Nottinghamshire Police Chief Constable and the Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner committed to making improvements after His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) report found “causes for concern” with Nottinghamshire Police
Leaders at Nottinghamshire Police have said they are committed to making improvements after an inspection found there were “causes for concern” at the force.
Earlier this year, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) placed the force into special measures, and is now in an ‘engage status’, but the publication of the full report was delayed until today (Thursday, July 11) due to the Police and Crime Commissioner elections and the General Election.
The Inspectorate found that Nottinghamshire Police was inadequate in preventing and investigating crime, as well as the force’s leadership and management. It also found that improvement was required in protecting vulnerable people.
Rated as being adequate were; police powers and public treatment, responding to the public, managing offenders, and developing a positive workplace.
Nottinghamshire’s new Police and Crime Commissioner Gary Godden, who was elected to the role in May, has since held a number of meetings with Nottinghamshire Police Chief Constable Kate Meynell and officials from HMICFRS to scrutinise and monitor progress in areas outlined by the report.
Both the Commisioner and the Chief Constable has vowed to ensure Nottinghamshire Police continues to make improvements and move the force “in the right direction.”
Commissioner Godden said: “Coming into this role, I knew there were challenges ahead for Nottinghamshire Police and specific areas for improvement.
“It is important for the people of Nottinghamshire that the force moves out of ‘engage status’ as soon as possible and provides the highest possible standard of service.
“From the conversations I have had with the force and HMICFRS so far, it is clear to me that the force has already come a long way since the inspection concluded in January. But I want to ensure it keeps going in the right direction.
“The Chief Constable has quickened the pace of improvements she was already making in her first year as Chief Constable. It is my job to make sure that the upward trajectory continues, through my monthly Accountability Board, weekly briefings with the Chief Constable and scrutiny support from my office, but also by supporting that strategic direction with my new Police and Crime Plan, which is currently in development.
“One of the findings in the HMICFRS report is around a need for stronger neighbourhood policing. This is one of the key priorities that I propose to include in my Police and Crime Plan, because I see this as a cornerstone for building public trust and confidence and a service that people can rely on.
“The inspection report will assist me in having a laser-like focus on all of the areas for improvement and ensuring progress continues to be made so that the people of Nottinghamshire have trust and confidence in a policing service they deserve.”
Chief Constable Kate Meynell said: “We have taken this very seriously and we are working closely with HMICFRS to improve all that we do.
“We were already working on some of the changes that needed to be made before our inspection, but this has given us the opportunity to work with the inspectorate and the College of Policing on a comprehensive improvement plan. We are now delivering these improvements quicker to better serve our communities and have received positive feedback in relation to the changes made to date.
“A new comprehensive training package has been delivered to all our officers and staff who investigate crime to ensure that investigations are conducted efficiently, effectively and meet the needs of victims. We know that we still have more to do, but the steps already taken have seen our positive outcome rate increase further, with our charge rate exceeding the national average, and victim updates increase.
“Our control room handles a high volume of calls for service, including the highest number of 101 calls per 1,000 population in the country, so it’s vital that our officers and resources are always in the right place, at the right time. To achieve this we are continuing to evolve our processes and operating model to provide the best possible service to Nottinghamshire. This has included significantly increasing the number of inspectors and sergeants to further support our frontline staff and maximise our capability to tackle and investigate crime.
“We have also increased the number of officers in our neighbourhood policing teams including those with specialist skills, to improve how we proactively prevent and detect crime, and through a new dedicated team, we are targeting repeat offenders and those who cause most harm to our communities. This has resulted in significant reductions in neighbourhood crime.
“By continuing to work with the inspectorate, the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the College of Policing I will implement any further changes which benefit our communities.”
The report did find that the force is making a positive difference in reducing violence against women and girls, managing violent offenders, using its powers of stop and search effectively, protecting the public from harm through a new system to locate suspects and wanted individuals, and working with partner organisations to tackle anti-social behaviour.
The full inspection report can be found on the HMICFRS website.