Police force ‘needs to improve’

GOVERNMENT inspectors have concluded that Leicestershire Police needs to improve how it reduces crime and keeps people safe from harm.

The report published on Thursday, March 2, by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabularies (HMIC), following an inspection its staff carried out last October into all four areas of work in Leicestershire, gives the force an overall rating of “requiring improvement”.

They praise the work the force has done to prevent crime, tackle anti-social behaviour and keep young people safe, as well as its record on tackling serious and organised crime, and give the force “good” grades in each of these areas of service.

But in terms of the force’s effectiveness at investigating crime and reducing offending, protecting those who are vulnerable from harm, and in supporting victims, they conclude the force needs to improve.

Chief Constable Simon Cole said he was “disap- pointed” with the headline rating but said that work that began last year to address the HMIC’s concerns was already leading to significant change and an uplift in performance.

And Lord Willy Bach, Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Leicestershire, said he was confident in the action the force had taken in response to HMIC’s findings and was proud of the “many” good examples of performance which the HMIC highlight in their report.