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 Essex Police’s performance this year, including where I would like to see improvements next year.
I am satisfied with some aspects of the performance of Essex Police in keeping people safe and reducing crime, but there are some areas of serious concern that need to be improved in order to provide a consistently good service. In view of these findings, I have been in regular contact with the chief constable and I am reassured by the way in which the force has acknowledged and responded to the issues we have raised. However, I do not underestimate how much improvement is needed.
I am particularly concerned by the force’s approach to protecting some of the most vulnerable people. HMIC found a lack of effective and reliable processes to respond to and safeguard victims of domestic abuse; and we also found serious weaknesses in the force’s response to child sexual exploitation. However, I am reassured that the force has immediately set about addressing both of these issues.
I am satisfied that the financial management of the force is sound. The force is developing a good understanding of the demands placed on its services and is reallocating the workforce to the areas of most need. The force’s approach to achieving the future savings involves a very significant reduction in the number of PCSOs. The force will need to satisfy itself that its provision of neighbourhood policing remains effective.
I am impressed by the range of means by which the force engages with the people of Essex. I am also pleased by the strong ethical culture within the force, and the support for staff welfare.
Description of force area
Essex Police provides policing services to the county of Essex. Although there are some areas of deprivation, Essex is generally affluent. Around 1.8 million people mainly live in the urban centres that include the city of Chelmsford, as well as the towns of Clacton-on-Sea, Southend-on-Sea and Harlow. The resident population is increased by university students and the large numbers who visit, socialise in, or travel through the area each year. The transport infrastructure also includes a major airport and major sea ports.
The proportion of areas in Essex 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 road network.
Working arrangements
The force has impressive and effective collaborative arrangements with Kent Police that continue to develop. The collaboration provides continued financial benefits and increased capacity and resilience for both forces.
In April 2015, Essex Police piloted a new information technology system on behalf of seven forces. The implementation of the system initially presented some problems. For example, a large backlog of incident records led to a slower response to calls for service.
The force is continuing to work with the system providers to address these issues, many of which – including the incident backlog – have now been resolved.
Effectiveness
In our effectiveness inspection, we judged Essex Police to require improvement in the way in which it keeps people safe and reduces crime. The force has a strong commitment to preventing crime but anti-social behaviour is not a priority, analysis is not routinely completed and knowledge of wider anti-social behaviour is limited.
The quality of the force’s crime investigation is poor for cases involving some vulnerable people, although investigations are improving generally. The force is successful at disrupting high-level organised crime groups but more could be done to increase the understanding of serious and organised crime among frontline officers.
This is the first year HMIC has graded forces on their overall effectiveness so comparison of their year-on-year progress is not possible.
Efficiency
Essex Police is adequately prepared to face its future financial problems. Through effective financial management and accurate budgeting it is successfully making the savings required of it and is well placed to continue to do so.
Its future ambitious change programme will need to be successful if the force is to realise savings and be in a position to meet changes in demand for its services.
In last year’s value for money inspection, which considered how forces had met the challenge of the previous spending review period, Essex was judged to be good.
Legitimacy
Essex Police has a strong ethical culture that supports and encourages its workforce to make sound decisions. There is effective support for staff welfare and the complaints processes.
The force successfully engages with the public through a variety of methods. The majority of the elements of the Best Use of Stop and Search scheme have been implemented, and the use of Taser is fair and appropriate.
This is the first time HMIC has graded forces on their legitimacy, so no year-on-year comparison is possible.
Leadership
Essex Police is a well led force. The chief officer team has a clear and realistic sense of the force’s priorities, though the force could take further action to ensure that its workforce fully understands this. The force has begun a programme to invest in the leadership development of the workforce.
Insights from other inspections
HMIC undertakes other inspections in addition to the PEEL programme. Since the last PEEL assessment there have been three reports published on inspections that included Essex Police. More detail on some of these inspections can be found under the Other inspections section.
Looking ahead to PEEL 2016
In the year ahead, I will be interested to see how the force responds to this assessment, and to the causes of concern and areas for improvement that HMIC has identified in the last year.
I will be particularly interested to see:
- how the force continues to address concerns about the way it responds to vulnerable victims, particularly those involved in domestic abuse and children subject to and at risk of sexual exploitation and abuse;
- the outcome of work to improve the overall quality of investigations across the force, and in particular child abuse investigations;
- how the force provides effective neighbourhood policing following planned changes to the workforce; and
- how the implementation of the records management information technology project progresses.
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.
