Dear Maggie
Thank you for sending your email on behalf of some of the members.
All the emails are being read by the LCCSA Committee and they will update you as soon as they can.
Please bare in mind that the Committee are all practising solicitors and extremely busy in the run up to the Christmas break.
With Kind Regards
Sara
From: members@mail.lccsa.org.uk <members@mail.lccsa.org.uk> On Behalf Of Maggie Frame
Sent: 21 December 2021 15:07
To: Sara Boxer <sarsboxer@gmail.com>
Cc: members@mail.lccsa.org.uk
Subject: Remote interviews/redesign of custody suites to ensure consultation rooms/interview rooms are Covid friendly
Dear Sara,
For the Attention of the Committee,
Many members are anxious about what will happen next in relation to attending police stations.
In writing to you it is not to criticise anyone but to hopefully assist you all to fix this mess which we all accept is caused by the police and their ridiculous attitude at this time.
I am writing to find out if the ideas being shared are being considered? It may be that we can contribute to get someone into police stations to check out just how Covid friendly they are; to make some recommendations.
It is suggested that failing that we take pictures of what is happening and provide them to an independent assessor. There may be issues with this. We all realise this.
I appreciate the committee may all be busy with their firms and trying to work out the best way to proceed.
We know that the Law Society does not support it and supports the temporary move back to earlier protocol and that the LCCSA and CLSA are against it and so what will happen next?
This is an emergency situation that must be dealt with as a matter of urgency. There is no time !
Our members are being put at risk each time they are forced to go to police stations against their better judgement.
The police are busy making us look ridiculous by insisting we wear aprons etc. as mentioned in various emails so their answer to us not wishing to go to their police station due to the surge in Omicron infections is to force us to attend and make us wear protective clothing which cannot solve the problem that Covid is an airborne virus whilst they go mask less ensuring there is no reduction in the risk to us.
Also in you deliberations as to what your next move will be please ensure that any future Proposal take into account those who cannot attend police station due to health conditions or being immune suppressed and that parts of protocol 4 in relation to those requiring an AA must be incorporated.
I think if this virus is going to keep hitting us all in different variants it might be time to ensure police stations are redesigned to ensure they can handle what is now becoming an ongoing issue we have to live with. If we all were separate in our own safe pods; that’s clients, police, solicitors and others in attendance we would not be breathing the same air and so would be much less likely to catch the virus; even if one of the attendees had the virus but was showing no symptoms.
This is not something that is cost prohibitive. I checked this out with the law society. That way we are all happy and safe and we will feel safe at the police station. We are in police station and our client can see and hear us when in consultation or interview but we are all safe as not breathing the same air. I have been told that our client’s would find it difficult to trust us if behind a safe screen. It’s not a perfect solution but I really believe that it is ultimately the only way forward at this time.
If we are indeed essential staff and need to attend police stations to ensure justice is served then we deserve to be protected as such so that we can carry out this essential service.
No one places any other essential workers in a situation that places them at unnecessary risk.
Unless the custody suites are adapted to keep everyone separate they will simply never be Covid 19 safe or safe in relation to any other airborne virus.
Long term, living with Covid 19 may mean some changes need to be adopted and used. I am sure client’s would prefer this to us turning up dressed in the ridiculous outfit the police are providing and some stations are making the police wear this too.
What a waste of money; it does not make anyone safer.
Also if you really expect us to try and use exception 3 in protocol 4 we will need some backing more than just the little announcement you made. It would help if it was our decision as to what was safe as whilst it is up to the custody sergeant we will simply be told their police station is fine and they have some protective clothing for us to wear so it’s not an issue; this exception in its present form is a waste of time and is unusable.
Awaiting your reply or any information.
Thank you!
Margaret Frame ( Partner )
Brooke Lavington Law
17 – 21 George Street
Croydon
Surrey
CR0 1LA
Telephone : 07939 088264
Email : maggie@brookelavingtonlaw.co.uk
Secure email : margaret.frame@bll.cjsm.net
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