PEEL: police efficiency 2017 - force press releases
As part of our annual inspections of police effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy (PEEL), HMICFRS assessed how efficient police forces are at keeping people safe and reducing crime. Below are the press releases that accompany this publication.
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Please click on the headings below to see each press release, and a link to each force-specific report. These should be read in conjunction with the national press release.
HMICFRS judged that Avon and Somerset Constabulary:
- is ‘outstanding’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- is ‘good’ at how it uses its resources; and
- is ‘good’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – Avon and Somerset Constabulary
HM Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams said:
“Avon and Somerset Constabulary has been assessed as good for the efficiency with which it keeps people safe and reduces crime. The force has a comprehensive understanding of the current demand for its services, based on a wide range of management information.
“The force has an outstanding understanding of the public’s expectations, and consequently has made a commitment to maintaining neighbourhood policing teams. It uses its resources well to manage demand and it collaborates with partner agencies to reduce demand and costs, including working with them to deal with and support the most frequent users of their services. The force recognises the potential future demand for its services and works well with partners to manage demand effectively. The introduction of a new operating model allows the force to deploy officers and staff more effectively across a ‘borderless’ force area, which means the force is more likely to provide a service that meets public needs and expectations.
“The force is working to understand its current workforce’s skills and capabilities better, to ensure that future policing needs are resourced effectively. It is making significant investment in ICT and has realistic plans in place to meet the technological challenges it may face in the future. It has a clear commitment to invest in leadership and workforce development through career pathways and development opportunities for both officers and staff.”
HMICFRS judged that Bedfordshire Police:
- ‘requires improvement’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- is ‘good’ at how it uses its resources; and
- ‘requires improvement’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – Bedfordshire Police
HM Inspector of Constabulary Matt Parr said:
“Following our inspection, we believe that hard work by Bedfordshire Police has led to obvious progress; but the force still requires improvement in the areas we looked at.
“The force’s understanding of demand for its services has improved, though it could still be better in some important areas. It has worked well over the last year with other forces and organisations to improve its assessment of current, complex and future demand. Its understanding of how demand may change has also improved. There is a clear commitment to managing and prioritising how it responds to demand and increasing efficiency. But the response to anti-social behaviour and emergency incidents that require immediate police attendance should be better.
“The force generally uses and allocates its resources well. It has prioritised vulnerability and increased significantly resources in its public protection teams.
“We recognise that Bedfordshire Police continues to face significant financial challenges. The force does not have clear plans beyond 2019/20 for providing the level of policing needed, within the resources that are likely to be available. Despite this, the force has done much to improve its position. It invests well and works constructively with others to manage demand for its services. It has a basic understanding of its current workforce’s operational skills and capabilities, and it is identifying and making good plans for what it will need in the future.
“Our key concern is that the force’s future plans remain uncertain. The new policing model, developed some years ago, is not expected to be fully staffed until 2018. Beyond 2019/20 the current model will be unlikely to meet growing demand for services without further organisational change. The chief constable and police and crime commissioner are working closely with Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Constabularies and with local partner agencies to achieve greater efficiencies. I will closely monitor how the force responds to the areas for improvement we have identified.”
HMICFRS judged that Cambridgeshire Constabulary:
- is ‘good’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- is ‘good’ at how it uses its resources; and
- is ‘good’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – Cambridgeshire Constabulary
HM Inspector of Constabulary Zoë Billingham said:
“I am very pleased to report that since our previous inspection in 2016 Cambridgeshire Constabulary has improved the efficiency with which is keeps people safe and reduces crime. It is now judged to be ‘good’ in these areas. It is very encouraging to see a force improve and to strive to further improve. In particular, the force is making good progress in improving its understanding of demand for its services but recognises that it can continue to do more. The force understands the factors that affect demand and uses a risk-based approach to manage and prioritise its response. Since our inspection the force put in place a plan for improving how it answers non-emergency calls within a reasonable time.
“Cambridgeshire Constabulary uses and allocates its resources well and is developing a new policing model to improve its flexibility and how it matches resources to demand. It has good investment plans and is working well with other organisations, like local councils, to manage demand for services. The force has a good understanding of the operational skills and capabilities of its current workforce and it is identifying future requirements and the resources that will be needed. The force is part of a strategic alliance with Bedfordshire Police and Hertfordshire Constabulary, which should increase the opportunities to improve diversity and to identify and nurture talent.
“The force has good plans for implementing the changes necessary to deal with an uncertain financial future. It has a prudent approach to savings and good investment plans. The chief constable and the police and crime commissioner work closely with Bedfordshire Police, Hertfordshire Constabulary and with other local organisations to help improve efficiency. I commend the force for the positive steps it is taking to enhance its efficiency. ”
HMICFRS judged that Cheshire Constabulary:
- is ‘good’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- is ‘good’ at how it uses its resources; and
- is ‘outstanding’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – Cheshire Constabulary
HM Inspector of Constabulary Mike Cunningham said:
“Cheshire Constabulary has been graded as ‘good’ for the second year in the way it matches the demand on its service with the skills of its people, and in its financial planning. The force has demonstrated its strong performance at predicting likely future demand. It considers a wide range of information and changing public expectations, in order to determine where its priorities and are likely to be, and which resources will be required and when.
“Cheshire Constabulary has invested in IT solutions to make it more efficient and effective. The force could also demonstrate excellent partnership and collaborative working to help it manage both current and future demand.
“Cheshire Constabulary has worked very hard to ensure it is well placed for the future, due to outstanding financial planning. It has made investments in a number of areas, such as improving contact with the public, identification of demand and officer deployment. For this is should be commended.”
HMICFRS judged that City of London Police:
- is ‘good’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- ‘requires improvement’ at how it uses its resources; and
- is ‘good’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – City of London Police
HM Inspector of Constabulary Matt Parr said:
“HMICFRS assesses City of London Police as good in the efficiency with which it keeps people safe and reduces crime. Compared with our 2016 efficiency inspection, which was graded as requires improvement, the force has improved its understanding of demand for its services and its planning for the future, but its use of resources to manage demand still requires improvement.
“Overall, City of London Police is good in how efficient it is at keeping people safe and reducing crime. Its understanding of demand for its services is good. Through the introduction of its strategic threat and risk assessment process, the force has improved considerably its understanding of current demand and demand less likely to be reported to the police. It has good structures in place for receiving feedback from its workforce about its efficiency. It should do more to understand how inefficient processes create demand.
“Despite the overall good grade, the force requires improvement in how it uses its resources. Until a full skills audit of its workforce is completed (at the time of inspection this was due in October 2017) it cannot fully understand or plan for the gaps in its current capability. The force also needs to complete work to understand the levels of service that can be provided at different levels of cost. However, the force is one of only a few to recruit externally to provide skills and capabilities it lacks.
“City of London Police is good at planning for the future. The force’s plans have developed significantly since last year and although it is reliant on the City of London Corporation to underwrite this year’s budget it is investing in infrastructure to make savings for the future. The force’s understanding of how technology can benefit policing, and criminals, particularly in fraud and internet-based crime, is outstanding.”
HMICFRS judged that Cleveland Police:
- is ‘good’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- is ‘good’ at how it uses its resources; and
- is ‘good’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – Cleveland Police
HM Inspector of Constabulary Mike Cunningham said:
“Cleveland Police continues to do a good job at managing its resources to support staff and officers. The force understands the demand for its services from the public and how the skills and capability of their officers and staff meet that demand. The leadership team are making good progress in understanding what future demand is likely to be and how they need to develop the skills of their officers and staff to meet that demand, but more can be done here.
“Cleveland Police collaborates well with other forces and partner organisations, has a good record of making saving and has sound financial plans in place.
“I commend Cleveland Police for the work they have done in this year, consolidating upon their good assessment from last year.”
HMICFRS judged that Cumbria Constabulary:
- is ‘good’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- is ‘good’ at how it uses its resources; and
- is ‘good’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – Cumbria Constabulary
HM Inspector of Constabulary Mike Cunningham said:
“Cumbria Constabulary has demonstrated a comprehensive understanding of the demand for its services and it’s working on an reallocation of resources to support this which may help them to make further efficiencies. The force is trialling a scheme to recognise and promote talent in its officers and staff and develop future leaders. This will help them to identify those skills which it is likely to need in the future to address crimes.
“The force has realistic plans in place and detailed contingency plans to ensure it could continue to provide effective policing, even with a reduced budget. It could go further in exploring opportunities to collaborate to make further efficiencies.
“Last year Cumbria Constabulary was judged as ‘requires improvement’ so I’m particularly pleased that it has now achieved a ‘good’ assessment and I commend the force for all its hard work.”
HMICFRS judged that Derbyshire Constabulary:
- is ‘good’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- is ‘good’ at how it uses its resources; and
- is ‘good’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – Derbyshire Constabulary
HM Inspector of Constabulary Zoë Billingham said:
“I am pleased that Derbyshire Constabulary is again judged as ‘good’ in how efficiently is keeps people safe and reduces crime. It has developed a good understanding of the demand for its services after carrying out detailed research and analysis. I’m particularly encouraged to see that the force is responding to changes in demand by allocating additional staff to more complex, hidden and new types of demand, such as modern slavery, cyber-crime and child sexual exploitation.
“The force is good at understanding factors that affect demand and identifies ways to improve efficiency. For example, it is making changes to further improve its call management scheduled appointment system and has introduced new IT systems, such as smart phones for all frontline staff. The force also realises that demand can be reduced or prevented by working closely with other emergency services and public organisations, and has a strong commitment to joint working. This is also encouraging.
“The force develops its workforce well, for example ensuring their IT skills were upgraded before new systems were introduced. The new leadership framework will expand the information held on leaders beyond their completed role-specific training and operational competence; expectations of leaders are now based on a set of core values rather than competencies.
“Derbyshire Constabulary has realistic financial plans for the future that are built on sound assumptions and are subject to informed challenge. Its plans include a further IT upgrade, joint training facilities with the fire and rescue service and wider estate remedial work. I am confident that under the leadership of the new chief constable the good work of Derbyshire Constabulary will continue to go from strength to strength.”
HMICFRS found that Devon and Cornwall Police:
- ‘requires improvement’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- is ‘good’ at how it uses its resources; and
- is ‘good’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – Devon and Cornwall Police
HM Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams said:
“Following our inspection, Devon and Cornwall Police have been judged to be good in the efficiency with which it keeps people safe and reduces crime. This is particularly encouraging given it was judged as ‘requires improvement’ in 2016. The force should be commended for the progress it has made.
“Although we consider Devon and Cornwall Police to be an efficient police force, there are still some areas where it could improve further. Over the past year, the force has worked hard to achieve a much better understanding of the demands placed upon it by the public, and also of demand created internally. It is now in a strong position to move to the next phase of its strategic alliance with Dorset Police and introduce a new service model intended to transform how both forces operate. Performance pressures within the call handling function need to be addressed to ensure it provides a good service to people wanting to contact the police.
“Whilst the force has a good understanding of its overall capabilities, it does need to understand better, and make best use of, the skills and leadership potential of its workforce. It has clear investment plans, aligned with the police and crime plan, focusing on the benefits that a structured use of new technology can bring to the public and the force. It also has an excellent record in partnership working. I was particularly encouraged by its willingness to seek and implement new ideas from both within and outside the force.
“The force’s understanding of the future demands it is likely to face is developing well. To make the most of its plans for the future use of technology, the force knows it needs to address some current inefficiencies in its systems and processes. Similarly, there is a recognition that the force does not yet have a clear picture of its future leadership needs. However, the strengths of its existing change programme indicate that the ambitious scale of the force’s plans is achievable, both in the organisational ability to manage change and in the force’s sound financial position.”
HMICFRS found that Dorset Police:
- is ‘good’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- is ‘good’ at how it uses its resources; and
- is ‘good’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – Dorset Police
“Following our recent inspection, HMICFRS has judged Dorset Police to be good at keeping people safe and reducing crime. It is an efficient police force with clear plans in place for the future. It has a well-developed understanding of the demands for its services, which allows it to make informed decisions about planning and resourcing. Because of this, it is in a strong position for the next phase of its strategic alliance with Devon and Cornwall Police. This will see the introduction of a new, joint model for service provision aimed at transforming the way both forces operate. Within the force’s call handling department there are some pressures but the force understands what the problems are. It has now put processes in place to prioritise calls from those people who are most at risk.
“The force generally makes good use of its resources. Its investment plans align with the police and crime plan. The plans focus on the benefits that the structured use of new technology can bring to both the public and to the organisation. The force needs to improve its understanding of the skills and leadership potential of its workforce. It has a good track record of working together with other organisations and understands the benefits to be gained.
“Dorset Police is planning for its future in a coherent way, and has done impressive work to identify potential future demand. The force knows that it needs to replace some inefficient systems and processes to provide a solid basis for its planned changes. In contrast, it does not yet have a clear picture of its future leadership needs. However, the strengths of its existing change programme provide a degree of confidence that the ambitious scale of future change is achievable, both because of its organisational capability and because of its financial position.”
HMICFRS judged that Durham Constabulary:
- is ‘outstanding’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- is ‘outstanding’ at how it uses its resources; and
- is ‘outstanding’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – Durham Constabulary
HM Inspector of Constabulary Mike Cunningham said:
“Durham Constabulary has once again been judged as ‘outstanding’ in the way it matches the demand on its service with the skills of its people, and in its financial planning. The force has extensive and creative plans in place to meet a variety of future scenarios of demand and budget and is well-placed to meet any future circumstances.
“Durham Constabulary has an excellent understanding of the demand for its services, both now and looking ahead to changing crime patterns. The senior leadership team promotes a culture where officers and staff of all ranks are encouraged to offer their views and senior leaders regularly go out on patrol with more junior officers. It has carried out detailed analysis of the skills of its workforce and leadership capability and revises these plans regularly.
“Durham Constabulary is to be congratulated on its consistently high level of achievement in their financial planning.”
HMICFRS judged that Dyfed-Powys Police:
- is ‘good’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- ‘requires improvement’ at how it uses its resources; and
- ‘requires improvement’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – Dyfed-Powys Police
HM Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams said:
“Dyfed-Powys Police has again been judged overall as ‘requires improvement’ in the efficiency with which it keeps people safe and reduces crime.
“There are some aspects of the force’s work that are managed well, such as its understanding of demand. The force has well-established processes and systems that allow it to monitor and understand current demand, including demand that might go unreported. It uses this understanding to move resources to where they are needed most. The force’s leaders are also good at promoting innovative thinking to reduce demand, and use continuous improvement techniques to good effect, identifying wasteful and inefficient practices.
“Dyfed-Powys Police does however need to improve the way it uses its resources. The force has not undertaken a skills audit to understand the capacity and capability of all of its people. Such an audit would help the force inform its recruitment, selection and promotion processes in order to identify the best people for the job and to develop people in their roles. The force also needs to improve the way it plans for the future. For example, the force needs to make better use of national recruitment and development schemes, external recruitment, and other recruitment opportunities to ensure it is able to recruit, promote and develop people with the skills it needs.
“On a more positive note, the force has made good progress in developing a more strategic approach to partnership working. It has also invested well in ICT, which has resulted in significant savings and a reduction in demand across a number of areas.”
HMICFRS judged that Essex Police:
- is ‘good’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- is ‘good’ at how it uses its resources; and
- is ‘good’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – Essex Police
HM Inspector of Constabulary Zoë Billingham said:
“I am pleased to report that Essex Police has again performed well in how efficiently it keeps people safe and reduces crime. The force is performing well across the board, and demonstrates a good understanding of current and likely future demand for its services, and assesses continually its ability to respond effectively. It also has a good understanding of crime that is hidden, such as domestic abuse and female genital mutilation. The force has, over the previous two years, necessarily moved a substantial number of people into the public protection department to help it to provide better support for people who are vulnerable. I am also pleased that the force has removed some inefficient processes in the control room and is taking effective steps to reduce the number of 101 (non-emergency) calls being abandoned.
The force has a good understanding of the skills and capabilities it needs, and how these will change in the future. It has undertaken a meaningful skills and capabilities audit and uses this information to plan recruitment and training.
I am encouraged by how Essex Police recognises the importance of collaboration to save money. It has a strong commitment to joint working to improve efficiency and make savings. This is particularly so with Kent Police and as part of the seven-force strategic alliance, but also with partners such as the local authority in community safety hubs.
I am especially impressed with the force’s detailed 2020 change plan forecasts and tracks potential savings, costs and investments for the future. The force is considering a number of affordability options and has brought in outside expertise to lead strategic change. It has yet to develop its savings plans fully beyond 2017/18 but this work is in progress. The force’s plans are realistic, innovative and based on prudent financial assumptions but they may be difficult to achieve. However, I am confident that the chief constable and his team will continue to develop innovative plans for ensuring that the communities across Essex receive the best possible policing service in the future.”
HMICFRS judged that Gloucestershire Constabulary:
- is ‘good’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- is ‘good’ at how it uses its resources; and
- is ‘good’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – Gloucestershire Constabulary
HM Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams said:
“Following our inspection, Gloucestershire Constabulary has been judged to be good at efficiently keeping people safe and reducing crime. The constabulary has a comprehensive understanding of the demand for its services and is improving its understanding of the specific types of demand that are less likely to be reported.
“It is working to reduce demand effectively, but not to the extent of suppressing demand. The constabulary has a good understanding of the cost and quality of current service levels and it prioritises resources to meet demand. The constabulary invests thoughtfully and is working well with others to manage demand for services, however it may want to explore wider options for collaboration with other forces and partner organisations. The constabulary takes account of public expectations of the services it provides and is well placed to assess future trends and how best to configure its resources in response to them.
“The constabulary has a good track record of meeting its required savings target; its plans are built on sound planning assumptions and are subject to regular scrutiny. However, the constabulary needs to do more to ensure that it identifies future leaders within the organisation.”
Greater Manchester Police has not been given graded judgements.
PEEL: police efficiency – Greater Manchester Police
HM Inspector of Constabulary Mike Cunningham said:
“This year we have not given Greater Manchester Police a graded judgment. This is because our inspection work was scheduled to take place immediately after the terrorist attack on Manchester Arena and, in consultation with GMP, we agreed not to carry out our in-force inspection at that time.
“However, we have sufficient evidence to comment on the efficiency of the force. We were able to establish that Greater Manchester Police has a good understanding of the demands on its service, both current and in the future, good systems in place to understand and monitor the consequences of changes and a good understanding of the skills of its workforce. It has developed plans in conjunction with academic analysts, to enable it to meet future demand. In the next year, I’d like to see the force develop further its understanding of what skills it might need to address future demand and to promote innovative ideas from its officers and staff.”
HMICFRS found that Gwent Police:
- is ‘good’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- is ‘good’ at how it uses its resources; and
- ‘requires improvement’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – Gwent Police
HM Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams said:
“Gwent Police is good at keeping people safe and reducing crime. In 2016, the force was assessed as ‘good’ for efficiency, including ‘good’ for its understanding of demand, ‘good’ for its use of resources to manage demand and ‘good’ for its planning for future demand.
“The force demonstrates a good understanding of the demand for its services and makes good use of technology to achieve this. The force understands how demand may be affected and demonstrates a good commitment to managing and prioritising its response to that demand. However, it does not have in place a plan to recover non-emergency abandoned calls and needs to do more to ensure it has a clear understanding of potential future demand for its services. The force encourages innovation and makes good use of technology to improve its services.
“The force has a good understanding of the skills and capabilities it needs in its workforce now and in the future, however this could be improved further with a better understanding of skills. The force manages its finances effectively and has the flexibility to meet any unforeseen demands for its services. However it needs to do more to develop sustainable financial plans to guide future savings.”
HMICFRS found that Hampshire Constabulary:
- is ‘good’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- is ‘good’ at how it uses its resources; and
- is ‘good’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – Hampshire Constabulary
HM Inspector of Constabulary Zoë Billingham said:
“I am pleased that Hampshire Constabulary has performed well across the board in our efficiency inspection, achieving a good grading in all the areas we looked at.
“The force has a good understanding of demand for its services based on systematic analysis of comprehensive data from a wide range of sources. The force has processes in place to help it to predict demand and has consulted widely to understand how demand and the public’s expectations may change. It has improved its knowledge of the skills of its workforce and its leaders. I’m encouraged that the chief constable is very committed to investing in the personal development of her workforce, including improving the force’s leadership capabilities through training, staff development and recruitment.
“The force works hard to ensure staff feel involved in the changes that are being made. Overall, the force prioritises its activities well and it has a good understanding of the effect of investments or cuts in resources on service provision or return on investment.
“Hampshire Constabulary has developed excellent working relationships with other organisations, such as the ambulance and fire & rescue services. It has strong and increasing numbers of collaborative working arrangements with other police forces, especially Thames Valley Police. These collaborations are providing both cost savings and a better service to the public. I am particularly pleased to see the force making good use of new technology. For example, mobile technology reduces the need for frontline officers and staff to continually return to their bases.
“The force faces a significant challenge in finding further savings after 2019/20 while maintaining its impressive operational response. I am confident that the chief constable and her team will, within the budget constraints the Constabulary faces, continue to develop innovative plans for ensuring that the public of Hampshire receive the best possible policing service in the future.”
HMICFRS found that Hertfordshire Constabulary:
- is ‘good’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- is ‘good’ at how it uses its resources; and
- is ‘good’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – Hertfordshire Constabulary
HM Inspector of Constabulary Zoë Billingham said:
“I am pleased that Hertfordshire Constabulary performed well across the board in our efficiency inspection, achieving a good grading in all the areas we looked at.
“Since 2016, the force has worked hard to improve its assessment of current, complex and future demand. The force demonstrates a good commitment to managing and prioritising its response to changes in demand.
“It is encouraging to find that the force uses and allocates resources well. The force has a good understanding of its workforce’s operational skills and capabilities. It is identifying future requirements and has plans to resource them appropriately. The force invests well, and works with others to manage demand for its services. Leaders are being trained for the future. Opportunities to improve diversity by working with under-represented groups and identifying and nurturing talent should increase as a result of the force’s collaborative working in its strategic alliance with Bedfordshire Police and Cambridgeshire Constabulary.
“The force has detailed plans in place on how it will face financial challenges, including how it will implement change. It has contingencies in place and is developing an updated local policing model. The new chief constable (who was appointed in October 2016) and the police and crime commissioner are working closely within the established strategic alliance, as well as with local partner organisations – the Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust and the Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service – to achieve greater efficiencies. I am confident that the force will address the few areas we have identified for improvement, so that it provides an even more efficient service to the public.”
HMICFRS judged that Humberside Police:
- ‘requires improvement’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- ‘requires improvement’ at how it uses its resources; and
- is ‘good’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – Humberside Police
HM Inspector of Constabulary Mike Cunningham said:
“Although Humberside Police has been assessed as ‘requires improvement’ in its plans to match the demands on its service with the skills of its people, and in its financial planning for a second year, I have seen improvements in the last year.
“Humberside Police has improved its understanding of demand and now has systems in place to identify and predict current and future demand for its services. It needs to build upon this work to manage and reduce demand where possible. The force has a sound and realistic plan in place to plan for the future
“Since last year, Humberside Police has begun to develop a workforce plan and this is an area which needs further work to identify gaps which can be filled by recruitment or training.
“I am encouraged by the progress made by Humberside Police and hope that this progress will continue and accelerate in the next year.”
HMICFRS judged that Kent Police:
- is ‘outstanding’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- is ‘good’ at how it uses its resources; and
- is ‘good’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – Kent Police
HM Inspector of Constabulary Zoë Billingham said:
“I am very pleased that once again Kent Police has performed extremely well in how efficiently it keeps people safe and reduces crime. I would like to draw particular attention to the outstanding way in which the force approaches understanding the demand for its services. The force deserves great credit for this. It is also continuing to improve its already comprehensive understanding of current and likely future demand, including complex demand such as that from communities less likely to report crime. It makes impressive use of data from partner agencies, ensuring that its analytical products are very informative.
“The force continually assesses its ability to respond to demand for its services but there are areas for improvement. Since our inspection, the force has put in place measures designed to improve its response to non-emergency calls from the public on its 101 line. I am also encouraged that the chief officer team has taken steps to manage demand better and in doing so, to reduce the pressure that front line officers are under. Chief officers expect that the force’s new operating model will bring further improvements. This model moves a considerable number of officers and staff into public protection to help the force tackle the increase in crimes affecting people who are vulnerable.
“The force has a good understanding of the skills and capabilities it needs, including in its leaders, and how these will change in the future. The force’s profiling tool helps it to plan its recruitment and training. In its most recent recruitment campaign, the force had some success in increasing the number of black, Asian, and minority ethnic candidates. Excellent opportunities are available to both officers and staff for lateral development.
“I was impressed with how the force demonstrated a strong commitment to joint working, in particular with Essex Police, and as an active member of the seven-force strategic alliance. The force seeks ideas for improvement from its workforce and encourages its leaders to seek examples of good practice from outside the force.
“The force has a good track record of achieving financial savings ahead of schedule. Its plans for the future are realistic and are based on prudent financial assumptions about income, costs and benefits.”
HMICFRS judged that Lancashire Constabulary:
- is ‘good’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- is ‘good’ at how it uses its resources; and
- is ‘good’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – Lancashire Constabulary
HM Inspector of Constabulary Mike Cunningham said:
“Lancashire Constabulary continues to be assessed as ‘good’ in the ways it matches the demand on its service with the skills of its people, and in its financial planning.
“In the last year, Lancashire Constabulary has improved its understanding of more complex demand for its services, building upon its existing management of demand by working with partner organisations and identifying inefficiencies and duplication of effort. The force is good at matching its resources to its priorities, resulting in co-ordinated support to communities and individuals most in need.
“The force has prudent financial plans in place to meet future funding challenges and a well-considered programme of investment to ensure it can adapt in providing services.
“I commend Lancashire Constabulary for its solid performance and hope to see it build upon that in the next year.”
HMICFRS judged that Leicestershire Police:
- ‘requires improvement’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- ‘requires improvement’ at how it uses its resources; and
- ‘requires improvement’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – Leicestershire Police
HM Inspector of Constabulary Zoë Billingham said:
“Leicestershire Police is working hard to improve its efficiency. I am encouraged that the force has recognised that its organisational structure is causing some inefficiencies. It’s extensive change programme is designed to address this through a reorganisation of its workforce and considerable changes in how incidents and investigations are managed. I am encouraged that the force is also improving how it manages hidden demand.
“The force has a sound understanding of the operational skills of its officers and staff, although more could be done to further encourage talented people within its workforce through more formal development schemes.
“I am pleased that the force works in strong and close collaboration with neighbouring police forces across the region and works well with other local agencies, like local councils and other emergency services. The force has rolled out mobile devices to all frontline officers and staff. This initiative will help to improve the efficiency of the workforce, and support the provision of a better service to the public.
“The force’s finances are stable and it has consistently met savings targets. The force will need to plan carefully to achieve a sustainable financial position for the future, while meeting increasing demand. I am confident that the chief constable and his chief officer team will continue to move the force in the right direction over the coming year.”
HMICFRS judged that Lincolnshire Police:
- ‘requires improvement’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- is ‘good’ at how it uses its resources; and
- ‘requires improvement’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – Lincolnshire Police
HM Inspector of Constabulary Zoë Billingham said:
“Lincolnshire Police has been judged as requires improvement in respect of its efficiency. I am keen however to acknowledge that the force is making good progress in a number of areas.
“Lincolnshire Police was one of the first forces we inspected in its efficiency earlier this year. Since then, the force has made good improvements to some of the areas we identified as needing addressing. This improvement has given me confidence that the force will indeed be able to improve its services to the public of Lincolnshire, and operate more efficiently.
“The force does still needs to improve its understanding of demand. It also needs to further develop its plans to respond to an uncertain financial future and provide efficient and effective policing. The force predicts a significant budget deficit in April 2018 and this is a considerable concern to HMICFRS. The recent changes in the force leadership team have inevitably resulted in a pause in some of the decision-making processes, to allow the new chief officer team time to review the future plans.
“Despite these areas still needing work, I am very encouraged that the force has demonstrated the ability to get to grips with other areas, and improve where necessary. I have every confidence that the new chief constable and his team will continue to make great strides over the coming year in terms of increasing the force’s efficiency.”
HMICFRS judged that Merseyside Police:
- is ‘good’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- is ‘good’ at how it uses its resources; and
- is ‘good’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – Merseyside Police
HM Inspector of Constabulary Mike Cunningham said:
“Merseyside Police continues to be assessed as ‘good’ in the way it matches the demand on its service with the skills of its people, and in its financial planning. It has sound financial plans in place and is on track to meet the savings required.
“Additionally, the force has is doing a good job in developing future leaders and welcomes ideas from across its workforce and ensures these are responded to. In the next year I’d like to see it extend its analysis of staff skills to the entire workforce and continue to promote its response to innovative ideas.
“Merseyside Police has an up-to-date and comprehensive assessment of the demand for its services, including measures in place which will help it identify crimes which are frequently under-reported. It is adept at using its resources flexibly, especially when planning for major events.
“The force is in a collaboration which is investing in IT services which will enable efficient information sharing across the three forces: If successful this model should serve as a template to other forces.”
HMICFRS judged that the Metropolitan Police Service:
- ‘requires improvement’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- ‘requires improvement’ at how it uses its resources; and
- is ‘good’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – Metropolitan Police Service
HM Inspector of Constabulary Matt Parr said:
“We believe that the Metropolitan Police Service requires improvement in the efficiency with which it keeps people safe and reduces crime. This is disappointing, as last year the force was assessed as ‘good’. Our assessment this year is principally based on how the Met understands the current demand for its services and how this is likely to change in the future. An increase in 999 calls and staffing difficulties in the communications command have contributed to a reduction in call-handling performance. The Met is not meeting its targets for how quickly 999 calls should be answered, and too many calls to the non-emergency 101 number are not being answered at all.
“There is also some good news. The force has built on the work it started last year to understand the skills it needs in its workforce – although a meaningful skills and capabilities audit has still not been completed, which means that there are likely to be gaps in the workforce’s skills that have not been identified and addressed. The force has worked well with the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime to set its priorities, and to take into consideration the public’s views on priorities in London. But the Met is facing a period of sustained change. It is too soon to evaluate whether the force is getting a return for its investment under the One Met Model 2020 programme of changes, and collaboration work is still in its early stages; savings and other benefits are expected, but cannot yet be confirmed.
“The Met has a strong team planning for the future. It has access to a variety of data that it analyses to identify trends in demand. Results so far are being used to help plan how the Met will work in the future. The force is making very significant investment in new technology to improve the public’s access to its services, and the way in which its people work. Succession planning for senior leaders is improving, and there are reasonable recruitment and development opportunities (though mainly for officers rather than other staff). The Met’s plans are ambitious, as they need to be; but its biggest challenge will be to make savings of £400m over the next three years.”
HMICFRS judged that Norfolk Constabulary:
- is ‘outstanding’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- is ‘good’ at how it uses its resources; and
- is ‘good’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – Norfolk Constabulary
HM Inspector of Constabulary Zoë Billingham said:
“I am very pleased that once again Norfolk Police has performed extremely well in how efficiently it keeps people safe and reduces crime. I would like to draw particular attention to the outstanding way in which the force understands the demand for its services. It is continuing to improve its already comprehensive understanding of current and likely future demand, including complex demand such as that from communities less likely to report crime. It has a good understanding of hidden demands like modern slavery and so-called ‘honour-based’ violence. I commend the force for its outstanding work in this area.
“The force has good processes in place to manage, prioritise and filter demand. Its contact and control room have impressive arrangements to ensure that a structured assessment is used to manage demand. It is trialling a new district triage team to manage calls from the public which do not require an immediate police response, and is proposing two investigation hubs to group its specialist resources to increase its flexibility.
“Norfolk Constabulary also has an impressive range of working arrangements with other police forces and local partners, such as councils, to help save public money and improve the services it provides. For example, it is sharing a number of premises with Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service. I am particularly impressed by the force’s culture of innovation and continuous improvement, led by the chief constable and supported by senior leaders, and it encourages its workforce to suggest new ideas. This is very positive indeed.
“The force has a good understanding of the current skills and leadership capabilities of its police officers, and since our inspection it is developing the same understanding in respect of police staff.
“Norfolk Constabulary has an exceptionally good track record of making necessary savings. It has developed a new approach to allocating money internally, called outcome-based budgeting, which gives it a better understanding of how it uses its resources and what is achieved as a result. Its plans for the future are realistic and achievable; I have every confidence that the force will achieve the further savings required while continuing to provide an excellent service to communities across Norfolk.”
HMICFRS judged that North Wales Police:
- is ‘good’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- ‘requires improvement’ at how it uses its resources; and
- ‘requires improvement’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – North Wales Police
HM Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams said:
“North Wales Police needs to improve its overall efficiency in keeping people safe and reducing crime. Although there are some aspects of these duties that it manages well, there is more that the force can do.
“The force is good at understanding demand and has well-established processes and systems for monitoring and understanding current demand. The force uses this understanding to deploy people and resources where they are needed most. This includes understanding demand that might otherwise go unreported.
“North Wales Police needs to improve in the way that the force plans for the future. Leaders are beginning to undertake analysis of some roles to gain a clearer picture of how demand is changing, including likely future demand for its services, and the force is developing a long-term force plan which will draw all of this work together. This plan will include making better use of technology, reducing partner resources and taking into consideration the views of local communities. However, at present the force does not have a single vision of the future to bring all of this activity together, thereby enabling it to meet future demand.
“The force’s plans for the future are realistic but are not transformative. Evidence of innovation within the organisation is comparatively limited, when compared to other forces. However, the force is good at continuing to make savings, which means that it is able to invest well in its infrastructure, to make further savings in the future.”
HMICFRS judged that North Yorkshire Police:
- ‘requires improvement’ understanding the demands for its services;
- ‘requires improvement’ at how it uses its resources; and
- ‘requires improvement’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – North Yorkshire Police
HM Inspector of Constabulary Mike Cunningham said:
“This year we have judged North Yorkshire Police as ‘requires improvement’ in the way it matches the demand on its service with the skills of its people, and in its financial planning. This is chiefly due to additional work that needs to be carried out to identify and reduce inefficient processes and work required to increase its understanding of likely future demand amongst developing communities in its area. It also needs to progress its plans to ensure that officers are equipped with the appropriate technology, something which has been delayed.
“North Yorkshire Police has a good understanding of the current demand for its services and is seeking to develop its work in collaboration with other organisations. Additionally, the force has a good track record of making savings; it will need to build on this if it is to meet the significant challenge of a predicted shortfall in its budget for 2019/20.”
HMICFRS judged that Northamptonshire Police:
- is ‘good’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- ‘requires improvement’ at how it uses its resources; and
- is ‘good’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – Northamptonshire Police
HM Inspector of Constabulary Zoë Billingham said:
“I am very pleased with how Northamptonshire Police has performed in our efficiency inspection. I would like to recognise and commend the concerted effort made by the chief constable, senior leaders and the workforce in achieving some very positive progress. It is clear to me that those efforts are undoubtedly paying off and the force is moving in the right direction.
“The force demonstrated a good understanding of current demand for its services, based on sophisticated analysis of police data. Its new demand monitoring framework will allow a more evidence-based and considered response to future resourcing decisions. The force is also reshaping its operating model to ensure policing services are aligned with each other. It has implemented a new process to identify wasteful or inefficient activity in its change programme and has introduced a single change board to provide more robust governance, oversight and management of the programme.
“I am also pleased to find the force’s plans for the future are innovative and will change how it operates. Financial, estates and workforce plans are becoming more closely aligned. The force is reducing its estate and associated running costs, and continues to engage actively with other agencies and neighbouring police forces. It intends to increase its collaboration with the Fire and Rescue Service and with other local police forces.
“There are some improvements needed however. In particular I would like the force to improve its understanding of the skills of its workforce and what skills it will need in the future. It is currently under-resourced in some areas but the force recognises this and is conducting recruitment campaigns to bring new people into the organisation. The force recognises that it is not always making the best use of its technology and has plans to address this. Given how the force has approached making improvements in other areas, I am confident that it will be able to make strides in these other areas too.”
HMICFRS judged that Northumbria Police:
- is ‘good’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- is ‘good’ at how it uses its resources; and
- is ‘good’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – Northumbria Police
HM Inspector of Constabulary Mike Cunningham said:
“Northumbria Police continues to be judged as ‘good’ in the way it matches the demand on its service with the skills of its people, and in its financial planning. The force has a comprehensive and up-to-date understanding of demand and well-developed processes to identify crimes which are less likely to be reported.
“The force encourages staff and officers of all ranks to contribute ideas and work on the implementation of those ideas if they’re adopted. It has undertaken some analysis of workforce skills and I hope to see that analysis extended and further developed over the course of the next year.
“Northumbria Police has detailed and solid financial plans in place, which have been tested and examined independently and plans to increase its already extensive collaborative arrangements to realise further efficiencies, for which it is to be commended.”
HMICFRS judged that Nottinghamshire Police:
- is ‘good’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- ‘requires improvement’ at how it uses its resources; and
- ‘requires improvement’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – Nottinghamshire Police
HM Inspector of Constabulary Zoë Billingham said:
“It is clear from our inspection that Nottinghamshire Police is working successfully to improve its efficiency. I am pleased that the force has made improvements over the last year. The force has a good understanding of current demand. It is also developing its understanding of those crimes which are less likely to be reported.
“I am encouraged that the force has also improved its understanding of the skills and capabilities of its workforce and I am pleased that its understanding of the skills and capabilities of its leaders has improved since our inspection. The force encourages its workforce to make suggestions and put forward ideas, and leaders listen to them. This is a positive step.
“The force would benefit from improving its understanding of future demand but the force is again working on this. It works well with other partners like local councils to manage local demand for its services and continues to consider other options for collaboration that reduce costs and increase resilience and capacity.
“I am pleased to report that Nottinghamshire Police has made good progress in improving the quality and robustness of its financial planning and management. The force is investing to increase its capacity and capability, and has good ICT infrastructure and estates projects. Although its current limited funds in reserve could restrict its ability to invest, the force has committed to making additional one-off savings to replenish these reserves and provide greater financial resilience for the future. I have every confidence that the relatively new chief constable and his team will continue to make great strides over the coming year in terms of increasing the force’s efficiency.”
HMICFRS judged that South Wales Police:
- is ‘good’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- is ‘good’ at how it uses its resources; and
- is ‘good’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – South Wales Police
HM Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams said:
“South Wales Police has been assessed as ‘good’ for the efficiency with which it keeps people safe and reduces crime. The force has continued to build on its strong understanding of the demand on its services. It places this understanding at the heart of how it operates, how it plans and works with other organisations to identify, predict and tackle demand and how it deploys its resources to meet demand. South Wales Police has developed strong collaborative working arrangements with other police forces, the private sector and local communities to deal with demand more efficiently. It is planning actively for how it will work in the future, and takes account of public satisfaction in these plans.
“The force has systems in place to understand both the capabilities and gaps of its workforce, enabling it to direct its resources to meet current demand in most instances, and to allow for longer-term planning and deployment of its resources. However, at the time of our inspection, the number of abandoned calls made by the public to the force each month was too large, which meant that there was the risk that it was not identifying the full extent of the demand for its services.
“The force is aware that recent changes to improve its service have affected the balance between the demand for non-emergency call-handling and the number of call-handlers within its control room. The force has taken some steps to address this in the medium term through technology; it now needs to consider introducing measures to address the number of abandoned calls, in order to provide the standard of service the public expects. As a result, chief officers have commissioned a comprehensive review of the demands on the Public Service Centre to seek ways of tackling demand at first point of contact that are more efficient and to offer alternative methods of contact, while continuing to provide a high standard of service to the public.
“The force’s investment plans should lead to greater efficiency and bring about improvements to the provision of its services. Although the force is currently showing a gap in its budget from 2017/18 onwards, it has several contingencies in place and these contingencies should cater for any shortfall.”
HMICFRS judged that South Yorkshire Police:
- ‘requires improvement’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- ‘requires improvement’ at how it uses its resources; and
- ‘requires improvement’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – South Yorkshire Police
HM Inspector of Constabulary Mike Cunningham said:
“Following our inspection, South Yorkshire Police has been judged as ‘requires improvement’ in how efficiently it keeps people safe and reduces crime. The force has made good progress in understanding it’s demand to inform its new operating model. Although it was too early to fully assess the benefits of the operating model at the time of the inspection its implementation progressing well and at pace.
“The force still has some way to go in understanding the skills and capability of its workforce. Although the force’s understanding of its leadership skills is advanced, we recognise it is reliant on both improved HR processes and new force systems being in place to understand some of its basic skills and capabilities. Whilst the force’s cause of concern remains unchanged, we are reassured that the leadership in the force is well placed to address these issues.
“The force needs to improve how it plans for the future and makes the savings it will need. We are pleased with the force’s comprehensive financial planning, however these need to be integrated with other plans to enable the force to be as efficient as it can be.”
HMICFRS found that Staffordshire Police:
- is ‘good’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- is ‘good’ at how it uses its resources; and
- ‘requires improvement’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – Staffordshire Police
HM Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams said:
“Staffordshire Police is good in the efficiency with which it keeps people safe and reduces crime. The force has maintained its strong performance over the past year.
“The force has effective methods of understanding the current level of demand on its services and likely changes to demand. However, the basis of evidence from which it draws this understanding is only partially complete. As some calls from the public go unanswered, it cannot reliably quantify the complete demand for its services. Mapping of the main business processes is providing a firm foundation for the force’s proposed new operating model. This will help Staffordshire Police make changes and operate more efficiently.
“The force is developing its knowledge of the skills and capabilities of both the workforce and its leaders. It has changed promotion processes, for example, to gear them more precisely toward those skills that the force requires. However, Staffordshire Police could do more to develop talent and open up career opportunities. The force has taken into account both national and local policing priorities in allocating resources intelligently to different areas. It continues to demonstrate a strong commitment to joint work with public and private-sector partners. It is also open to collaborating with other police forces where the benefits of this are clear.
“While Staffordshire Police has made significant progress in developing its plans, further work is required. Its plans to secure those savings required by budgetary constraints are not developed fully. The force must make sure that its plans for the future are underpinned by a more accurate understanding of the demands it is likely to face.”
HMICFRS found that Suffolk Constabulary:
- is ‘good’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- is ‘good’ at how it uses its resources; and
- is ‘good’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – Suffolk Constabulary
HM Inspector of Constabulary Zoë Billingham said:
“I am pleased to report once again that Suffolk Constabulary is a consistently good force in how efficiently it keeps people safe and reduces crime. It has again performed well across all areas of efficiency. The force has demonstrated a good understanding of the current and likely future demand for its services, that is based on research and analysis. It has a good understanding of more complex and hidden demands (such as modern slavery and so-called honour-based violence).
“The force is also good at how it manages demand. The force has recognised that the way officers and staff record and allocate crimes is causing delays in investigation, so it is using officers on overtime to help ensure investigations progress more quickly as a temporary measure, while it recruits additional staff to resolve the problem. It is very encouraging that the force is able to identify issues and address them.
“Suffolk Constabulary has impressive joint working practices with other police forces and local partners such as councils, to help save public money and improve the services it provides. For example, it is sharing a number of premises with Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service. The force has a culture of innovation and continuous improvement and encourages its workforce to suggest new ideas. This is very positive and welcomed.
“Suffolk Constabulary has a good record of making necessary savings through innovation and evidence-based decisions. Its plans for the future are realistic and achievable, although it realises that making the required savings will be difficult. I have every confidence that the chief constable and his team will continue to take all necessary steps to secure ongoing efficiencies while keeping the communities across Suffolk safe.”
HMICFRS found that Surrey Police:
- is ‘good’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- ‘requires improvement’ at how it uses its resources; and
- is ‘good’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – Surrey Police
HM Inspector of Constabulary Zoë Billingham said:
“I am pleased that Surrey Police has again performed well in our efficiency inspection, achieving a good overall grading and demonstrating progress on many fronts.
“Surrey Police has a good understanding of current demand. It analyses a wide range of police data and should be commended for its progressive demand analysis report which predicts demand for the next 12 months. The force has taken highly effective steps to reduce the number of abandoned 101 calls through a thorough review of processes and the introduction of an effective quality assurance mechanism, which has also improved the quality of the service it provides in relation to all calls from the public. This is very encouraging.
“Surrey Police is good at assessing its priorities and meeting different areas of demand. It works well with other forces, particularly Sussex Police, and is seeking new opportunities for collaborative working to achieve further savings. The force is keen to exploit technological advances wherever possible. Public expectations are important to the force and I am pleased to see that the force is prioritising neighbourhood policing in its new operating model. The force is already taking steps to do more to understand the skills and capabilities of its workforce and leaders.
“I am encouraged that the force has good plans for the future and is seeking further opportunities to make savings; it plans to re-invest the savings it makes. I have every confidence that the chief constable and his team will continue to improve Surrey Police’s efficiency and I am reassured that the force has taken immediate steps to address any improvement areas revealed through our inspection.”
HMICFRS found that Sussex Police:
- is ‘good’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- ‘requires improvement’ at how it uses its resources; and
- is ‘good’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – Sussex Police
HM Inspector of Constabulary Zoë Billingham said:
“I am pleased to report that Sussex Police has again performed well in our efficiency inspection, being judged as ‘good’ this year and demonstrating progress on many fronts.
Sussex Police has a good understanding of demand for its services, and I am encouraged that the force is taking steps to bring all of its demand analysis together to give it a better overall picture of crimes that are often hidden from view, like modern slavery.
The force is improving its understanding of the things that affect demand. I am pleased that the force has removed some inefficient processes in the control room and has taken effective steps to reduce the number of 101 (non-emergency) calls being abandoned.
At the time of our inspection the force had rightly reallocated resources based on its new policing model and I am pleased that the force is prioritising neighbourhood policing, but an increase in demand meant that the workforce was stretched. Commendably, the chief constable and his team have since taken swift action to address this.
Sussex Police works well with other forces, particularly Surrey Police, and is seeking new opportunities for collaborative working to achieve further savings. The force is also developing a partnership with East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service and works well with other partners, like local councils, to reduce demand.
The force’s plans are realistic and have been subject to external scrutiny and challenge. It is to be commended that the force aims to achieve its savings targets while investing for the future. I have every confidence that the chief constable and his team will continue to take all necessary steps to secure ongoing efficiencies while keeping the communities across Sussex safe. ”
HMICFRS found that Thames Valley Police:
- is ‘outstanding’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- is ‘outstanding’ at how it uses its resources; and
- is ‘good’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – Thames Valley Police
HM Inspector of Constabulary Zoë Billingham said:
“I am delighted that Thames Valley Police has been judged as outstanding in the efficiency with which it keeps people safe and reduces crime. This overall judgment is an improvement on last year when the force was judged as good. Thames Valley Police is one of only two forces in England and Wales to have been judged as outstanding in this area, so the chief constable, his leadership team and the workforce should be congratulated on this outstanding result.
“I am so impressed with the way that Thames Valley Police has improved its understanding of the demand for its services in the last year that we have now judged it to be outstanding in this area. The force is committed to understanding hidden demand and uses innovative technology to help it identify and tackle demand that is less likely to be reported. It takes steps to make sure that demand is not suppressed.
“The force has also improved how it uses its resources, and is now judged to be outstanding in this area as well. It has a good understanding of workforce skills and abilities through using the College of Policing’s competency and values framework, which sets out the national standards for workforce skills. It combines these with locally identified needs such as communication skills to describe and plan for the workforce skills it needs, now and in the future.
“The force manages change programmes well, assessing new programmes against agreed criteria and whether proposed changes will support its priorities. It is also is involved in a wide range of good collaborative work with other forces and agencies, and carefully assesses collaborative opportunities based on the benefits to the force.
“Thames Valley Police is good in how it plans for the future, and some elements are outstanding.
“The force has performed exceptionally well, and deserves to be commended. It has not rested on its laurels from last year, but improved to achieve the outstanding grade. This is due to a concerted effort not just from senior leaders, but from all within the force. They should be rightly proud of this achievement.”
HMICFRS found that Warwickshire Police:
- is ‘good’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- is ‘good’ at how it uses its resources; and
- is ‘good’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – Warwickshire Police
HM Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams said:
“I am pleased that Warwickshire Police has again performed well in our efficiency inspection, and judged to be ‘good’. Its strategic alliance with West Mercia Police is a strength that has enabled both forces to make considerable savings. Forthcoming developments include the introduction of new control rooms, supported by advances in technology that include new command and control, intelligence and mobile data systems. These developments are timely, because the force is experiencing operational pressures within its control rooms, leading to inefficient processes for call-handling and crime management.
“Warwickshire Police’s change programme is subject to firm governance, increasing the likelihood of benefits being realised and avoiding unintended consequences.. There is a strong commitment to leadership development and the force’s new approach to talent management offers a good opportunity to identify and develop the most talented members of its workforce. Across the strategic alliance, there are mature arrangements in place supporting partnership work, and its change programme is ambitious and innovative.”
HMICFRS found that West Mercia Police:
- is ‘good’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- is ‘good’ at how it uses its resources; and
- is ‘good’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – West Mercia Police
HM Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams said:
“I am pleased that West Mercia Police has again performed well in our efficiency inspection, and judged to be ‘good’. Its strategic alliance with Warwickshire Police is a strength that has enabled both forces to make considerable savings. Forthcoming developments include the introduction of new control rooms, supported by advances in technology that include new command and control, intelligence and mobile data systems. These developments are timely, because the force is experiencing operational pressures within its control rooms, leading to inefficient processes for call-handling and crime management.
“West Mercia Police’s change programme is subject to firm governance, increasing the likelihood of benefits being realised and avoiding unintended consequences.. There is a strong commitment to leadership development and the force’s new approach to talent management offers a good opportunity to identify and develop the most talented members of its workforce. Across the strategic alliance, there are mature arrangements in place supporting partnership work, and its change programme is ambitious and innovative.”
HMICFRS found that West Midlands Police:
- ‘requires improvement’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- is ‘good’ at how it uses its resources; and
- is ‘outstanding’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – West Midlands Police
HM Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams said:
“West Midlands Police is assessed as good overall for efficiency. Although the force is still performing well, last year HMICFRS assessed West Midlands Police as ‘outstanding’. This year’s lower overall grade reflects the balance between some excellent areas of performance and other areas where we had some concerns. For example, the force’s understanding of the total demand for its services may not be accurate because its analysis is not adequately supported by reliable crime data. Also the volume of 999 and 101 calls is outstripping the force’s capacity to answer them all.
“Although the force’s overall judgment has been downgraded, there are still many outstanding elements of performance. The force continues to have a good understanding of prioritisation and costs; this takes into account the public’s changing expectations and national trends, such as the increased threat to the public from firearms. The force has a strong record of reducing costs while improving the quality of its services. It also has a structured system to determine where best to invest and to ensure that benefits are realised. West Midlands Police continues to demonstrate a strong commitment to joint working with a range of public and private sector agencies to provide a better service to the public. The force will also seek to innovate if there is a solid argument that this will lead to sustained improvement in services.
“The force has a thorough understanding of how technology can improve policing, and many aspects of its change programme focus on developing the force’s digital capability to enable it to operate more efficiently. The force has comprehensive plans to enable it to handle both the challenges and benefits of technological advancements in the context of law enforcement.
“The force’s plans are ambitious and wide-ranging and are underpinned by effective governance arrangements. However, the force should ensure that these plans are supported by a more accurate understanding of the current and likely future demands placed on it by the public.”
HMICFRS judged that West Yorkshire Police:
- is ‘good’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- is ‘good’ at how it uses its resources; and
- is ‘good’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – West Yorkshire Police
HM Inspector of Constabulary Mike Cunningham said:
“For the second year, HMICFRS has judged West Yorkshire Police as ‘good’ in the way it matches the demand on its service with the skills of its people, and in its financial planning. It has identified and addressed internal inefficiencies and has comprehensive plans in place to understand the demand for its services.
“Additionally, West Yorkshire Police works well with partner organisations to reduce demand and resources whilst improving the service it gives to its communities. It has prudent plans in place on its finances and workforces in the medium term, with a complementary IT strategy in alignment.
“The force is recruiting new officers to fill existing gaps and increase capacity and I would like to see the force go on to consider how it might now develop its understanding of its leadership skills and capabilities.”
HMICFRS found that Wiltshire Police:
- is ‘good’ at understanding the demands for its services;
- is ‘good’ at how it uses its resources; and
- is ‘good’ at planning for the future.
PEEL: police efficiency – Wiltshire Police
HM Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams said:
“Wiltshire Police is good in the efficiency with which it keeps people safe and reduces crime. The force regularly assesses a wide range of information to understand the demand for its services. It then uses this information as the basis for how the force conducts its day-to-day business. A culture of continuous improvement is in place across the force, resulting in better services for the public.
“Wiltshire Police uses and allocates its resources well. It has implemented a new way of working that redirects its resources to deal with potential problems. However, in times of high demand, there are sometimes delays in answering non-emergency calls to the force control room. The force invests well, working with other organisations to manage demand for services. The force has a good understanding of its workforce’s current operational skills and capabilities, and future requirements are understood and resourced appropriately.
“Wiltshire Police is good at planning to ensure that the right people are recruited, trained and in place to meet the changing needs in the way it operates. Leadership development continues to be an area of strength. Comprehensive development programmes are provided for officers and staff to meet the current and future leadership requirements of the force. The force has a good record in achieving cost savings; strong governance procedures have served it well in ensuring that project managers are held to account for savings and other service improvements.”
Notes:
- Forces graded as ‘outstanding’ are: Durham and Thames Valley.
- Forces graded as ‘good’ are: Avon and Somerset, Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Cleveland, Cumbria, City of London, Devon and Cornwall, Derbyshire, Dorset, Essex, Gloucestershire, Gwent, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Lancashire, Merseyside, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Northumbria, Suffolk, Staffordshire, Surrey, Sussex, South Wales, Wiltshire, West Midlands, West Mercia, Warwickshire and West Yorkshire.
- Forces graded as ‘requires improvement’ are: Bedfordshire, Dyfed-Powys, Humberside, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Metropolitan Police, Nottinghamshire, North Wales, North Yorkshire and South Yorkshire.
- On 19 July 2017 HMIC took on responsibility for fire & rescue service inspections and was renamed HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services.
- HMICFRS is an independent inspectorate, inspecting policing in the public interest. It assesses and reports on the efficiency and effectiveness of police forces to tackle crime, anti-social behaviour and terrorism, improve criminal justice and raise confidence. HMICFRS inspects all 43 police forces in England and Wales together with other major policing and law enforcement bodies.
- For further information, HMICFRS’ press office can be contacted from 8:30am – 5:00pm Monday – Friday on 020 3513 0600.
- HMICFRS’ out-of-hours press office line for urgent media enquiries is 07836 217729.