Did you know that no young person under the age of seventeen can be interviewed at a police station without a parent or guardian? If a parent or guardian is not available, a registered Independent Person must be called to ensure that the young person's rights are protected.
This program has recruited a pool of adults who are willing to act as Independent Persons for police interviews with young people. The Independent Person will sit in on the interview with police if no guardian is available for the young person. This is to ensure that the young person has an independent, adult witness to proceedings, who will make sure their best interests are met.
Staff work closely with police on a regional and station-by-station basis, ensuring that all the adults in the program are appropriately registered as volunteers with Independent Person Program and have passed an appropriate police record check. This service provides appropriate training for these volunteers.