The Department of Home Affairs is seeking Tynwald approval to start work on the construction of a new custody block at Police Headquarters.
Minister Juan Watterson MHK will ask Members to support capital funding of £2.8 million at the July sitting of Tynwald.
Subject to permission being granted, the development would replace the existing facilities, which have reached the end of their operational life after more than 40 years of service.
The scheme is a key part of the Department’s strategy to consolidate all Douglas detention facilities into one location. This will help to improve efficiency and allow the Isle of Man Constabulary to vacate the Lord Street site – freeing it up for potential development.
It also continues the Department’s efforts to achieve additional revenue savings through capital investment in its infrastructure.
Minister Watterson said:
‘The new block has become necessary to meet the ever more stringent demands of safer detention. In the modern custody setting, the current facilities have become increasingly unfit for purpose.’
He added:
‘Subject to Tynwald approval, the proposed development will be designed and constructed to the latest specifications for police custody units and provide enhanced facilities for healthcare and legal advisers. This will enable better working practices and remove the need for overflow units to be opened at times of peak demand, reducing staffing costs in terms of overtime requirements.’
If the scheme gets the go-ahead, work on the new custody block would start in August 2014, with a scheduled completion date in March 2015.
