Force has seen ‘decline’ since its last inspection
POLICE MUST ADDRESS KEY AREAS, SUCH AS CRIME PREVENTION
Crime Reporter NORTHUMBRIA Police needs to get better at cutting crime and keeping people safe.
That’s the view of inspectors who say the force has ‘declined’ since it was last assessed.
HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services has published its reports into the performance of police forces across the country.
And inspectors have said that Northumbria Police, which covers Tyne and Wear and Northumberland, ‘requires improvement’ in the areas of ‘effectively reducing crime,’ ‘keeping people safe,’ and ‘providing sustainable services to the public.’
HM Inspector of of Constabulary Phil Gormley said he was particularly concerned about the force’s effectiveness at protecting vulnerable people.
However, the force’s Chief Constable Winton Keenen has said he is disappointed by the inspectors’ conclusions, which he put down in part to cuts in police funding and officer numbers.
Mr Gormley said: “My overall assessment is that Northumbria Police’s performance has declined since our last inspection.”
“I have concerns about the performance of Northumbria Police in keeping people safe and reducing crime, and in particular regarding its effectiveness at protecting vulnerable people.
“The force is good at investigating crime. However, it needs to improve how it prevents crime and antisocial behaviour through better engagement with its communities and a more consistent, structured approach to solving neighbourhood problems.”
The annual inspection, known as a PEEL inspection, looks at the effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy or police forces.
Inspectors also said improvements need to be made to the way Northumbria plans the use of its resources.
“The force needs to improve how it understands current and future demand,” said Mr Gormley.
“This should help it develop more robust finance and workforce plans to make sure that it uses its resources effectively.
While identifying areas for improvement inspectors also found that Northumbria Police was ‘good’ in the way it treats the public and its workforce.
However, Mr Gormley said the force had to improve the way it reassures the public about officers’ use of force.
He added: “I am reassured that the force continues to uphold an ethical culture and promote standards of professional behaviour well. However, I am concerned that the necessary systems are not in place to reassure the public that each time an officer uses force, it is done legitimately.”
Ch Const Keenen said: “The force is recognised as leading the way in many areas where it is considered to demonstrate best practice for policing nationally.
“Therefore, we are naturally disappointed that Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) concludes in its recent inspection that the overall grading for Northumbria Police is ‘requires improvement.’ In many ways the report also reflects the well documented challenges experienced of policing our extensive, diverse region having lost more than 1,100 officers and over 900 police staff members in consequence of being the hardest hit force financially over recent years.
“That said, we acknowledge there are areas for improvement as we seek to deal with increased, more complex demand and we have already made great strides in the seven months since this inspection was carried out.”