EVERY week of the year, day and night, a group of people spend time behind bars in police cells across the Black Country.

However, these people have done nothing wrong; they haven’t been arrested – in fact they volunteer to go there of their own accord.

These are the custody visitors; a team of local people, made up of a wide range of ages and backgrounds, who ensure that those in police custody are being treated properly and fairly.

But there are a lack of people from Stourbridge, Dudley and Halesowen doing this job, meaning the Police and Crime Commission is launching a recruitment drive to find more volunteers from Dudley borough.

West Midlands PCC David Jamieson said: “Custody visiting is very much an unsung community service which safeguards both the detainee and the police.

“It's also a highly responsible and privileged role, in that very few members of the public have access to the custody environment."

The scheme was introduced after the Brixton riots of 1981, with the aim of increasing public confidence in the police, providing transparency into what happens in police stations and making sure that suspects' treatment is appropriate.

Mr Jamieson added: “No matter what crime an individual is accused of, our justice system has a clear set of rules regulating how someone should be treated whilst in police custody and thanks to our dedicated group of custody visitors, the public can have the reassurance that the force is upholding the high standards we expect from them.”

To qualify as a custody visitors, volunteers should be over 18-years-old, of good character and have no police or legal links. They also need to be able to make unbiased observations and also have spare time, as volunteers are asked to commit to one visit, which last about one hour on average, every five to six weeks.

Once trained, the volunteers – who are unpaid but are able to claim reasonable expenses for travel, visit police custody suites unannounced and in pairs.

For more information about the scheme, visit www.westmidlands-pcc.gov.uk, or to apply before the closing date of December 11 call Paul Norton on 0121 626 6060, or email p.norton@west-midlands.pnn.police.uk