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Police ‘damaged’ but not broken: inspector

by Mark Rowe

Damaged but not broken; that is the verdict on the police by HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary, Tom Winsor. He published his 200-page annual assessment of the efficiency and effectiveness of policing in England and Wales.

The assessment covers the policing work inspected by HMIC in 2012/13, and an overview of police forces in England and Wales. The report opens with an essay by Winsor covering the financial challenge faced by forces, the demand for the services of the police and the changing nature of crime, crime prevention, the role of police and crime commissioners and HM Inspectorate of Constabulary’s role in inspecting forces.

On public confidence in the police, Mr Winsor said: “Controversies and revelations of a serious and negative nature in relation to the conduct of some police officers, both past and present, have hurt public confidence in the police, and the morale of the very great majority of honest, hardworking, committed and brave police officers has suffered as a consequence. The police service has been damaged, but it is certainly not broken. It is primarily the responsibility of the leadership of the police to repair the damage which has been done, through an intensification of its commitment – in deeds as well as words – to the highest standards of professional conduct, to the vigorous and uncompromising establishment (with others) of the truth, and the firm treatment of those found to have violated the high standards by which police officers and police staff are bound, and to which so very many adhere every day.”

Mr Winsor also addresses the financial challenge faced by the police in recent years, and said: “Economic pressures, increased public accountability and public scrutiny, the changing nature of demand for police services and the need to exploit significant advances in information and communications technology will continue to drive police leaders towards the creation of a leaner, fitter, more efficient and effective police service which is focused on the needs of the victim and the public.”

To read the full report visit http://www.hmic.gov.uk/publication/state-of-policing/

The report included the July 2013 study of private sector partnering, which acknowledged that police are now increasingly looking to work with private sector organisations. But the amount of information available to forces to help them put in place and manage such arrangements had to date been limited. There was thus a risk that police forces might not be reaching the most efficient deal for the public. The guide focused on three types of partnership – major business partnering, custody partnering, and consultancy support – which HMIC and the NAO considered have the potential to yield savings.

ACPO comment

ACPO President Sir Hugh Orde said: “HMIC’s annual assessment summarises the complex challenges that policing must grapple with: how to find further efficiencies and savings within constrained budgets, how to protect the public against national and international threats across force boundaries and how to optimise consistency in systems and IT across 43 forces.

“The relationship with the public is fundamental to our policing model and we agree with HMIC that the role of police leaders continues to be critical in working to build a culture of honesty and integrity throughout their forces. The code of ethics provides an important opportunity to take this forward.

“Chiefs are working with Police and Crime Commissioners to find further savings and increase consistency across police forces. Huge effort is going into collaboration and there are many different models emerging. However the 43 force model creates boundaries and against a need to find further savings, a rethink of the current number of forces may be required, to ensure we can continue to adapt to a changing picture of crime and serve the public to the best of our ability.”

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