Women and girls urged to come forward as inquiry opens into treatment in police custody
29.09.2023 - 13:47
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
An independent inquiry into the treatment of women and girls in Greater Manchester Police custody has issued an open appeal for others to come forward and share their experiences.
The Baird Inquiry - led by Dame Vera Baird KC and set to result in a report later this year - will focus on strip searches, intimate searches and clothing removal and replacement, its was announced in July.
The inquiry is also expected to assess what care is given to women and girls in custody, and how complaints are dealt with.
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The police watchdog is continuing an investigation into a complaint made by a woman about the treatment she received in custody at a Greater Manchester police station. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said it received two referrals from the force on July 26 regarding allegations made by the woman about her detention in Salford in February, 2021.
The woman, and two others, have accused the force of unjustified strip searches.
Dame Vera, a former police and crime commissioner and national victims' commissioner, said today she wants to hear from any further women and girls about their experience in these areas, including any examples of any removal and replacement of clothing in GMP custody.
The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, and Deputy Mayor for Police, Crime, Fire and Criminal Justice, Kate Green, commissioned the independent Inquiry following a Sky News investigation into the experiences of three women in GMP custody.
As well as looking into the cases featured on Sky News, Dame