This year, for the first time, we have assessed leadership across the force. The assessment has led to a narrative rather than graded judgment, which is summarised below.
Read more about my assessment of Devon and Cornwall Police’s performance this year, including exceptional events and where I would like to see improvements next year.
I am very pleased with the performance of Devon and Cornwall Police in keeping people safe and reducing crime.
I am impressed by the way that the force works with partners to tackle local problems, and by the widespread understanding of the importance of preventing crime and anti-social behaviour.
I recognise the challenge faced by the force in providing police services across the second largest policing area in England and Wales.
I am pleased that the force has maintained its good performance at reducing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour. While the force has worked hard to improve the service it provides to vulnerable people and the support it gives to victims, improvements are required in how the force responds to young people who are at risk of sexual abuse and missing children. The recent investment in a multi-agency victim care unit means that a bespoke service is now available to victims of crime.
The force has clear plans to manage its finances, maintaining the quality of services while reducing costs. These plans, which it is developing and implementing in stages, are centred on sharing services with Dorset Police.
The force has undertaken a detailed analysis to understand how the demands for its services vary throughout the year and is using this to inform the development of innovative new ways of working. This should inform the improvements that it needs to make in developing an affordable workforce model.
The force has a good understanding of its communities and local officers and staff engage well with their neighbourhoods to understand the issues affecting them.
Description of force area
Devon and Cornwall Police provides policing services to the counties of Devon and Cornwall including the Isles of Scilly. Although there are some areas of deprivation, Devon and Cornwall is generally affluent. Around 1.7 million people live in a predominantly rural setting. The area has distinct, relatively small urban areas that include the cities of Exeter and Plymouth, as well as the towns of Torquay, Newquay and St Ives. The resident population is increased by university students and the very large numbers who visit, socialise in, or travel through the area each year. The transport infrastructure also includes major rail stations, and air and sea ports.
The proportion of areas in Devon and Cornwall that are predicted to present a very high challenge to the police is lower than the national average. These are characterised by social deprivation or a concentration of commercial premises (including licensed premises), and in some cases both. Providing services across the entirety of the force area is hindered by the size of the force and the road network.
Exceptional events
During the autumn of 2015, Devon and Cornwall hosted three Rugby World Cup matches.
Working arrangements
Devon and Cornwall works collaboratively with other police forces in the south west and is forming a strategic alliance with Dorset Police to provide a range of support and operational services. The force shares a high tech crime unit with Avon and Somerset Constabulary and is developing services for the recovery of digital evidence.
Effectiveness
In our effectiveness inspection, we judged Devon and Cornwall Police to be good at keeping people safe and reducing crime. The force is effective at preventing crime, and also sets high standards for investigations and the management of offenders. However, with regards to protecting the vulnerable, improvements are required in how the force responds to young people who are at risk of sexual abuse and missing children. There are good arrangements in place to tackle serious and organised crime. This is the first year HMIC has graded forces on their overall effectiveness so a year-on-year comparison is not possible.
Efficiency
Devon and Cornwall Police is adequately prepared to face its future financial challenges. Through robust financial management and a commitment to continuous improvement, it has successfully reduced its spending over the last spending review period, and is effectively planning for future financial challenges. In last year’s value for money inspection, which considered how forces had met the challenge of the previous spending review period, Devon and Cornwall Police was judged to be good.
Legitimacy
Devon and Cornwall Police is striving to develop and maintain an ethical culture, and is working to ensure that the recently introduced mission statement, force standards and values are consistently understood by all. The force has a good understanding of its communities and local officers and staff engage well with their neighbourhoods to understand the issues affecting them.
Devon and Cornwall Police is compliant with most aspects of the Best Use of Stop Search scheme. Taser is used fairly, but the force must ensure that its records properly reflect officers’ decision-making.
This is the first time HMIC has graded forces on their legitimacy, so no year-on-year comparison is possible.
Leadership
Chief officers in Devon and Cornwall Police have defined clearly what is expected from leaders and I am reassured that leaders across the force are receiving a clear and consistent message. The force understands the current status of its leadership at every level. The force leadership unit promotes leadership training programmes which include initiatives with partner agencies.
Insights from other inspections
HMIC undertakes other inspections in addition to the PEEL programme. Since the last PEEL assessment there have been six reports published on inspections that included Devon and Cornwall Police. More detail on some of these inspections can be found under the Other inspections section.
I would like to draw attention to our inspection on child protection, where we were impressed by the increased investment of the force in its child protection teams. However, despite more staff being devoted to this work, we identified the need for the force to prioritise the way that it deals with children who go missing from home. The force also needs to ensure that its child protection staff are fully trained and supervised.
Looking ahead to PEEL 2016
In the year ahead, I will be interested to see how the force responds to this assessment and the areas for improvement that HMIC has identified in the last year.
I will be particularly interested to see:
- improvements in how the investigation of cases involving vulnerable victims, specifically in relation to missing children and serious crime, are carried out and supervised;
- improvements in the availability of staff with the appropriate professional skills and experience to investigate domestic abuse cases;
- the development, with Avon and Somerset Constabulary, of the digital evidence recovery service; and
- the progression of the strategic alliance with Dorset Police.
In May 2016, like the majority of forces in England and Wales, the force will see the second elections for its police and crime commissioner.
