Longsight will be the largest custody site in Greater Manchester and will be one of the most modern in the country.
It is the first custody site in the country to introduce an airport-style scanner, with a focus on safety and dignity for staff and detainees.
The Longsight facility – which was last open in 2019 – is the first custody site in the country to introduce an airport-style scanner, with a focus on safety and dignity for staff and detainees. It represents our ongoing commitment to be the best police force for the people of Greater Manchester.
The three-year project has been delivered on budget and has been rebuilt into a modern, innovative facility fit for the future to mark GMP’s continued improvement in custody provision since 2023.
will have dedicated spaces for young people on the unfortunate occasions where they are required to come to custody, provisions in cells for neurodivergent detainees, CCTV and phoneline in every cell, and a skylight in the main part of the building to allow for more natural light to enter the facility for the wellbeing of staff.
The technology in the site gives us the ability to help try to speed up the efficiency of the criminal justice system by trialling first court hearings remotely from Longsight custody, rather than suspects needing to be transported to court for their initial appearance after being charged.
With 44 cells, Longsight will more than double the cell capacity in the city of Manchester once it officially opens on Thursday and help manage the increased proactivity of police teams across GM which has led to arrests more than doubling since 2021 and helped to achieve greater outcomes for victims.
Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson QPM said: “The opening of Longsight represents a major milestone in GMP’s journey to become the best police force for the people of Greater Manchester.
“It offers us more space to put suspects and keep the public safe, more safety for our staff and detainees, and a more modern and efficient facility to help GMP continue its improvements in custody provision.
“We have invested significantly in leadership and infrastructure to transform our custody service from being one of concern in 2023, to being one of policing’s leaders in 2026. This means those who need to come into our custody, or those who work so hard in our custody, can do so with the safety and dignity they should expect.
“The proactive police work and crime-fighting across our city-region have seen arrests more than double since 2021, leading to more justice for victims and less crime in our communities. It has therefore been crucial that we continue to give our officers and staff the facilities we need to help continue keeping the public safe.”
Deputy Mayor for Safer and Stronger Communities Kate Green said: “The opening of the new Longsight custody suite is an important step in Greater Manchester’s work to ensure custody is safe, modern and delivered with dignity and respect.
“This facility has been designed with the wellbeing of staff and detainees at its heart, including dedicated provision for young people and neurodivergent detainees, and it will help GMP continue to improve the service it provides to the public. It is also supported by new technology, with GMCA funding the purchase of the airport-style scanner technology being used as part of this work.
“I also want to pay tribute to Greater Manchester’s Independent Custody Visitor Scheme, which has been awarded Gold Standard status in recognition of the excellent, proactive and independent monitoring of police custody carried out by volunteers. Their visits play a vital role in helping to ensure detainees are treated with respect and dignity.”
