North Yorkshire PEEL 2014

The victim satisfaction rate in North Yorkshire has increased in the last 12 month. The victim satisfaction rate (in the 12 months to the end of June 2014) is 88.2 percent (±1.2 percent) for North Yorkshire Police which is higher than the satisfaction rate in England and Wales of 85.0 percent (±0.2 percent).

The force has a well-established process in place to manage and prioritise activity and the use of resources across the force area in line with threat, harm, risk and vulnerability.

There are strong local partnership arrangements, particularly in relation to the management of anti-social behaviour. There are effective multi-agency information sharing and joint use of powers to disrupt and prevent crime and anti-social behaviour occurring.

There is a strong focus on vulnerability and the need to protect those at most risk within North Yorkshire police. The force has an ambition to build on its victim-centred approach.

HMIC found a strong commitment to the multi-agency public protection arrangements (MAPPA) and multi-agency risk assessment conferences (MARAC). The integrated offender management approach however is disjointed with an inconsistent approach being taken across the force with a lack of understanding of the approach among staff and officers.

The force has invested in building its investigatory capacity, however there is more the force could do to improve supervision and file build quality.

The force could improve the way it disrupts organised crime groups, particularly through more effective use of its neighbourhood teams to tackle such groups.

North Yorkshire Police demonstrates a strong commitment to neighbourhood policing and the neighbourhood policing teams have a good understanding of local concerns and priorities. Neighbourhood officers work well with local people in tackling anti-social behaviour and are committed to ensuring the most vulnerable in their communities are protected.

HMIC found that partnership working in respect of anti-social behaviour and community safety is strong with significant evidence of effective partnership working and information sharing.

North Yorkshire has a strong repeat victim focus. HMIC is impressed by the attitude and approach of officers and staff, especially neighbourhood policing teams in relation to vulnerability and repeat victims.

The domestic abuse inspection found that, although there were effective working practices on domestic abuse, there were still opportunities for further development. The force’s initial response to domestic abuse was effective, but after this there was an inconsistent approach to risk assessment, which meant that some victims may not have received the future support and access to services they needed. The inspection found that there was good use of police community safety officers to support victims of domestic abuse in the community.

The crime inspection found evidence that North Yorkshire Police had made good progress to improve their response to domestic abuse. The inspection also reviewed North Yorkshire’s domestic abuse action plan and found that the plan outlined activity which was consistent with the agreed national priorities for forces. There was no separate action plan for the specific recommendations HMIC made for the force, but there was evidence within the action plan that suggested that these areas were being addressed.

The crime inspection found that the force approach to the management of organised crime groups could be improved. There was a monthly assessment of all organised crime groups, which linked into the assignment of tasks and co-ordination process for the force. However, HMIC found limited evidence of neighbourhood teams understanding organised crime group activity in their area and the risks they created.

The value for money inspection found that the force gave due consideration to national requirements. It takes account of the regional and national impact of serious and organised crime originating in the force area.

There was no Strategic Policing Requirement inspection for this force.