Home secretary’s ‘deep’ concerns

THE Home Secretary has written to both Andy Burnham and Greater Manchester Police to express ‘deep’ concerns about the findings of a damning inspection report into the force – and to demand their plans for improvement.

Priti Patel warns that the ‘most troubling’ aspect of the report was GMP’s failure to safeguard vulnerable victims, but also writes that she has concerns beyond the recent inspection.

She notes ‘wider issues relating to the quality of service that the people of Greater Manchester are receiving from their force’, pointing to previous reports that have flagged criticisms around crime recording and effectiveness.

Requesting details of GMP’s improvement plan – both from the Chief Constable and the mayor the Home Secretary also notes the ‘widelyreported failures of iOPS’, GMP’s new computer system, and warns that as she waits for further news of that roll-out’s progress, the latest findings ‘risk further eroding the confidence and trust that the people of Greater Manchester are entitled to have in their force’s ability to keep them safe’.

The letter has been prompted by a report published by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services. That was fiercely critical of GMP’s crime records, finding that a fifth of reported offences are not recorded, rising to one in four of violent crimes.

As well as that issue – which the inspectorate has repeatedly highlighted since 2016 – it found GMP does not identify vulnerable victims well enough at the outset, while a third of investigations don’t have the ‘basics’ in place and 70pc of domestic violence cases are dealt with out of court, such as through cautions.

Too many cases are also closed without clarity that the victim is happy for them to be dropped, it found, while the force does not always record cases that have been referred in by outside agencies, including child protection.

The report’s author told the M.E.N. that GMP had repeatedly had similar issues highlighted during previous inspections, but that the force ‘bucked the trend’ in that the situation had deteriorated rather than improved.

“That’s one of the reasons I’m as worried as I am,” she said.

Government was quick to signal its concern, with policing minister Kit Malthouse tweeting that the report was ‘alarming’ and promising to call a meeting with the mayor to sort the situation out ‘fast’. That has now been followed up by a letter from his boss, Priti Patel, to both Mr Burnham and the force. She writes: “I am deeply concerned that in too many cases the service provided to victims, particularly vulnerable victims, is falling short.”

The mayor’s office has been approached for comment.