Leicestershire PEEL 2015

Leicestershire Police’s approach to the Code of Ethics is positive and there is appropriate information available to the workforce among a number of positive findings. Some officers feel that promotion processes are not always fair and the force is working to understand the under-representation of females and black, Asian and ethnic minority people in a recent promotion process.

The force is taking positive steps to promote and improve the wellbeing of officers and staff. An organisational health check identified skills and knowledge gaps in mental health and the force responded positively to this with a number of initiatives including a mental health awareness week. The force provides a number of other wellbeing initiatives to support officers and staff, such as fitness classes and cycle to work schemes.

The professional standards department carries out the assessment of all complaints and internal misconduct allegations. This structure provides consistency and fairness in decision-making for both police officer and police staff cases. Complaints and misconduct are dealt with fairly and consistently with investigations being free from bias. There is ongoing work to reduce the time taken to investigate a complaint but the decision maker for dealing with complaints is not at the correct level as required by the legislation.

This question has not been inspected or graded in 2015.

Officers and staff in Leicestershire Police create and maintain good relationships with their communities and they have a good understanding of their needs and concerns.

Leicestershire Police engages well with the communities that it serves. The force is willing to engage with the public and be transparent in how the public views its work. The force uses a range of methods to achieve this, including beat meetings: community meetings; social media; and information leaflets.

The force’s website contains useful information that the public can readily access about what is happening in their area and about the force itself.

Volunteers are being used in the force and carry out a range of activities such as community speed watch schemes, operating CCTV systems, and inputting information on to police computer systems on behalf of officers.

Officers and staff in Leicestershire Police treat people fairly and with respect when they come into contact with them. There is a good awareness of the National Decision Model (the framework by which all policing decisions should be made, examined and challenged).

Leicestershire Police is not complying with all aspects of the Best Use of Stop and Search scheme. It does not record and publish in enough detail all the outcomes from stop and search encounters and it provides limited opportunities for the public to observe a stop and search. Also, the force is not monitoring the impact of stop and search on young or black, Asian and minority ethnic people.

However, there is good evidence to show officers understand the legal requirements relating to stop and search, and the force puts a great deal of effort into ensuring these powers are used fairly and appropriately. In most cases, reasonable grounds are properly recorded.

In Leicestershire, Taser is used fairly and appropriately by a small number of highly trained officers, who are part of a four force collaboration in the East Midlands region. Officers are well trained and understand their responsibility to consider all tactical options when using Taser.

As Leicestershire Police was not compliant in three or more aspects of the Best Use of Stop and Search Scheme in 2015, HMIC revisited the force in 2016 to assess improvements made since the initial inspection.

Best Use of Stop and Search letter – Leicestershire Police