PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – force press releases

HMICFRS judged that Avon and Somerset Constabulary:

• is ‘good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• is ‘good’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• is ‘good’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘good’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Avon and Somerset Constabulary

HM Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams said:

“Avon and Somerset Constabulary is good at keeping people safe and reducing crime. It has performed well in this year’s effectiveness inspection and has made good progress since last year.

“The force is good at investigating crime and reducing re-offending. Better supervision and quality-assurance processes, and new electronic templates for gathering early evidence, are improving investigations. However, the force could do more to understand why victims do not support police action and cases cannot proceed to prosecution because of evidential difficulties.

“Avon and Somerset Constabulary is good at protecting vulnerable people from harm and supporting victims. Officers and staff understand how to identify vulnerable people and take positive safeguarding action. The force is good at identifying and supporting people who are experiencing mental ill-health. I would like to see the force improve its understanding of why its domestic abuse outcomes are not as good as those of other forces.

“The force is good at tackling serious and organised crime. It assesses, monitors and reviews threats from serious and organised crime, but would benefit from including more data from partner organisations in its serious and organised crime local profiles. It collaborates well with other agencies, such as the local authorities, health, fire and probation services, to help prevent organised crime. However, the force should improve its understanding of how its work affects serious and organised crime and ensure that it learns from experience, to maximise the force’s disruptive effect.

“Avon and Somerset Constabulary has the necessary arrangements in place to fulfil its national policing responsibilities and to respond to an attack which requires an armed response.”

Notes to editors:
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS judged that Bedfordshire Police:

• ‘requires improvement’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• ‘requires improvement’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• ‘requires improvement’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘good’ at tackling serious and organised crime

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Bedfordshire Police

HM Inspector of Constabulary Matt Parr said:
“Since our 2016 effectiveness inspection the force has made obvious progress in most areas, and we are pleased to see efforts being made to ensure that improvements continue throughout the force. However, further action is needed in a number of areas in order to provide the public with a fully effective service and to continue the positive trajectory of the force.

“The force needs to improve its approach to preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour. Although performance has improved since 2016, it needs to resource local policing teams fully and continue to develop staff skills in crime prevention and problem solving. I was encouraged to find that at the time of the inspection, the force was ahead of schedule with its resourcing plans, and that it is improving its understanding of what matters to local communities and its response to their needs.

“Our inspection found that although crimes are generally investigated to a good standard, the force could improve the timeliness of its initial response to victims. The force also needs to improve its approach to the examination of digital devices in support of investigations, and ensure arrested foreign nationals are subjected to checks for overseas convictions. It is making good use of intelligence, and victims are regularly updated as investigations progress. The force has a reasonable understanding of those who cause the most harm in communities, and has a good approach to reducing re-offending.

“The force must improve its ability to protect vulnerable people both in identifying them when they initially contact the police, and with the consistency of its risk assessments. The force does investigate most crimes involving vulnerable victims to a good standard. But officers and staff are dealing with unacceptably high workloads. Sickness absence rates have increased a little, which compromises the force’s ability to conduct high-quality investigations and provide the right support to victims.

“On serious and organised crime the force has done well. It has improved its understanding of organised crime threats, and works well with partner organisations to tackle organised crime groups, but it could do more to involve local policing teams to disrupt organised criminals. The force also needs do more to prevent serious and organised crime, for example by identifying and supporting young people who are at risk of being drawn into gang violence.”

Notes to editors

Following some forces’ poor performance in the ‘vulnerability’ elements of our 2016 effectiveness inspection, we committed to carrying out revisit inspections in 2017 to examine progress against the causes of concern and areas for improvement set out in our PEEL: Police effectiveness 2016 reports. The forces that we revisited were:

• Bedfordshire Police (inspection 12 – 13 April 17)
• Hertfordshire Constabulary (inspection 10- 11 April 17)
• Humberside Police (inspection 22 – 23 May 17)
• Nottinghamshire Police (inspection 5 – 6 June 17)

The results of these revisit inspections will be published alongside our Effectiveness reports released today.

Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS judged that Cambridgeshire Constabulary

• is ‘good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• ‘requires improvement’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• ‘requires improvement’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘good’ at tackling serious and organised crime

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Cambridgeshire Constabulary

HM Inspector of Constabulary Zoë Billingham said:

“This year I have judged Cambridgeshire Constabulary as ‘requiring improvement’ in how well it keeps people safe and reduces crime. We found that the force was underperforming in some important areas, but I am reassured that the force had identified these areas before the inspection began and was putting in place a new operating model designed to fix them.

“The force has made commendable efforts to respond positively to our inspection findings in 2016. I am encouraged by what I have seen, but as the force fully recognises, there is still more work to do.

“At the time of our inspection the force was experiencing unusually high levels of demand. We found that it did not always have enough response officers available to attend some emergency calls promptly. This has the potential to place victims at risk and the force took immediate steps to resolve the issue. The new operating model is expected to provide a long-term solution.

“On a much more positive note, I am especially impressed with the work the force is doing to support people with mental health conditions, finding new and innovative way to work with partners so people in mental health crisis can get the proper care and treatment they need.

“I recognise the considerable efforts that Cambridgeshire Constabulary has made to address areas for improvement. I am confident that the Chief Constable and his top team will continue to ensure that the areas for improvement that we have identified will be acted on.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS judged that Cheshire Constabulary:

• is ‘good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• is ‘good’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• is ‘good’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘good’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Cheshire Constabulary

HM Inspector of Constabulary Matt Parr said:
“Cheshire Constabulary continues to keep people safe and reduce crime effectively. The constabulary is good at protecting vulnerable people, and ensures that victims of domestic abuse are a priority. However, it should review its processes on scheduling appointments and provide better guidance to call handlers. Officers complete effective initial safeguarding at incidents but also need more consistent training and feedback on their vulnerable person assessments.

“The constabulary works well with others to address mental health problems across Cheshire. Officers are aware of relevant mental health issues, and the constabulary plans to give officers more training. Crimes involving vulnerable victims are investigated generally to a good standard, but there should be more documented use and supervision of investigation plans. The constabulary’s use of available legal powers to protect victims of domestic abuse is positive.

“Cheshire Constabulary is also good at tackling serious and organised crime, and has made good progress since our 2016 inspection. The constabulary has a very sound understanding of the threats that serious and organised crime pose. We found good involvement of regional specialists and local policing teams, with a focus on addressing the exploitation of young people travelling to other regions to commit offences.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS judged that City of London Police:

• is ‘good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• is ‘good’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• is ‘good’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘good’ at tackling serious and organised crime

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – City of London Police

HM Inspector of Constabulary Matt Parr said:

“Since our 2016 effectiveness inspection the force has made good progress in the areas HMICFRS identified as requiring improvement. We are pleased to find this year that City of London Police is good across all elements of keeping people safe and reducing crime covered by our 2017 inspection.

“City of London Police has an effective approach to preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour. It has a comprehensive understanding of its local community and the threats and risks it faces. These feature in problem-solving plans, which are produced and implemented by officers and staff. I would like to see the force develop its understanding of the impact its activity has in the community, so it can deploy its resources where they are needed the most.

“The force has an effective system in place to identify vulnerable people. Risk assessments and investigations involving victims of domestic abuse are comprehensive, tailored to each victim, and regularly checked for quality. The force’s response to people with mental health conditions is good, and it works closely with other agencies on this.

“City of London Police has developed an effective system to identify, disrupt and investigate organised crime groups. It uses a wide range of intelligence sources to increase its understanding of serious and organised crime. The force works well with other agencies but needs to improve its approach to preventing serious and organised criminals from re-offending.

“Lastly, City of London Police has the necessary arrangements in place to fulfil its national policing responsibilities and to respond to an attack requiring an armed response as demonstrated during the London terrorist attacks of 2016. The force works closely with the Metropolitan Police Service and the British Transport Police to provide adequate public order capabilities for the London area.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS judged that Cleveland Police:

• is ‘good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• is ‘good’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• ‘requires improvement’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘good’ at tackling serious and organised crime

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Cleveland Police

HM Inspector of Constabulary Matt Parr said:

“I am pleased to report that Cleveland Police is good at keeping people safe and reducing crime. Since our 2016 effectiveness inspection the force has made progress in all the areas we inspected.

“Cleveland Police has an effective approach to reducing crime, tackling anti-social behaviour and keeping people safe. It prioritises and invests in preventing crime through its approach to neighbourhood policing, working with other organisations. The force has a good understanding of its communities and what matters to local people influences its identification of threat, risk and harm. It is good at tackling crime and anti-social behaviour with partner organisations.

“However, I still think Cleveland Police needs to improve how it protects vulnerable people, and in particular how it assesses risk. It is effective at identifying vulnerability: it answers calls promptly, treats victims with empathy and ensures their immediate safeguarding needs are addressed. Despite this initial good work, its needs to improve the quality of its the quality of risk assessments, which is currently unsatisfactory. The force does not refer all high-risk domestic abuse cases to a multi-agency risk assessment conference, and does not always refer standard and medium-risk cases quickly enough.

“On a more positive note, the force is generally good at investigating crimes involving vulnerable victims, although the outcomes it achieves for domestic abuse cases could be better. And more should be done to properly manage the risks posed by registered sex offenders. We found that the force works well with partner organisations to support vulnerable people with mental health problems.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS judged that Cumbria Constabulary:

• is ‘good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• is ‘good’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• is ‘good’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘good’ at tackling serious and organised crime

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Cumbria Constabulary

HM Inspector of Constabulary Matt Parr said:

“Cumbria Constabulary is good at keeping people safe and reducing crime. Since our 2016 effectiveness report, the constabulary has made progress in a number of areas.

“Our 2017 inspection found that the constabulary has effective processes to ensure that crimes are investigated thoroughly by well-trained officers and staff. The constabulary makes good use of intelligence and the forensic examination of digital evidence from mobile phones and computers to support investigations, and updates victims regularly as investigations proceed. The supervision of investigations has improved since our inspection last year. The constabulary understands those people and groups who cause the most harm in communities, and has measures in place to reduce re-offending. Although the constabulary has a daily emphasis on arresting the highest risk offenders, it also needs to ensure that lower risk offenders are being managed as effectively.

“HMICFRS is pleased to see improvements in how the constabulary protects vulnerable people, since our inspection in 2016. It has improved the consistency with which it identifies vulnerable people when they first contact the police, and has improved the standard of risk assessments which officers submit about vulnerable people and victims of domestic abuse. I would like to see this further improve in order to make best use of multi-agency partnership safeguarding.

“The constabulary is effective at tackling serious and organised crime. It has a good understanding of both local and national threats from organised crime, including newer threats such as modern slavery and cyber-crime. The constabulary has made progress in the way it manages organised crime groups, but it needs to do more to prevent serious and organised crime, and to deter people who are at risk of being drawn into organised criminal activity.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS judged that Derbyshire Constabulary

• is ‘good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour
• is ‘good’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• is ‘good’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘outstanding’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Derbyshire Constabulary

HM Inspector of Constabulary Zoë Billingham said:

“I am pleased that Derbyshire Constabulary is ‘good’ overall in terms of keeping people safe and reducing crime. The force’s grading of outstanding in tackling serious and organised crime is especially noteworthy.

“Derbyshire Constabulary has a consistent record of providing a good service to its communities. Frontline officers and staff, including those in the control room, are confident in their ability to recognise the signs that someone may be vulnerable and identify appropriate ways of safeguarding them.

“It’s good to see that Derbyshire Constabulary continues to work well with local authorities to support and safeguard vulnerable children and adults.

“I am especially impressed with the work the force is doing to support people with mental health conditions, finding new and innovative way to work with partners so people in mental health crisis can get the proper care and treatment they need. The force’s call handlers are trained to recognise mental health problems and are skilled in providing the best response to callers and frontline officers have access to expert medical advice when dealing with people with mental health problems.

“Derbyshire Constabulary should be commended for another strong performance in our effectiveness inspection this year. I know that the force is not complacent and that it strives to achieve continuous improvement in the way that it serves and protects communities across Derbyshire.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS found that Devon and Cornwall Police:

• is ‘good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• ‘requires improvement’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• ‘requires improvement’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘good’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Devon and Cornwall Police

HM Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams said:

“Devon and Cornwall Police requires improvement in how it keeps people safe and reduces crime. While its performance in some areas has deteriorated since 2016, in others it has made positive progress. Overall, the direction of travel is positive and force correctly concentrates its resources both on higher-risk victims and on the most harmful offenders as it tackles crime.

“The force has clear priorities to reduce harm and protect the most vulnerable people. These priorities are evident across all aspects of the organisation. The force recognises the need to improve and is making improvements, or has firm plans to do so, in several operational areas. These changes are positive and demonstrate the force’s commitment to improve how the force is organised and how it provides services to the public.

“The force is good at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour; the prevention of crime is a priority. Neighbourhood policing arrangements are well established, and the force works effectively with partner organisations. It is undertaking a broad review of its approach to crime prevention, community engagement and neighbourhood policing, and is designing a new way of providing these services. We look forward to evaluating their effect, once they are put into operation.

“The force requires improvement in some aspects of investigating crime and reducing re-offending. Call handlers are effective at spotting when callers may face harm, and the force determines its response by taking into account their perceived needs. In general, victims of crime continue to receive a good service and are well supported by committed officers and staff. However, in common with the national picture, the force is experiencing rising demand, which is undermining the quality of some subsequent investigations. This is also increasing pressure on the workforce and causing gaps in some aspects of policy adherence. In response, the force is redesigning its crime-recording and crime management processes. We found delays in the examination of digital devices, and this is affecting the quality of some investigations. Procedures for tracking and arresting wanted criminals also need to improve.

“The force requires improvement in some aspects of how it protects vulnerable people. The identification and protection of vulnerable people are priorities for the force. The force works constructively with other organisations to support people who have mental health problems. Overall, the force maintains a focus on the most harmful offenders and on protecting victims most at risk. However, the force needs to provide better support to officers and staff investigating crimes with vulnerable victims. The force also needs to improve its understanding of the way it protects some victims of domestic abuse. Similarly, body-worn video cameras are not yet used widely by all operational officers, which means that opportunities to gather evidence may be missed.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS found that Dorset Police:

• is ‘good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• is ‘good’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• is ‘good’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘good’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Dorset Police

HM Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams said:

“Dorset Police is good at keeping people safe and protecting them from harm. Our findings this year are consistent with those from HMICFRS’ 2016 effectiveness report, and the force is making good progress.

“Protecting vulnerable people is a priority for Dorset Police and it has a good understanding of the nature and scale of vulnerability throughout the county. Officers and staff are good at recognising vulnerability and assessing risk. This helps provide vulnerable victims with the support they need at the earliest opportunity.

“The high demand on police resources means that sometimes there are delays in responding to non-emergency calls that may involve vulnerable victims, which the force needs to address. The force has begun to restructure its operating model to improve its capacity and services.

“The force works well with partner organisations, such as local authorities, health or education services, and victim support groups. For example, it works with partners to plan and implement joint working practices to support people with mental health problems and to manage safeguarding risks to domestic abuse victims. The force is also effective in reducing the risk that sex offenders pose to the public.

“Dorset Police maintains high standards of crime investigation and provides a good service to victims. However, body-worn video cameras have not yet been provided to all operational officers. This means opportunities to gather evidence may be missed and police-led prosecutions, in cases where vulnerable victims are unwilling to give evidence, may be hindered.

“We are satisfied that Dorset Police has the necessary arrangements in place to fulfil its national responsibilities and to respond to an attack requiring an armed response.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS judged that Durham Constabulary:

• is ‘outstanding’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• is ‘good’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• is ‘good’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘outstanding’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Durham Constabulary

HM Inspector of Constabulary Matt Parr said:
“Overall, Durham Constabulary remains outstandingly effective at reducing crime and keeping people safe. It continues to provide high-quality services to its communities, as well as seeking to innovate and improve in many areas. Because of this continued high level of performance, we have only reassessed the constabulary in relation to how it protects vulnerable people and supports victims. In 2016, it was assessed as outstanding at preventing crime and tackling serious and organised crime and good as investigating crime and reducing reoffending.

“Durham Constabulary’s approach to protecting vulnerable people and supporting victims is good. It is good at identifying vulnerable people at the first point of contact, and staff reassess risk at regular intervals as incidents develop. We found an impressive level of understanding throughout the constabulary of what makes a person vulnerable and how they need to be supported. Officers provide a good service to victims when they initially respond to incidents. They understand how to safeguard victims and refer them to appropriate agencies for additional support when this is appropriate.

“The constabulary makes good use of preventative powers to protect victims of domestic abuse; investigations involving vulnerable victims are conducted to a good standard, although supervision should be better in less serious cases. Crimes are allocated to properly trained staff. The constabulary’s good relationships with partner organisations allow it to provide vulnerable people with a service that meets their specific needs, to manage offenders who pose the greatest risk and threat, and to provide diversionary schemes to reduce re-offending.

“Durham Constabulary has the necessary arrangements in place to help it to meet its responsibilities under the Strategic Policing Requirement, and to respond initially to an attack requiring an armed response.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS judged that Dyfed-Powys Police:

• is ‘good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• is ‘good’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• ‘requires improvement’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘good’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Dyfed-Powys Police

HM Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams said:

“Dyfed-Powys Police is good at keeping people safe and reducing crime. The force has made improvements since 2016, and HMICFRS is confident that these improvements will continue.

“The force is good at investigating crimes but there remains room for improvement. In most cases, the force attends incidents promptly and, when officers arrive at the scene, they take appropriate steps to identify and secure evidence.

“While it conducts thorough telephone investigations and investigates cases of fraud to a good standard, I would like to see the force improve the quality of handovers between teams. It also needs to improve the supervision of investigations.

“The force’s investigative capacity and capability are sufficient to cope with the demand for its services, and the force is good at keeping victims updated throughout an investigation.

“The force generally works well with partner organisations, such as local authorities and probation services, and makes good use of a variety of approaches to manage offenders. However, it does not have effective processes for monitoring offenders who are not yet detained, and re-offending rates are relatively high when compared to the average for other forces.

“Overall, Dyfed-Powys Police requires improvement in the way it protects vulnerable people. On a positive note, the force has a clear definition of vulnerability, and a plan for protecting vulnerable people. It is also good at identifying victims with mental health problems. The force could improve some aspects to ensure it investigates crimes involving vulnerable victims to a satisfactory standard. I would also like to see the force understand why its arrest rate for domestic abuse has fallen.

“Dyfed-Powys Police has the necessary arrangements in place to fulfil its national policing responsibilities, and to respond to an attack requiring an armed response.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS judged that Essex Police:

• is ‘good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• is ‘good’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• is ‘good’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘good’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Essex Police

HM Inspector of Constabulary Zoë Billingham said:

“I am very pleased that Essex Police continues to build on the impressive improvements it has made since 2015. It is now ‘good’ across the board in terms of keeping people safe and reducing crime. This is a good result for the force.

“The force focuses on preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour; every neighbourhood has a community policing team and they devote most of their time to preventing crime happening in the first place. It’s good to see the community safety hubs up and running where the police work effectively with partners, like local councils, to tackle the underlying causes of crime.

“Investigations are generally to a good standard, especially for complex crimes like serious sexual offences and child abuse. And I commend Essex Police’s considerable efforts to improve how it keeps vulnerable people safe.

“On a less positive note, I am concerned that the force is not complying with national guidelines for the management of low-risk registered sex offenders and has stopped all mandatory visits to them. I will be monitoring the force’s response closely.

“Overall, I am very encouraged by the progress the force has made and commitment that it demonstrates to improve further.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS judged that Gloucestershire Constabulary:

• ‘requires improvement’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• ‘requires improvement’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• is ‘good’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• ‘requires improvement’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Gloucestershire Constabulary

HM Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams said:

“Gloucestershire Constabulary requires improvement at keeping people safe and reducing crime, although it has made a great deal of progress since 2016.

“Gloucestershire Constabulary has improved its approach to preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour, but it still needs to improve the consistency of its good service in this area. Leaders have a clear vision for crime prevention which sets out the changes needed to improve services. Some of these changes have already been made, allowing neighbourhood officers to focus more of their time and effort on preventing crime and anti-social behaviour, rather than reacting after it has occurred. Officers and staff understand what matters to local communities and are responsive to their needs.

“The force should also address shortcomings in its investigation of crimes. It attends the majority of incidents promptly when this is appropriate, and generally makes informed decisions based on risk to victims. Most crimes are investigated to a satisfactory standard, however there are inconsistencies in the quality of investigations and in the supervision provided to investigators. We found that some cases are still being allocated to officers who do not have the right skills or experience, which sometimes means that victims do not receive the level of service that they should.

“The force is good at identifying vulnerable people effectively when they first contact the police. The force generally investigates crimes involving vulnerable victims to a good standard, and provides effective support to people with mental health conditions. However, it should improve its management of registered sex offenders.

“The force has made improvements in the way it responds to serious and organised crime since the last HMICFRS inspection in 2016. It has an improved understanding of organised crime threats and this is starting to have a positive effect on its ability to disrupt organised criminals. It is also good at identifying those who may be vulnerable to being drawn into serious organised crime or gang activity. However, it is not clear whether new structures and processes will lead to results, as there has not been sufficient time for the force to evaluate the effectiveness of its disruptive activity.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS judged that Greater Manchester Police:

• is ‘good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• ‘requires improvement’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• ‘requires improvement’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘outstanding’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Greater Manchester Police

HM Inspector of Constabulary Matt Parr said:

“Greater Manchester Police requires improvement at keeping people safe and reducing crime. Although the force has made progress in some areas since 2016, its approach to protecting vulnerable people has deteriorated. This is the main reason for our overall judgment moving from good to requires improvement.

“We recognise that demand on resources is high, with a significant increase in crime recording since the last inspection. Further action is therefore needed to ensure timely attendance, safeguarding of victims and evidence recovery at incidents involving vulnerable people. Greater Manchester Police needs to improve the way it investigates crime and how it protects those victims who are vulnerable.

“The force has effective processes in place to assess the risk within incidents and crimes at initial contact in its control room. These identify those people who are vulnerable, or have been repeat victims of crime and domestic abuse. However, once the level of risk and the response has been decided, the force has difficulty at times in allocating resources to attend those calls and meet that demand. This has an adverse impact on the initial investigation of crime, obtaining evidence at the scene, the potential for arresting offenders and safeguarding victims of crime. This is a cause of concern: it means victims are not always receiving the best service. Once officers attend incidents and crimes, the service to the public and safeguarding of victims improves.

“The force also needs to improve the quality of its investigations, particularly for non- complex offences. The quality of investigations into serious or complex offences is better, with good oversight and victim care. The force has effective processes to apprehend offenders and manage those who are most at risk of re-offending.

“The force’s effective partnership working with other organisations, such as local authorities or mental health services is also good. This means it is able to maintain continuing support and longer-term safeguarding for the people who have been identified as most vulnerable.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS found that Gwent Police:

• is ‘good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• is ‘good’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• ‘requires improvement’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• ‘requires improvement’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Gwent Police

HM Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams said:

“Gwent Police requires improvement in effectively keeping people safe and reducing crime. We have seen its general effectiveness at protecting vulnerable people deteriorate since our last inspection in 2016, but HMICFRS is confident the force will make the necessary improvements and perform better in future.

“The force is performing well in some areas. It has a good awareness of vulnerability throughout the force area and has improved the way it identifies vulnerable people when they first contact the force. A structured risk-assessment process is in place to ensure that vulnerable people get the most appropriate response. The force is also making good progress in its approach to vulnerable people with mental health conditions.

“The force needs to improve its response to victims of domestic abuse, however. Whereas officers are good at making sure immediate safeguarding is carried out for victims and members of their household, the force has reduced its use of arrest and other legal powers to protect and continue to safeguard victims. In addition, officers are not consistently using body-worn video cameras to record evidence at domestic abuse incidents.

“Gwent Police has improved the way it tackles serious and organised crime. The force has developed its understanding of the threats posed. It maps organised crime groups promptly and disrupts their activity. However, frontline officers have only a limited understanding of the expansion into Gwent of drug-dealing networks from surrounding areas.

“The force has a good working relationship with the regional organised crime unit but needs to improve the exchange of intelligence with partners so it can understand threats better. It also needs to improve how it prevents serious and organised crime. The force has no specific initiatives to make young people aware of the risks posed by organised crime.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS found that Hampshire Constabulary:

• is ‘good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• is ‘good’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• is ‘good’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘good’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Hampshire Constabulary

HM Inspector of Constabulary Zoë Billingham said:

“I commend Hampshire Constabulary for the progress it has made in addressing the areas for improvement we identified last year.

“I am delighted that the force is now ‘good’ across the board in all the areas we looked at. This is a very good result for Hampshire Constabulary. Communities across the county should be reassured that the force is achieving high levels of performance in terms of keeping people safe and reducing crime.

“Police officers and staff are busy but workloads are manageable. The force is good at investigating crime and makes sure that investigations are allocated to officers and staff with the right skills and experience. The quality of investigations is now more consistent although the force recognises that there is more to do.

“I am reassured that the force is focusing its efforts on protecting vulnerable people and this shows – officers and staff had a good understanding of when a person might be vulnerable. They work well with other partners, like local council and mental health charities to improve support for vulnerable victims.

“Hampshire Constabulary has done some excellent work to better understand why victims sometimes decline to support police action in bringing offenders to justice. Other forces could learn from this.

“I have been very impressed by the way the Chief Constable and her top team have gripped the issues we have identified in previous inspections. I especially commend the police officers, PCSOs and police staff working for Hampshire Constabulary for their hard work in achieving such good outcomes for their communities.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS found that Hertfordshire Constabulary:

• is ‘good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• is ‘good’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• ‘requires improvement’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘good’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Hertfordshire Constabulary

HM Inspector of Constabulary Zoë Billingham said:

“I am pleased that Hertfordshire Constabulary’s overall performance in effectively keeping people safe and reducing crime is ‘good’ again this year.

“The force has taken prompt and effective action to address problems that we found last year in how it supported vulnerable people. It is improving many aspects of this vitally important area of policing, although there is still more to do.

“I am pleased that the force is good at investigating crime. Initial investigations are sound, incidents are attended promptly, the force makes good use of intelligence and victims receive regular updates.

“Hertfordshire Constabulary has also made progress in improving the supervision and quality of investigations involving some rape victims and domestic abuse.

“I recognise the considerable efforts that Hertfordshire Constabulary has made to address areas for improvement and commend it for the quick progress it has made. I am confident that the Chief Constable and his top team will continue to ensure that the areas for improvement that we have identified will be acted on.”

Notes to editors

Following some forces’ poor performance in the ‘vulnerability’ elements of our 2016 effectiveness inspection, we committed to carrying out revisit inspections in 2017 to examine progress against the causes of concern and areas for improvement set out in our PEEL: Police effectiveness 2016 reports. The forces that we revisited were:

• Bedfordshire Police (inspection 12 – 13 April 17)
• Hertfordshire Constabulary (inspection 10- 11 April 17)
• Humberside Police (inspection 22 – 23 May 17)
• Nottinghamshire Police (inspection 5 – 6 June 17)

The results of these revisit inspections will be published alongside our Effectiveness reports released today.

Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS judged that Humberside Police:

• is ‘good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• ‘requires improvement’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• ‘requires improvement’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘good’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Humberside Police

HM Inspector of Constabulary Matt Parr said:

“Humberside Police’s overall approach to keeping people safe and reducing crime still requires improvement. Since our 2016 effectiveness report, the force has experienced major changes in its senior leadership team, including the appointment a new chief constable and, more recently, new deputy and assistant chief constables and an interim assistant chief officer.

“Although there is a lot of work to be done, I am encouraged that Humberside Police is making progress; in particular it now routinely identifies vulnerability at the first point of contact with victims. The force is also good at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour, and has a good understanding of the communities it serves.

“By contrast, the force’s approach to investigating crime and reducing offending should be better. Although the quality of investigations in the more serious and complex cases is generally good, more needs to be done to improve the supervision and quality of investigations for those relatively less serious, but routine crimes. The force should review its capacity to download evidence from digital devices; a backlog is causing undue delay to investigations. The force needs also to tighten up its procedures for tracking down criminals who are wanted for offences. More positively, the force has good procedures in place to deal with Humberside’s most prolific criminals.

“The force’s approach to protecting vulnerable people and supporting victims has improved, although more work remains to be done. Vulnerable people are now routinely identified at the first point of contact. However, the force is sometimes unable to match demand with available resources; this is detracting from the initial investigation of some crimes. Lastly, the force has a very good understanding of those suffering from mental ill-health and works well with partner agencies.”

Notes to editors

Following some forces’ poor performance in the ‘vulnerability’ elements of our 2016 effectiveness inspection, we committed to carrying out revisit inspections in 2017 to examine progress against the causes of concern and areas for improvement set out in our PEEL: Police effectiveness 2016 reports. The forces that we revisited were:

• Bedfordshire Police (inspection 12 – 13 April 17)
• Hertfordshire Constabulary (inspection 10- 11 April 17)
• Humberside Police (inspection 22 – 23 May 17)
• Nottinghamshire Police (inspection 5 – 6 June 17)

The results of these revisit inspections will be published alongside our Effectiveness reports released today.

Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS judged that Kent Police:

• is ‘good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• is ‘good’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• is ‘good’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘good’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Kent Police

HM Inspector of Constabulary Zoë Billingham said:

“I am pleased that Kent Police is ‘good’ across the board again this year in terms of keeping people safe and reducing crime. The force continues to go from strength to strength.

“I am impressed that the force is making good its promise to prioritise the service it provides to vulnerable victims. Kent Police has invested heavily in new investigators whose main job is to solve crimes involving vulnerable victims and to bring perpetrators to justice.

“It is good to see that Kent Police continues to work well with local authorities and charities to support and safeguard victims. I am especially impressed with the work the force is doing to support people with mental health conditions, finding new and innovative ways to work with partners so people in mental health crisis can get the proper care and treatment they need.

“The force is working hard to understand why some victims of domestic abuse do not support police action, and it is reducing the number of cases that are discontinued prematurely. This means it is more likely that perpetrators will be brought to justice.

“Kent Police should be commended for another strong performance in our effectiveness inspection this year. I know that the force is not complacent and that it strives to achieve continuous improvement in the way that it serves and protects communities across Kent.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS judged that Lancashire Constabulary:

• is ‘good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• is ‘good’’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• ‘requires improvement’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘good’ at tackling serious and organised crime

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Lancashire Constabulary

HM Inspector of Constabulary Matt Parr said:
“In general, Lancashire Constabulary is good at effectively keeping people safe and reducing crime. Our previous inspection in 2016 found that the constabulary was good at preventing and investigating crime, protecting vulnerable people and tackling serious and organised crime.

“Earlier this month, as part of our National Child Protection Inspection programme, we reported that there were improvements Lancashire Constabulary needed to make to better protect children from harm. The findings of that inspection have been considered in our assessment of the overall effectiveness of the constabulary at protecting vulnerable people and supporting victims. This, coupled with the other areas for improvement we have identified as part of this Effectiveness inspection, has resulted in our ‘requires improvement’ judgment for how the constabulary protects vulnerable victims.

“The constabulary has demonstrated a clear focus on vulnerability which leaders communicate to the workforce. It works well with partner organisations to achieve a well-developed understanding of vulnerability within the county. In general, officers and staff who respond first to vulnerable victims take effective safeguarding measures. However, recording of risk assessments and the quality of information that is supplied to the teams who provide longer-term support need to be improved.

“Lancashire’s public sector organisations have agreed that mental health is their main priority, and developed an action plan to co-ordinate services to support people who have mental health conditions. The constabulary has introduced a helpline to assist frontline officers in responding to incidents involving people with mental health concerns. However, at the time of our inspection this had not been fully implemented and there was limited awareness of it among members of the workforce. I am interested to see how this develops.

“In general, those who investigate serious crimes involving vulnerable people do so thoroughly and provide effective victim care. The constabulary should improve the supervision of investigations of less serious offences, particularly when a vulnerable victim is involved. At a local level there is excellent partnership working. Nine partnership hubs, located in the areas of greatest need, provide co-ordinated support to individuals, families and communities to resolve problems at the earliest opportunity.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS judged that Leicestershire Police:

• is ‘good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• is ‘good’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• is ‘good’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘good’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Leicestershire Police

HM Inspector of Constabulary Zoë Billingham said:

“I commend Leicestershire Police for the progress it has made in addressing the areas for improvement we identified last year.

“I am delighted that the force is now ‘good’ across the board in all the areas we looked at. This is a very good result for Leicestershire Police. Communities across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland should be reassured that the force is achieving high levels of performance in terms of keeping people safe and reducing crime.

“I am impressed that the force is making good its promise to prioritise the service it provides to vulnerable victims. I see the strong commitment to protecting vulnerable people in the day-to day-activity and attitudes of the police officers, PCSOs and police staff working for Leicestershire Police. Officers and staff recognise when people are at risk and the force has a wide range of services to help safeguard people in mental health crisis.

“Victims of domestic abuse are receiving a better service. This is the result of working closely with partner organisations, safeguarding training and more frequent multi-agency meetings to consider high-risk cases. Joint work has led to the creation of an exemplary sexual assault referral centre that offers a full range of professional support to victims of sexual assault.

“The force has also reorganised its workforce and developed a more efficient way of allocating investigations. This has reduced the turnaround time of investigations and stopped cases from being passed through several different teams.

“I commend the police officers, PCSOs and police staff working for Leicestershire Police for their hard work in achieving such progress and good outcomes for the communities across the whole county.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS judged that Lincolnshire Police:

• is ‘good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• is ‘good’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• ‘requires improvement’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘good’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Lincolnshire Police

HM Inspector of Constabulary Zoë Billingham said:

“I am pleased that overall Lincolnshire Police’s performance in effectively keeping people safe and reducing crime is good again this year. However, there is still more for the force to do in terms of its service to some vulnerable victims.

“In the context of significant increases in demand over the last year we found that the teams investigating rape, serious sexual offences and internet child abuse are overstretched and under-resourced. The force is taking steps to address this. I am also reassured the force is doing more to understand where best to focus its resources in order to protect the most vulnerable people in communities.

“I am pleased that the Chief Constable and his top team are taking steps to raise standards. The force is generally good at investigating crime and reducing re-offending. Victims are kept well informed as their cases progress.

“Lincolnshire Police works well with forces across the region to investigate and disrupt serious and organised crime, and to keep the public protected from the most serious threats.

“I commend the police officers, PCSOs and police staff working for Lincolnshire Police for their hard work in maintaining their performance in challenging financial circumstances. They understand the importance in taking prompt action to keep victims safe and they work well with local partners, like local councils, to generally achieve good outcomes for their communities.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS judged that Merseyside Police:

• is ‘good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• is ‘good’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• is ‘good’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘outstanding’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Merseyside Police

HM Inspector of Constabulary Matt Parr said:

“Merseyside Police is good at keeping people safe and reducing crime. In particular, the force continues to be good at protecting vulnerable people and supporting victims, which is consistent with our findings in 2016. We found that officers and staff had a strong awareness and understanding of the importance of vulnerability. The force’s call handlers have empathy and understanding, but I would like to see the force give them better guidance on the identification of mental health problems and general vulnerability. This will help improve the assessment of vulnerable victims, so they receive better support and service.

“The response to vulnerable victims is generally good. Officers take the required safeguarding actions at incidents and make referrals to other organisations for further action and support. We did note, however, an increase in the use of a delayed response to some domestic incidents through the use of scheduled appointments. The force needs to review this.

“The force is good at allocating and supervising complex cases, including rape, using trained detectives, but is not always consistent for less serious investigations. The force knows it should be more consistent in the identification, prompt allocation and supervision of these investigations from beginning to end.

“The force has a well-established triage car service, which uses police officers supported by mental health nurses to deal with incidents that involve people with mental health problems. The force has carried out detailed evaluation of the process and its benefits. The force’s work with other authorities is strong. It has established relationships to safeguard vulnerable victims, but could be more effective when surveying of victims of domestic abuse. Its use of powers to protect victims of domestic abuse, however, is very positive.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS judged that The Metropolitan Police Service:

• is ‘good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• ‘requires improvement’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• ‘requires improvement’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘good’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Metropolitan Police Service

HM Inspector of Constabulary Matt Parr said:

“The Metropolitan Police Service has made improvements over the last year in how effectively it keeps people safe and reduces crime. But further action is needed in a number of areas, in order to provide the public with a fully effective service.

“The force invests heavily in local policing and has a good understanding of its communities. However, although we found some good examples of officers and staff using problem-solving techniques to prevent crime and anti-social behaviour, there is little evaluation to enable them to learn from previous experience and improve their effectiveness.

“The force does need to improve its approach to investigating crime and reducing
re-offending. Like many forces, it is struggling to fill a large number of detective vacancies, despite the use of some innovative recruitment methods. This shortfall in officer numbers is having a detrimental effect on the quality of criminal investigations.

“The force must also improve the way it protects vulnerable people. Officers and staff are aware that ensuring they respond properly to them is a priority; improvements have been made to the way the force deals with vulnerable victims of crime, particularly in relation to domestic abuse. However, the force must improve how it works with other agencies to safeguard victims.

“Regarding serious and organised crime, the response to the areas for improvement we identified last year has been very impressive. The Met’s understanding of serious and organised crime is better; and it manages organised crime groups well, involving teams across the force and working in collaboration with local partners, for instance other policing authorities, HM Revenue & Customs and the National Crime Agency. Prevention work is good. The force works with victims to prevent repeat crimes against them, and also with potential perpetrators to divert them from criminality. It has some innovative approaches to improving its management of organised crime. The organised crime advisors in the borough-based teams are a significant and innovative investment for the force.

“The force has the necessary arrangements in place to fulfil its national policing responsibilities and for initial response to an incident requiring an armed policing response. It responded superbly to terrorist attacks in London during 2016 and regularly tests and evaluates its response.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS judged that Norfolk Constabulary:

• is ‘outstanding’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• is ‘good’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• is ‘good’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘good’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Norfolk Constabulary

HM Inspector of Constabulary Zoë Billingham said:

“I am very pleased that Norfolk Constabulary’s performance in effectively keeping people safe and reducing crime is ‘good’ again this year. The force strives to continually improve the service it provides to the public and once again we saw improvements in the areas we inspected.

“I am very impressed that the force is continuing to make good its promise to prioritise the service it provides to vulnerable victims. It has a strong track record of identifying whether a person is vulnerable at the first point of contact and has clear processes in place for assessing the risk to victims. The force has high arrest rates of domestic abuse suspects, which helps to protect their victims from ongoing further harm.

“I commend the work that Norfolk Constabulary continues to do to maintain strong working relationships with partner organisations. The force provides impressively high standards of support to vulnerable people. I am impressed with the work the force is doing to support people with mental health conditions, finding innovative ways to work with partners so people in mental health crisis can get the proper care and treatment they need.

“Norfolk Constabulary should be commended for another strong performance in our effectiveness inspection this year. I know that the force is not complacent and that it strives to achieve continuous improvement in the way that it serves and protects communities across Norfolk.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS judged that North Wales Police:

• is ‘good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• is ‘good’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• is ‘good’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘good’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – North Wales Police

HM Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams said:

“North Wales Police continues to perform well at effectively keeping people safe and reducing crime. The force has made good progress this year.

“The force’s initial investigative response is effective. It conducts thorough telephone investigations and investigates cases of fraud well. Most high-risk and complex cases are dealt with by specialist investigators. The force generally conducts thorough investigations, leading to satisfactory outcomes for victims. There is regular supervision and monitoring of cases. The force’s investigative capacity is sufficient to cope with demand, and it is good at keeping victims updated throughout the investigation. However, not all investigators receive regular continuing professional development.

“North Wales Police makes reasonable use of a variety of approaches to offender management and achieves reductions in re-offending. However, it is not always good at taking effective action to locate outstanding offenders. HMICFRS also found the force does not always contact Immigration Enforcement to verify the identity and nationality of arrested foreign nationals.

“Officers and staff understand how to protect people who are vulnerable. The force demonstrates a satisfactory understanding of the nature and scale of vulnerability, developed in conjunction with partner organisations. The force identifies vulnerable and repeat victims and takes an adequate approach to the assessment of risk to victims. Good quality assurance processes ensure that handovers are effective, and that all immediate safeguarding actions are undertaken.

“The force investigates offences involving vulnerable victims to a satisfactory standard and it has sufficient capacity to ensure that specialist investigations are allocated to suitably skilled investigators. Cases are supervised closely, to identify risk and vulnerability, and it has safeguarding arrangements in place for the most vulnerable people. The force is sufficiently prepared to manage the risk posed by dangerous and sexual offenders. The force needs to ensure that all high risk domestic abuse cases are referred to multi-agency risk assessment conferences so that all victims receive the support they need.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS judged that North Yorkshire Police:

• is ‘good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• is ‘good’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• is ‘good’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘good’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – North Yorkshire Police

HM Inspector of Constabulary Matt Parr said:

“North Yorkshire Police is effective at keeping people safe and reducing crime. The force has continued to improve in the areas identified last year, including how it tackles serious and organised crime.

“The force is good at assessing and responding to incidents and investigating crimes. Officers attending crimes are mainly effective at gathering evidence at the scene and supporting the investigation. The force allocates crimes to experienced investigators who have received the right training to provide good victim care and to conduct effective investigations. It has good processes to catch criminals and to circulate information about wanted persons, while continuing to locate and arrest them.

“North Yorkshire Police is also good at protecting people who are vulnerable through their age, disability, or because they have been subjected to repeated offences. It identifies vulnerability well and is effective at evaluating the level of risk posed to victims. It answers calls promptly, then assesses risk and provides the appropriate response. Officers responding to calls address individual safeguarding needs through effective risk assessment and actions taken at the scene. The force’s referral processes and working with partner organisations help it to provide a good level of victim care and support during investigations. The force is good at assessing the risk posed by dangerous offenders, but I would like to see it do more to ensure that frontline officers and staff are aware of the identities of those offenders.

“I am pleased to report that the force has improved how it tackles serious and organised crime. It uses both police data and data from other organisations to assess the threat and risk that serious and organised crime poses. The force has effective processes to identify and map those who are engaged in committing organised crime. Trained officers are allocated responsibility for responding to and disrupting those who are engaged in organised crime.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS judged that Northamptonshire Police:

• ‘requires improvement’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• ‘requires improvement’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• ‘requires improvement’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• ‘requires improvement’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Northamptonshire Police

HM Inspector of Constabulary Zoë Billingham said:

“This year I have judged Northamptonshire Police as ‘requiring improvement’ in how well it keeps people safe and reduces crime, but it is important to stress that the force is improving. It has made commendable efforts to respond positively to our previous inspection findings. I am encouraged by what I have seen, but as the force fully recognises, there is still more work to do.

“I am confident that the Chief Constable and his team are gripping issues that have remained unresolved for a very long time. As a result of an ambitious change programme, the building blocks for more effective policing are in place. It will take a little time for more tangible improvements to materialise in terms of improved policing services to the public. But I am reassured that the force is taking the right steps to secure that improvement.

“I welcome the changes being introduced through the force’s change programme. The new policing model is expected to better align resources to demand, freeing the workforce up to focus on dealing with the priorities of the force and its communities.

“Our inspection highlighted improvements in the way the force prevents crime and tackles anti-social behaviour. Neighbourhood teams are no longer redeployed to support response colleagues and this has increased their ability to carry out their important preventative work.

“The force recognises that the quality of its investigations is inconsistent. It does not always allocate investigations to officers with the right skills, and this can result in victims of crime receiving a poor service at times. But I am encouraged that the force is improving how it identifies and then prioritises keeping vulnerable victims safe.

“The force is already acting on areas that we have identified as being in need of improvement, including the way it deals with registered sex offenders and the way it tackles serious and organised crime.

“On a much more positive note I am pleased that the force is working well with partners to seek out and deal with modern slavery.

“I have seen how day-in, day-out, hard working police officers, PCSOs and staff are doing their best to keep the public safe. I am encouraged that the force acknowledges the problems and is determined to improve. I am confident that we will see further improvement in the areas we have identified and I will continue to monitor the force over the coming year.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS judged that Northumbria Police:

• is ‘good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• is ‘good’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• ‘requires improvement’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘good’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Northumbria Police

HM Inspector of Constabulary Matt Parr said:

“Northumbria Police is effective at keeping people safe and reducing crime. I am pleased to see that improvements have been made in some of the areas highlighted in our last in section report. Disappointingly, however, the force’s approach to protecting vulnerable people has deteriorated and it should take steps to address this.

“Investigations are generally conducted to a satisfactory standard, particularly in more serious and complex cases. The force has improved its processes for examining digital devices to support investigations, and has reduced the timescales for new examinations to be completed.

“The force’s approach to protecting vulnerable victims of crime has deteriorated since 2016. This stems from inconsistent initial identification of vulnerable people based on threat, harm, and risk. We found examples of vulnerable people who had not received the response they needed when they contacted the police, and subsequent investigations are not always carried out by appropriately trained officers.

“In contrast, the force has a good understanding of how to manage incidents which involve concerns relating to the mental health of victims, witnesses and offenders. The force also has good partnership arrangements in place to support vulnerable victims.

“Northumbria Police has the necessary arrangements in place to fulfil its national responsibilities, and to respond initially to an attack which requires an armed response.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS judged that Nottinghamshire Police:

• is ‘good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• is ‘good’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• ‘requires improvement’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘good’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Nottinghamshire Police

HM Inspector of Constabulary Zoë Billingham said:

“I am really pleased that Nottinghamshire Police has made significant progress since last year’s inspection and is now judged to be ‘good’ at keeping people safe and reducing crime.

“I commend the police officers, PCSOs and police staff working for Nottinghamshire Police for their hard work in improving the way vulnerable people are protected.

“In the context of really significant increases in the demand for police services over the last year I know that the force shares my concerns about its ability to respond to emergencies in especially busy periods. The force is taking further action to address this and I will continue to monitor the force’s progress.

“The force is committed to working with local partners like councils, to tackle the underlying causes of crime. Neighbourhood officers are improving the way that they involve their communities in keeping local areas safe.

“Nottinghamshire Police is an important partner in regional collaboration. I am reassured that it remains committed to working with forces across the region to keep the public protected from the threats posed by serious and organised criminality.”

Notes to editors

Following some forces’ poor performance in the ‘vulnerability’ elements of our 2016 effectiveness inspection, we committed to carrying out revisit inspections in 2017 to examine progress against the causes of concern and areas for improvement set out in our PEEL: Police effectiveness 2016 reports. The forces that we revisited were:

• Bedfordshire Police (inspection 12 – 13 April 17)
• Hertfordshire Constabulary (inspection 10- 11 April 17)
• Humberside Police (inspection 22 – 23 May 17)
• Nottinghamshire Police (inspection 5 – 6 June 17)

The results of these revisit inspections will be published alongside our Effectiveness reports released today.

Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS judged that South Wales Police:

• is ‘good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• is ‘good’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• is ‘good’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘good’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – South Wales Police

HM Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams said:

“South Wales Police is good at effectively keeping people safe and reducing crime. The force has performed consistently well in our effectiveness inspections and its progress is positive.

“The force has a comprehensive understanding of vulnerability and the workforce is well equipped to identify the signs that indicate that a person may be at risk of harm. The force assesses all calls to its public service centre to identify the threats and risks that callers may be facing, which helps it provide a response in accordance with individual need.

“South Wales Police responds well to vulnerable victims and we found that call handlers, frontline officers and staff take a consistent approach to safeguarding vulnerable people. The force makes good use of powers of arrest and other legal provisions to protect victims of domestic abuse and makes sure they receive safeguarding support. However, it needs to do more to support those experiencing a mental health crisis when they first contact the police.

“The force has established productive working relationships with a range of other public-sector organisations in South Wales. For example, ambulance staff work alongside police call handlers to ensure that callers receive a service that is suited to their needs. It also has established arrangements with other organisations to ensure that vulnerable people have access to specialists in victim support.

“In general, the force investigates crimes involving vulnerable victims well. However, we found a small number of stalking and fraud enquiries that were not of a satisfactory standard; the force was aware and had plans in place to address this.

“South Wales Police has the necessary arrangements in place to fulfil its national policing responsibilities and to respond effectively to an attack requiring an armed response.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS judged that South Yorkshire Police:

• is ‘’good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• is ‘good’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• ‘requires improvement’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘good’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – South Yorkshire Police

HM Inspector of Constabulary Matt Parr said:

“South Yorkshire Police is good at keeping people safe and reducing crime, and has improved in a number of areas since our 2016 inspection. We are pleased to see the positive effect recent improvements have had across the force, particularly in neighbourhood policing and investigations.

“The force is effective in its approach to reducing crime, tackling anti-social behaviour and keeping people safe. It has invested further in its neighbourhood policing and safer neighbourhood services, working jointly with partner organisations. The force evaluates most local problem-solving activity but it does not yet have a full understanding of the overall effect of its crime-prevention activity across the force.

The force is generally good at investigating crimes. It effectively investigates some crimes over the telephone, through its new crime support hub and its dedicated investigation teams. However, we found that some initial evidence gathering is adversely affected when officers are not able to respond promptly enough. The force achieves good investigative outcomes and appropriate arrangements are in place to prevent re-offending, although it could do more to understand how effective these are.

“But the force must improve its ability to protect people who are vulnerable. Although it responds well to immediate calls for service from vulnerable victims, we are concerned that, due to increased demand, it cannot respond to all priority calls in a timely way. This means that some vulnerable victims may not receive a sufficiently rapid response to keep them safe. The force is generally good at investigating crimes involving vulnerable people, but we found that the quality of some investigations suffered as a result of a delayed response by officers, and subsequent workload pressures within specialist investigations. The force does however have good arrangements in place with partner organisations to help support vulnerable victims, and effectively manages the risk posed by dangerous and sexual offenders.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS found that Staffordshire Police:

• is ‘good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• is ‘good’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• ‘requires improvement’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘good’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Staffordshire Police

HM Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams said:

“Staffordshire Police is good at keeping people safe and reducing crime. I am pleased to see that the force has made progress since 2016 across a number of areas, and it continues to improve.

“The force has an effective approach to preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour. Officers understand what matters to the local communities, and are responsive to their needs and the force works with other organisations to address such matters and the underlying causes of crime. Since HMICFRS’ 2016 effectiveness report, the force has made good progress in implementing a structured problem-solving way of working.

“Staffordshire Police investigates crimes to a satisfactory standard. The force makes good use of intelligence, and the outcomes it achieves are comparable to other forces in England and Wales. However, it needs to ensure that victims are updated as investigations proceed, and it should ensure that suspects are promptly entered onto the Police National Computer when this is appropriate.

“The force requires improvement in the way it protects vulnerable people. Victims of domestic abuse sometimes receive a delayed response when they contact the force because not enough response officers are available to attend incidents promptly. The force also needs to strengthen its approach to managing registered sex offenders, to protect the public from harm.

“The force has improved its approach to tackling serious and organised crime. Its understanding of organised crime groups is good, and it is also better at limiting the harm that such groups cause in communities. Officers take early action to identify individuals who may be vulnerable to being drawn into serious and organised crime or gang activity. The force also works constructively with other organisations to assist in deterring such individuals from criminal activity.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS found that Suffolk Constabulary:

• is ‘good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• is ‘good’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• is ‘good’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘good’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Suffolk Constabulary

HM Inspector of Constabulary Zoë Billingham said:

“I am pleased that Suffolk Constabulary is ‘good’ across the board again this year in terms of keeping people safe and reducing crime.

“I am impressed that the force is making good its promise to prioritise the service it provides to vulnerable victims. Staff are effective at identifying when someone is vulnerable, and officers generally provide a good initial response. Crimes involving vulnerable victims are investigated to a good standard, and supervisors provide proper oversight.

“Suffolk Constabulary continues to work well with local authorities to support and safeguard victims. I am impressed with the work the force is doing to support people with mental health conditions, finding new and innovative ways to work with partners so people in mental health crisis can get the proper care and treatment they need.

“I would like to commend the force on its sustained commitment to keeping people safe across the county.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS found that Surrey Police:

• is ‘good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• is ‘good’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• is ‘good’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘good’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Surrey Police

HM Inspector of Constabulary Zoë Billingham said:

“I am very pleased with the overall performance of Surrey Police. The force is good across the board this year in terms of keeping people safe and reducing crime and has made commendable improvements in how it investigates crimes since last year.

“I am impressed that the force is making good its promise to prioritise the service it provides to vulnerable victims. I see the strong commitment to protecting vulnerable people in the day-to day-activity and attitudes of the police officers, PCSOs and police staff working for Surrey Police.

“It is also encouraging to see the improvement that the force has made in the way it responds to and keeps victims of domestic abuse safe.

“Surrey Police continues to improve the way it investigates and disrupts serious and organised crime, and works well with Sussex Police to keep the public protected from the most serious threats.

“I commend Surrey Police for its continuous improvement and I am confident that the Chief Constable and his top team will ensure the few areas for important that we have identified will be acted on.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS found that Sussex Police:

• ‘requires improvement’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• is ‘good’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• is ‘good’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘good’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Sussex Police

HM Inspector of Constabulary Zoë Billingham said:

“I am really pleased that Sussex Police has made significant progress since last year’s inspection and is now judged to be ‘good’ at keeping people safe and reducing crime.

“I commend the force for the impressive efforts it has made to improve the way it prevents crime and anti-social behaviour.

“Sussex Police has also achieved impressive improvements in the standard of its investigations, which are now supervised more effectively and provide victims a generally high standard of care.

“I am impressed that the force is making good its promise to prioritise the service it provides to vulnerable victims. Officers and staff really understand the importance of their role in keeping vulnerable people safe. They have a good understanding of when a person might be vulnerable and work well with other partners, like local councils, to improve support for vulnerable victims.

“Sussex Police is working well with Surrey Police to improve the way it investigates and disrupts serious and organised crime, and to keep the public protected from the most serious threats.

“I commend the police officers, PCSOs and police staff working for Sussex Police for their hard work in achieving such progress and good outcomes for the communities across the whole county.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS found that Thames Valley Police:

• is ‘good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• ‘requires improvement’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• is ‘good’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘good’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Thames Valley Police

HM Inspector of Constabulary Zoë Billingham said:

“I am pleased that overall Thames Valley Police’s performance in keeping people safe and reducing crime is ‘good’ again this year. However, there has been a slight deterioration in the quality of the force’s investigations.

“The force rightly focuses on preventing crime from happening in the first place. It is good that neighbourhood policing teams work well with local communities to identify what matters most to them. And the force works really well with partners, like local councils, to tackle the underlying causes of crime.

“Thames Valley Police investigates serious crimes well, but in other cases the quality of investigation, supervision and victim updates varies. The force needs to make sure that initial enquiries are conducted to a consistently high level by officers attending crime scenes. I am encouraged that the force is already taking action to address the concerns that we raised.

“I am pleased that the force continues to prioritise the protection of vulnerable people and is performing very well in this vitally important area. Officers and staff understand how to recognise and support vulnerable people when they contact the police, and the force has increased the size of teams responsible for investigating complex cases involving vulnerable victims. It also provides sound support to people with mental health conditions.

“While the force generally works well with partners to safeguard vulnerable victims, we found some inconsistencies in risk-assessments for children in domestic abuse incidents. Once again I am satisfied that the force is taking steps to address these issues and I will be following the force’s progress in our next round of inspections.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS found that Warwickshire Police:

• ‘requires improvement’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• is ‘good’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• ‘requires improvement’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• ‘requires improvement’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Warwickshire Police

HM Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams said:

“Warwickshire Police has been assessed as requiring improvement in respect of how effective it is at keeping people safe and reducing crime. Disappointingly, this contrasts with last year’s assessment, when we judged the force to be good.

“The force has not responded well enough to our previous recommendations. The use of structured problem-solving techniques to prevent crime and anti-social behaviour is not widespread within neighbourhood teams and the force’s understanding of its communities is insufficiently advanced. This means its response to problems is not always based on feedback from local communities and it does not evaluate its use of tactics and interventions to improve its service to the public.

“Warwickshire Police’s workforce displays a strong understanding of the signs of vulnerability. It investigates crimes involving vulnerable people well. The scheduled replacement of outdated ICT systems in the control room is expected to improve the way the force recognises and responds to the needs of vulnerable people when they first contact the force. However, the force needs to improve its initial response to vulnerable people, particularly those who are victims of domestic abuse.

“The force’s approach to serious and organised crime also requires improvement. The force works well with other organisations to increase its understanding of the risks posed by organised crime groups; however, its processes for scrutinising the use of tactics and interventions are under developed. The force knows it must ensure that the prevention of serious and organised crime is based on a comprehensive understanding of the threats posed by this type of criminality. Constructive arrangements with partner organisations mean the force works effectively in the prevention of organised crime. In particular, joint schemes to help people who are becoming involved in this sort of crime work well.

“Warwickshire Police has the necessary arrangements in place to ensure that it can fulfil its national policing responsibilities, and to respond to an attack requiring an armed response.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS found that West Mercia Police:

• ‘requires improvement’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• is ‘good’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• ‘requires improvement’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘inadequate’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – West Mercia Police

HM Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams said:

“West Mercia Police has been assessed as requiring improvement in respect of how effective it is at keeping people safe and reducing crime. Disappointingly, this contrasts with last year’s assessment, when we judged the force to be good.

“The workforce understands the force’s vision to protect the most vulnerable and there are well-established channels of communication in place with different communities. However, the use of structured problem-solving techniques to prevent crime and anti-social behaviour is not widespread within neighbourhood teams and the force’s understanding of its communities is insufficiently advanced.

“The workforce displays a strong understanding of the signs of vulnerability. However, the force needs to improve its initial response to incidents involving vulnerable people, particularly victims of domestic abuse. Although the force generally investigates crimes involving vulnerable people to a good standard, it needs to ensure that investigators’ workloads are manageable and effectively supervised. The scheduled replacement of outdated ICT systems in the control room is anticipated to improve how the force recognises and responds to the needs of vulnerable people.

“The force’s approach to serious and organised crime is a cause of concern. There are weaknesses in the way it assesses the risks posed by organised crime groups, and its processes for scrutinising the use of tactics and interventions are under development. It is failing to assess the impact of its efforts to disrupt the activities of organised crime groups in accordance with national guidelines. The force needs to ensure that the prevention of serious and organised crime is based on a comprehensive understanding of the threats posed. It also needs to work more closely with its partner organisations to understand and prevent this type of criminality.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS found that West Midlands Police:

• is ‘good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• is ‘good’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• is ‘inadequate’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘good’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – West Midlands Police

HM Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams said:

“West Midlands Police requires improvement in how effectively it keeps people safe and reduces crime. Although it has made progress in a number of areas since 2016, we found serious failings in its ability to protect vulnerable people from harm.

“Many of the services provided by the force to vulnerable people are good, but our most recent inspection found that it is failing to protect some victims adequately. Staff are generally good at identifying vulnerable people when they first contact the police, but at the time of our inspection there were often not enough officers available to respond to incidents quickly when required. This means that victims – including some who are vulnerable – do not always receive the response they need, and may be put in danger as a result. It also means that in some cases the force is missing opportunities to secure evidence, which can undermine the quality of subsequent investigations. Following our inspection, the force immediately took steps to address these concerns and services have improved as a result.

“By contrast, the force is good at tackling serious and organised crime and has made major improvements in this area since 2016. The force has greatly improved its understanding of organised crime threats, including urban street gangs, and it works well with partners to develop this understanding. It is effective at disrupting organised criminals and places a strong emphasis on preventing serious and organised crime. A wide range of activities is in place to help the force deter those at risk of being drawn into this type of offending. However, we found that the force does not have a consistent and structured process for the management and enforcement of serious crime prevention orders.

“West Midlands Police has the necessary arrangements in place to fulfil its national policing responsibilities, and to respond initially to an attack requiring an armed response.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS found that West Yorkshire Police:

• is ‘good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• ‘requires improvement’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• is ‘good’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘good’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – West Yorkshire Police

HM Inspector of Constabulary Matt Parr said:

“West Yorkshire Police is good at keeping people safe and reducing crime. Since our 2016 effectiveness inspection, the force has made progress in a number of areas. I am pleased to see the positive effect recent improvements have had across the force, particularly in preventing crime and protecting vulnerable people.

“The force is good at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour. It is improving its neighbourhood policing team, which focuses on problem solving and early intervention. The force is using targeted patrols as a preventative policing measure, focusing resources on areas of high crime. It has a good understanding of its communities and the threats they face. However, it should evaluate and disseminate good practice routinely, both internally and with partner organisations.

“But the force needs to improve its approach to investigating crime and reducing re-offending. The quality of investigations in more serious and complex cases is generally good, but the force needs to improve the quality and supervision of investigations for low-level crimes, such as street robbery, burglary and vehicle-related crime. The quality of its initial investigative response and handover are a cause of concern. Officers and supervisors need further training in basic investigative skills. The force also needs to review its procedures to track down criminals who are wanted for offences.

“The force is generally good at protecting vulnerable people and supporting victims. It identifies vulnerability routinely at the first point of contact, which helps it provide victims with the support they need. The force is adequately prepared to manage the risk posed by dangerous and sexual offenders. It has a good understanding of how mental health problems cause vulnerability. The force works well with partner organisations, such as MIND and health services, and has effective arrangements to exchange information.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.

HMICFRS found that Wiltshire Police:

• is ‘good’ at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour;
• is ‘good’ at investigating crime and reducing re-offending;
• is ‘good’ at protecting vulnerable people; and
• is ‘good’ at tackling serious and organised crime.

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Wiltshire Police

HM Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams said:

“Wiltshire Police is good at keeping people safe and reducing crime. It has performed consistently well in our effectiveness inspections and is making good progress.

“The force is good at protecting vulnerable people and supporting victims. It is effective in how it identifies vulnerability. The force uses risk assessments for all calls for service received by the force control room to identify threat, risk, harm and vulnerability of callers and others, and to ensure an appropriate response in accordance with individual needs. Daily review meetings ensure the officers deployed to calls for service involving vulnerable people have the skills to meet the needs of the people involved. The workforce understands vulnerability and know how to identify the signs that a person may be at risk of harm.

“Our review of investigation case files (undertaken before our inspection) found that the force provides vulnerable victims with a generally good standard of service. Call handlers, frontline officers and staff take a consistent approach to safeguarding vulnerable people.

“Wiltshire Police is outstanding at identifying and supporting people experiencing mental health problems. It works exceptionally well with partner organisations through comprehensive and well-established meetings to ensure that continuing support and specialist safeguarding arrangements are in place for vulnerable people, including those who have experienced domestic abuse. In addition, the force works proactively with other organisations to ensure continuous improvement in respect of services to protect and reassure people at risk of harm.”

Notes to editors
Please note: HMICFRS adopted an interim risk-based approach to inspection in 2017 in order to focus more closely on areas of policing where risk to the public is most acute. Under this approach, not all forces are assessed against every part of the PEEL effectiveness programme every year. Judgments from 2016 remain in place for areas which were not re-inspected in 2017. Please refer to page 6 of the individual force reports to determine which areas were re-inspected in 2017.