Custody Note for Freelance Police Station Reps
Freelance police station representatives handle back-to-back callouts, often at unsociable hours, across multiple custody suites. Custody Note gives you structured attendance note templates that work offline, export to PDF in one click, and include LAA billing fields, so you can complete your notes on-site instead of writing them up from memory at home.
If you're a freelance accredited representative covering duty work for multiple firms, you already know the problem: you finish a custody attendance at 2am, drive home, and face a blank Word document that needs to become a defensible attendance note before the firm opens in the morning. The details are fresh now, but they won't be by lunchtime. Custody Note closes that gap with structured fields you complete during the attendance, not afterwards.
The freelance rep workflow
A typical shift starts with a call from the DSCC or a firm. You get a name, a station, and an allegation. You drive. At the custody suite you navigate booking in, disclosure, consultation, and interview, sometimes for one client, sometimes for three in a row across two stations. Each attendance needs its own complete record, and each firm may have slightly different expectations for what they want to see.
Custody Note fits into that pattern because it doesn't assume you're sitting at a desk. You open a new record on your laptop in the car park, enter the basic details you already have, and work through each section as the attendance unfolds. By the time you leave the station, the skeleton of the note is done. Export the PDF, email it to the instructing firm, and move on.
Pain points Custody Note addresses
- Writing up notes from memory: the biggest risk for freelance reps is reconstructing events hours later. Structured sections prompt you to record details in real time: when legal advice was offered, what disclosure was provided, what the client said in consultation, and the interview outcome.
- Inconsistent formats across firms: when you work for five different practices, each with its own expectations, maintaining consistent quality is difficult. Custody Note provides a uniform structure that meets the standard any firm or auditor would expect, regardless of who instructed you.
- Billing errors and missed time: LAA billing depends on accurate time recording. If you forget to note when you arrived, when you waited, or when the interview started, the claim is weaker. Built-in time and billing fields capture these details as part of the workflow, not as an afterthought.
- No reliable internet at the station: custody suites are notorious for poor connectivity. Cloud-based tools fail exactly when you need them. Custody Note works offline: your encrypted database lives on your laptop, and nothing requires an internet connection to create, edit, or export a note.
- No IT department: freelance reps don't have a firm helpdesk. Custody Note installs in minutes on any Windows 10+ machine, requires no server configuration, and stores data locally with AES-256 encryption.
Features that matter for freelancers
- Structured templates for PACE custody attendances, voluntary interviews, and telephone advice, with each section guided so you don't miss critical details at 3am.
- PDF export: produce a professional attendance note you can email to any firm, in the same format every time.
- LAA billing fields: claim type, travel time, waiting time, attendance time, and disbursements captured at source.
- Works offline: works without Wi-Fi, 4G, or any network connection. Sync later if you enable cloud backup.
- AES-256 encryption: client data is encrypted on your device. No third-party access.
- Quick Capture: log incoming calls and instructions as they arrive, before you even leave the house.
- Email templates: send disclosure requests, bail confirmations, and officer correspondence from pre-built templates without switching applications.
Working for multiple firms
Freelance reps typically cover work for several practices. Custody Note lets you organise records by instructing firm, so you can filter and export notes per firm when it comes to billing. The structure of the note itself stays consistent, only the instructing party and reference fields change. This means Firm A and Firm B both receive attendance notes of the same professional standard, without you maintaining separate Word templates for each.
Billing and LAA claims
Accurate billing starts at the station, not at the end of the month when you're trying to piece together which attendances lasted how long. Custody Note's billing fields capture arrival time, waiting time, consultation time, interview duration and travel, set out so that when you (or the firm) prepare the LAA claim, the supporting detail is already there. For more on how attendance notes support legal aid billing, see attendance notes for legal aid billing.
Getting started
Custody Note runs on Windows 10 or later (64-bit). Download the Free during beta with full functionality, no credit card required. A Pro plan, at around £9.99 a month, is planned after beta. You can't buy it yet. If you're already using a different tool or paper notes, see Custody Note for police station reps for a broader overview, or police station rep software for how dedicated tools compare to general-purpose note apps.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need internet access to use Custody Note?
No. Custody Note works offline. Your encrypted database is stored locally on your laptop. You can create, edit, and export attendance notes without any internet connection. Cloud backup is optional.
Can I use Custody Note for multiple firms?
Yes. You can record the instructing firm on each attendance and filter or export notes by firm. The attendance note structure remains the same regardless of which practice instructed you.
Does Custody Note handle LAA billing?
Custody Note includes billing fields for claim type, time recording, travel, waiting, and attendance. These fields support your LAA claim preparation but don't submit claims directly. That stays with your firm or your own CCMS access.
Is it just for PACE custody attendances?
No. Custody Note includes templates for PACE custody attendances, voluntary interviews under section 29, and telephone advice. Each template is adapted to the specific requirements of that attendance type.
What happens when Pro launches?
Custody Note is free while it's in beta. Your data stays on your device, encrypted and intact. Pro is planned to add cloud backup, sync, and firm reporting. Download Custody Note to get started.