More efficient extradition processes called for in latest NCA inspection

The National Crime Agency (NCA) has made progress since its initial inspection, according to a report published today by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC).

HMIC carried out two inspections of the NCA:

  • Progress against the March 2015 report; and
  • An inspection of the United Kingdom International Crime Bureau (UKICB).

Get the reports

National Crime Agency – a progress report

An inspection of the United Kingdom International Crime Bureau

HM Inspector of Constabulary Mike Cunningham said:

“On the whole, the picture is one of gradual improvement made by the NCA since our first inspection of them last year; the NCA has completed work on two of the four recommendations made. However we would have expected work to have been implemented by now on all recommendations and we will continue to monitor progress on these.

“We also looked at the NCA’s UKICB for the first time and found that it needs to improve thoroughness when checking whether criminals wanted in another country are resident in the UK, and in making the extradition process more efficient and effective.”

In March 2015 HMIC published its first inspection into the agency’s efficiency and effectiveness in which it found that there were four main areas in which it needed to improve. The NCA has addressed and completed two of the recommendations, but two recommendations remain outstanding:

  • developing strategic action plans; and
  • the process for oversight of these plans.

The United Kingdom International Crime Bureau was inspected for the first time and a number of recommendations for improvement have been made, in particular around staff training, working with Action Fraud on potential frauds reported through INTERPOL, data quality and developing processes for case management and risk management.

HMIC identified two areas which were of significant concern:

  • the lack of use of the Police National Database (PND); and
  • efficiency and effectiveness of extradition.

HMIC has recommended that the UKICB uses the PND in addition to its other checks when identifying whether a fugitive was present in the UK. The NCA has already taken steps to enhance its checks to incorporate accessing the PND.

Four recommendations are made on improving the extradition process when dealing with requests from countries which are not part of the European Arrest Warrant arrangement and HMIC calls for the NCA, the National Police Chiefs’ Council, Home Office, Ministry of Justice and Her Majesty’s Prison Service to establish a more efficient system for the transportation of extradited detainees.

The report into the UKICB contained 13 recommendations. The NCA was made aware of these findings in March 2016 and work is ongoing within the agency to address the recommendations. HMIC will re-inspect the NCA and its progress against all recommendations this year.

Get the reports

National Crime Agency – a progress report

An inspection of the United Kingdom International Crime Bureau

Notes

  1. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) is an independent inspectorate, inspecting policing in the public interest, and assesses and reports on the efficiency and effectiveness of police forces to tackle crime and terrorism, improve criminal justice and raise confidence. HMIC inspects all 43 police forces in England and Wales together with other major policing and law enforcement bodies.
  2. The NCA was created in October 2013 to lead the UK’s fight against serious and organised crime.
  3. For further information, HMIC’s press office can be contacted during office hours from 8:30am – 5:00pm Monday – Friday on 0203 513 0600.
  4. HMIC’s out-of-hours press office line for urgent media enquiries is 07836 217 729.