APCC Response to HMIC Report into Police Effectiveness
Responding the Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) report into police effectiveness published today, APCC Chair Vera Baird said:
“The APCC welcomes the Report by HMIC on Police Effectiveness, and will carefully consider its recommendations and implications.
“We do, however, particularly want to welcome the focus it places on neighbourhood policing, which is of key concern to all Police and Crime Commissioners. We recognise the importance of visible local policing which helps generate trust and confidence in the local community, its importance in addressing crime and anti-social behaviour and helping those in the community that are most vulnerable.
“The need to improve the resilience of neighbourhood policing was one of the key components to the Policing Vision 2025, published in November last year. PCCs, alongside policing partners, in accordance with The Vision are clear that the continuing development of a proactive understanding of community needs is necessary to keep people safe, particularly as communities become more diverse and complex. That means taking a structured and evidence-based approach to tackling local problems, working effectively with a range of partners to address the more complex emerging crime challenges.
“There is a significant programme of work being delivered through the work of the Police Reform and Transformation Board, much of which features neighbourhood policing. In that work we are alongside our partners at the NPCC and the College of Policing and this work will certainly take this Report into account.”
On the issue of keeping vulnerable people safe, Dame Vera said:
“As the Report recognises, Police and Crime Commissioners are committed to improving the police response to vulnerable people. Whilst it is encouraging to see more vulnerable victims come forward and report their crimes, there are, as a consequence, increased demands on forces, particularly in this complex and specialist area of investigation.
“PCCs will be concerned, however, by the Report highlighting that about a third of domestic abuse cases do not progress because the victim does not support police action. Whilst we note that HMIC will be looking at this in greater depth later this year, PCCs will be working now to ensure that forces are providing the level of service that victims are entitled to expect.”
The Policing Vision 2025 is available here.