His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services has published ‘Getting a grip’, which brings together the findings from the 2021/22 police effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy programme – known as PEEL.
Chief HMI Andy Cooke writes, ‘Put simply, too often and in too many forces, the public is being failed, either at the first point of contact in the response to a call for help or in the services a victim of the crime receives.’
Setting out two fundamental issues that policing needs to address, HMI Cooke said that chief constables and senior police leaders must improve the way they run their forces, adding that, ‘Governance and performance management often lack grip.’ Secondly, the said here must be greater investment in first-line supervisors. ‘They are critical to improving performance and developing the right culture. But they are often being let down.’
The report also looks at data, stating that, “Too many police forces made major strategic and operational decisions based on poor and often simplistic data and analysis.’ The issue of poor use of data also appears in a section about demand and how some forces only looked at demand at a high level using basic data. ‘It is critical that forces understand their demand so they can make best use of their
resources to, for example, answer calls for service or so they have enough officers
and staff to conduct effective investigations.’
There are also examples of positive practice in the report, with the inspectors encouraging forces to apply it in their own areas.
www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmicfrs/
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