HMIC Report: North Wales Police 'GOOD' but needs to improve how it investigates offending.
A new report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary says North Wales Police is generally good at reducing crime and preventing offending and good at tackling anti social behaviour.
The HMIC report looked at how the Police cut crime, reduces anti social behaviour, protects vulnerable people, how it treats people and if it provides value form money.
Dru Sharpling, Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary found North Wales Police to be good at reducing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour while preventing offending, however the force requires improvement in investigating offending.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DM-QY8QbgNU
The three key area were looked at:
How well does the force tackles crime?
North Wales Police is good at reducing crime and preventing offending. The force requires improvement in investigating offending. It is good at tackling anti-social behaviour.
North Wales Police has reduced recorded crime over the past four years. The rate of reduction during this period of time is broadly in line with that for England and Wales. The likelihood of being a victim of crime or anti-social behaviour (per 1,000 population) is less in North Wales than across England and Wales as a whole.
How well the force delivers value for money?
North Wales Police is on track to meet its spending review challenge and is financially well-placed to face further cuts, but there are funding uncertainties that may increase future financial pressures.
HMIC found that the force has a good understanding of the demand it faces and is working to manage the demand better, and to change the way it provides policing so that police time is used to best effect.
Crime is stable in North Wales, although victim satisfaction with the police is well below the figure for most other forces in England and Wales.
Does the force act with integrity and provide a service the public expects?
Police officers and staff in North Wales Police have a good awareness of what is expected from them in terms of demonstrating integrity, although the chief officer team could do more to promote this to the workforce.
The Crime Survey for England and Wales (12 months to March 2013) found that the proportion of respondents who think that the force does an excellent/good job was broadly in line with the figure across England and Wales. The same survey over the same period also found that the proportion which agrees that the force deals with local concerns was less than the average for England and Wales. The force’s own victim satisfaction survey (12 months to June 2014) found that the proportion of victims who were satisfied with their experience was less than the figure across England and Wales.
Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary has created a new online tool called PEEL assessment so from today, and for the first time, you can also see at a glance how well North Wales police is performing.
Assistant Chief Constable of North Wales Police Mr Richard Debicki responding to the HMIC report said
“We are very pleased Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary has acknowledged the good work being undertaken by North Wales Police and our positive direction of travel. There were many positives within the report, as well as some areas identified for improvement. We recognise an inspection can help us focus further still on the needs of the victim – to that end we have already embarked on a significant piece of work prior to the publication of the report aimed at improving our quality of service. Central to this will be our aim to exceed the expectations of victims in order to ensure that they are completely satisfied with the service they receive. We understand that crime reduction is important but this also needs to be matched by a feeling that the police have done a good job when dealing with those who are victims of crime. We are keen to acknowledge and address recommendations regarding appropriately trained officers being tasked with investigating specific types and levels of crime based upon the needs and any potential risk to a victim.
“I am, of course, encouraged by how Her Majesty’s Inspectors have recognised how effective we are reducing crime and preventing offending, which has, no doubt, underpinned reduction in the recorded crime rate of 15% in North Wales over the last four years. This has been the result of the excellent and well established relationship we have, not just with Police Forces in the region, but also our various partners. We recognise the value of partnership working delivered at a local level and will continue to build upon the good work already done. The way that the force handles anti-social behaviour within our neighbourhoods has also been identified as good by inspectors, and this is particularly pleasing given how hard we have worked on this through our neighbourhood policing teams across the force area.
“Whilst the crime reductions are positive and encouraging we are not complacent and we remain more determined than ever to tackle the scourge of serious and organised crime, and crime and antisocial behaviour which occurs, and is of concern to people, in their local neighbourhoods. We have a strong track record here, and we will continue to work extremely hard on behalf of our communities, because they expect and deserve this.
“Victims are at the very centre of what we do, their needs must come first and they must have confidence to report a crime to us and the trust it will be investigated speedily, appropriately, professionally and sympathetically. North Wales Police will continue to work with HMI and all our partners to ensure we deliver on this pledge and keep north Wales a safe place to live, work and visit .”
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