. Otherwise they get a bed and time to sober up in a room with high tech monitoring equipment and care from non Polis persons which reduces any conflict that might occasion itself in Police cells. A brief property form and details are completed and a copy kept by the Polis and staff at Albyn House. I drive off into the sunset!

2 - Without Albyn House.

Arrest stocious 'een and convey to Polis Station. Go through time consuming rigmarole of booking custody in. Mop up pavement pizza, urine etc that drunk effuses in waiting area, cell etc . Search custody and his/her usually minging clothing. Custody staff watch drunk like a hawk as the statistical incidence of choking/death etc. with drunks is very high - ask any custody officer if he is happy to have a D&I in the cells. Raise crime report, knowing that the soak will be released without charge when sober, but hey we need a crime report don't we. This is all supposing the cheery custody officer goes as far as accepting your custody rather than telling you to foxtrot oscar over to A&E first to get the staff there to say the stocious 'een is fit to be detained in Polis cells. Let's not forget the drunk is a custody so you can expect to wait for him/her to be seen and we all know how hard pressed A&E staff are. Don't expect to be back on the streets in a hurry!

I might add that if the stocious 'een ends up in Polis custody, he/she does not get the after care that is, at the very least, offered at Albyn House.

I would be interested to hear if any other Polis bloggers have a similar service in their area and also their views on the matter.

UPDATE: Good News

© Mr Plod
Published by Toy Town™ Times