Guidance

Electronic monitoring devices: installation and removal (accessible version)

Updated 6 February 2023

Detention Services Order 05/2014

January 2023

Document details

• Process: To provide instructions on the steps to be taken when individuals enter an immigration removal centre, short-term holding facility or pre-departure accommodation wearing an electronic tag.
• Implementation date: July 2014 (reissued January 2023).
• Review date: January 2025.
• Version: 4.0.

Contains mandatory instructions

• For action: Home Office staff and suppliers operating in immigration removal centres, short-term holding facilities and pre-departure accommodation.
• For information: Home Office caseworkers.
• Author and unit: Shadia Ali, Corporate Operations and Oversight Team.
• Owner: Head of Detention Operations.
• Contact point: Frances Hardy, Corporate Operations and Oversight Team.
• Processes affected: removal of electronic tags.
• Assumptions: N/A.
• Notes: N/A.

Instruction

Introduction

1. This detention services order (DSO) provides instructions on the steps to be taken when individuals wearing, or in possession of, an electronic monitoring device enter an immigration removal centre (IRC), residential short-term holding facility (RSTHF) or pre-departure accommodation (PDA). References to “centre” in this document cover IRCs, STHFs and PDA.

2. Two separate Home Office teams operate in IRCs:

• Immigration Enforcement Compliance Team (Compliance Team)
• Immigration Enforcement Detention Engagement Team (DET)

The Compliance Team are responsible for all on-site commercial and contract monitoring work. The DETs interact with detained individuals face-to-face within the IRCs, on behalf of responsible officers within the removal centres. They focus on communicating and engaging with people detained at IRCs, helping them to understand their cases and reasons for detention.

There are no DETs at RSTHFs, functions which are the responsibility of the DET in RSTHFs are carried out by the supplier and overseen by the Escorting Contract Monitoring Team (ECMT). In the Gatwick PDA the role of engagement with detained individuals is covered by the local Compliance Team.

Policy

3. Immigration bail can be granted subject to an electronic monitoring condition under paragraph 2(1)(e) or paragraph 2(3) of Schedule 10 to the Immigration Act 2016.

4. Where EM is a condition of bail individuals must be issued their EM devices at the point of release from IDE (or prison) by the EM supplier field monitoring officer (FMO) working on behalf of the Home Office. The detainee custody officer (DCO) will escort the EM supplier to the area in which they will be performing EM device installation (for example legal visits).

Purpose

5. The purpose of this instruction is to ensure that all electronic monitoring (EM) devices are removed from detained individuals prior to removal from the UK, and to ensure such devices are removed when no longer permitted or required.

This instruction will also ensure that all EM devices are issued and installed correctly where a person is being released from immigration detention.

Procedures

6. The following GPS monitoring devices are being introduced:

• Fitted devices (ankle tags) with a Home Office issued mobile phone (low specification, without camera or Wi-Fi technology).
• Non-fitted devices, which are detachable but will require the person to submit daily fingerprint biometric data verification at random intervals; these devices are also issued with a mobile phone as described above. This may be issued in rare circumstances where an ankle tag is deemed unsuitable (where the device is available).

EM device issue (by EM supplier)

7. The Home Office appointed EM supplier will attend the IRC and issue EM devices to detained individuals upon their release. In the vast majority of cases an ankle tag will be fitted and a low specification mobile phone issued to the detained individual.

8. The EM installation appointments are scheduled and overseen by the Home Office EM Hub (part of FNO Returns Command, Borders and Enforcement). The EM Hub identify an appropriate date and time for EM induction upon release, schedule the EM supplier, and notify the relevant DET by sending necessary bail / release paperwork for service in advance. The EM Hub will endeavour to provide 48 hours’ notice when scheduling EM induction appointments.

9. The EM supplier will access the IRC on foot, bringing with them their approved equipment as specified in the inventory. The EM supplier will comply with local IRC entry procedures and undergo all necessary searching procedures on arrival, before being escorted by IRC DCO to the area where they will issue devices (for example legal visits).

10. Prior to EM device issue, the detained individual must already have been informed of their release, served their immigration bail paperwork, and their immigration bail conditions explained to them by the local DET. After which, the detained individual should be presented to the EM supplier by the DCO.

11. Where the EM supplier is delayed without explanation for a scheduled EM appointment, or the appointment time slot may be missed, or the EM supplier cannot attend altogether, DCOs should contact the Home Office EM Hub urgently by telephone. The Home Office EM Hub will liaise with the EM supplier and decide next steps. An urgent situation may on occasion require IRC DCOs to contact the EM supplier directly. Contact details for the EM Hub and EM supplier will be held by the IRC supplier reception managers.

EM device removal

12. Occasionally, DCOs and other centre staff may encounter detained individuals who are still wearing a fitted device (tag) on the ankle, or who are in possession of a non-fitted device when they enter detention. A detained individual wearing a tag should also be in possession of a Home Office mobile phone. The non-fitted device and phone may already be stored within the detained individual’s property and efforts to identify and retrieve these should be made.

13. DCOs must ensure that any electronic devices are identified and removed from detained individuals at the point of reception into a centre.

14. The correct way to remove an electronic tag and the process for returning the tag to the appropriate contractor is as follows.

• Remove the tag from the detained individual’s ankle by making a single cut across the thin strap at the mid-point, so that the ends are still attached to the tag itself. This must be done with care to ensure the detained individual or the person removing the tag is not accidentally injured. A pair of safety scissors is the ideal tool for the situation.
• Having established that a Home Office mobile phone is in the tagged detained individual’s possession (sealed property bag), the DCO must remove the device from the property bag ensuring that property procedures are followed correctly: any broken seals and new sealed bags created must be recorded appropriately on relevant document records (e.g. person escort record) and internal systems such as CID.
• For a non-fitted device, where it is established that this is in the individual’s sealed property, the DCO must carefully remove ensuring that property and seal procedures are followed correctly as above.
• Once an ankle tag, non-fitted device or mobile phone is removed, DCOs must immediately record the device serial number against the detained individual’s personal information on the EM device uninstall document (see Annex A).
• The DCO should complete the EM device uninstall document which captures details of any ankle tag, mobile phone, or non-fitted device removed: serial number, date, time, location of removal, DCO name who removed, person EM devices removed from, Home Office reference numbers. This can be done electronically or manually on a printed copy. Please see Annex A for the EM device uninstall document.
• Once completed, the DCO should email a copy of the EM device uninstall document to the Home Office EM Service Delivery Team, whose email address can be found via your on-site DET or IRC reception manager

15. Once removed, the devices should be placed in a sealed security (cash valuable) bag with a copy of the completed EM device uninstall document. The security bag should be placed in an envelope with a printed label on it to be returned via freepost to the EM supplier at ‘FREEPOST, EMS stores’ and posted as soon as possible to ensure devices may be cleaned and recirculated for use swiftly.

16. The removal of the devices must be recorded within the detainee transferable document (DTD) in accordance with DSO 01/2019 Detainee escort records. DCOs should save a copy of the Home Office device uninstall document to the DTD, individual’s detention file, and the supplier’s local information management system.

17. The onsite Compliance Team and DET at the centre should be notified via part C by the supplier once the monitoring device (tag or non-fitted device ) or Home Office mobile phone is removed, the DET will then update ATLAS and the case information database (CID) with the details provided.

Revision history

Review date: January 2023

• Reviewed by: T. Amisu.
• Review outcome: Updated to reflect the expansion of GPS electronic monitoring into Scotland and Northern Ireland.
• Next review: January 2025.

Review date: April 2022

• Reviewed by: S. Ali.
• Review outcome: Inclusions of DET and compliance teams and team responsibilities.Updated guidance on sealing tags, local recording requirements. Updated guidance on forwarding sealed tags via post.
• Next review: April 2024.

Review date: December 2016

• Reviewed by: E. Jarvis.
• Review outcome: general update and reformat.
• Next review: December 2018.

Annex A: EM device uninstall document

EM device uninstall (includes collection of mobile phone by IRC staff upon detention)

1. Date:

2. Time (24hr):

3. IRC location:

3a. IRC officer’s name

First name:
Surname:

4. Monitored person’s name

First name:
Surname:

5. DOB:

6. Nationality:

7. Home Office reference:

8. Type of monitoring device uninstalled (fitted / non-fitted):

9. Serial number of monitoring device:

10. Mobile phone received (fitted device only: Y / N)

11. Mobile phone serial number:

12. Mobile phone telephone number:

13. Mobile phone SIM number: