Police force put into special measures

DEVON and Cornwall Police have been put into special measures by the police watchdog amid concerns over its performance.

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services said the force will now face a so-called “enhanced level of monitoring” by inspectors.

The decision was made because, said the watchdog, the force:

is unable to adequately manage registered sexual and violent offenders which means an “increasing risk of further offending may not be identified”;

does not answer, respond to, emergency or non-emergency calls within adequate timeframes, and too many calls are abandoned. Identification of repeat and vulnerable callers is missed, and callers are not always given the appropriate advice on preservation of evidence or crime prevention;

is not always recording crime against vulnerable victims and its crime recording has “deteriorated.”