Police benefit from Vistamatic protection
Tuesday, 19 August 2008 00:00
A new £7.5m Divisional Police Headquarters for the Lincolnshire Police Authority in Grantham is to benefit from the unique protection provided by the original vision panel from UK manufacturer VISTAMATIC. The visually striking new building employs several models of the pioneering device, created to provide optimum safety and observation for any interior door, which is constantly specified for a broad spectrum of high-security environments due to its unique combination of simplicity and utility. The extensive project will provide over 4000m2 of state-of-the-art accommodation, including a three-storey office and administration building and a single-storey custody suite with a 14-cell capacity. A single-storey storage and garage area have also been created, as well as external works including access roads, car parking and landscaping. It was officially opened in April 2008 by Prince Edward.
The new centre was built by designer and main contractor Allenbuild Midlands during a 60 week construction programme, and features 15 VISTAMATIC panels installed in the doors of intox, detox, photo & fingerprint rooms / custody suites / incident, interview and waiting rooms. Each panel measures 300mm x 300mm x 23mm and includes 7.4mm laminated glass on both sides. Designed to allow discreet observation without disturbance, the panels enable controlled access to and from these secure areas. Featuring a uniquely innovative design, all VISTAMATIC Vision Panels operate on a simple mechanism: three layers of glass sheet, featuring opaque horizontal bands, are placed on top of each other within a single panel frame. The centre sheet is designed to move freely, and when lifted via a simple lever mechanism or knurled knob, the view through the vision panel is obscured. When the panel is in the ‘closed’ position, it will indicate that privacy is required within the interview rooms, so personnel wishing to enter know to knock and wait. Panels can also be left in the ‘open’ position if desired, allowing clear vision in and out.
Dave Wright of Allenbuild said: “VISTAMATIC Vision Panels were specified for Grantham Justice Centre because of their well-established record of providing reliable security, privacy and protection in sensitive environments for clients such as the MOD, NHS and the prison service. They provide a practical solution for environments like this, where opening of doors should be kept to a minimum, or where it would be an advantage to see before physically entering or leaving a room.”
Project manager Inspector Barry Steele explains: “Our old station was no longer able to deal with the demands of modern policing, and did not comply with the latest Home Office advice on safety and security. With the new facility we now have safer detention of prisoners in an environment designed to cope with these demands. We have a duty of care to look after the welfare of everybody in the custody suite and these vision panels have provided invaluable assistance in helping us to achieve this.”