Since 1is October, video surveillance in police custody cells is no longer automatic and has even become an exception, a consequence of the alignment of French law with European law. From now on, cameras can only be used if the person in custody represents a real danger to others.
“In fifteen minutes, things can happen”
For Robert Montury, UNSA-Police departmental delegate and chief brigadier within the National Police, this decision complicates the work of the police: “It is a radical decision which no longer allows filmed surveillance of cells,” he confirms. Because to alleviate this situation, “staff must go and see the cells every fifteen minutes. But in fifteen minutes, things can happen,” he denounces.
At the Lons-le-Saunier police station, where the chief brigadier works, “there are four cells with, normally, one person in each of them. But sometimes there can be two. So what do we do if in the fifteen minute interval there is an attack? Or if someone feels unwell? We are endangering the lives of civil servants and people in cells.”
Especially since while the person comes to do his surveillance rounds, “there is no longer anyone to answer the 17 or the radio. And ultimately, this person dedicated to surveillance can no longer be on the ground, which can limit our patrols in the city”, adds the UNSA-Police departmental delegate who observes that “the Ledonians notice that we take longer to intervene . They also sometimes receive the response “no crew available”. Because the second emergency police crew is broken to allow this rotation. This is also one of the consequences of this decision.”
