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 Lancashire Constabulary’s performance this year, including exceptional events and where I would like to see improvements next year.
I congratulate Lancashire Constabulary on its performance in keeping people safe and reducing crime.
I am impressed by the way the force engages with the communities of Lancashire to understand their concerns, and by the way it works alongside partner organisations. The force’s Early Action approach is an illustration of its emphasis on tackling the root cause of problems. The force has made good progress in putting clear processes in place to identify repeat and vulnerable victims. It makes accurate assessments of the risks they face and its response to them is consistent.
The quality of crime investigation is generally good and the force works well to stop re-offending.
I am very impressed by the force’s approach to financial management. It has achieved its planned savings and is exceptionally well prepared to face future financial challenges. It has a good understanding of the main elements of demand and uses its resources well.
I welcome the positive and supportive culture that has been instilled throughout the force by the continuing commitment of its senior leaders. The force gives careful consideration to the wellbeing of the workforce.
Lancashire Constabulary uses an extensive and effective range of online methods to engage with the people of Lancashire. The force seeks and identifies improved practice from elsewhere and works with its partners to use new methods to predict, understand and prevent problems of local public concern.
Description of force area
Lancashire Constabulary provides policing services to the county of Lancashire. Although there are some highly affluent areas, Lancashire has a high level of poverty. Around 1.5 million people mainly live in the urban centres which include the city of Preston. The resident population is ethnically diverse, with 10 percent from black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, and is increased by university students and the very large numbers who visit, socialise in, or travel through the county each year. The transport infrastructure includes major rail stations, air and sea ports.
The proportion of areas in Lancashire that are predicted to present a very high challenge to the police is higher than the national average. These are characterised by social deprivation or a concentration of commercial premises (including licensed premises), and in some cases both.
Exceptional events
Lancashire Constabulary policed demonstrations at the first full-scale so-called fracking operation in the west of the county.
The force was instrumental in protecting life, property and livestock across Lancashire following the major floods in December 2015.
Working arrangements
Lancashire County Council provides some support services for the constabulary, including a technology platform for business support, human resources and finance. The force also has a shared learning and development department with Cumbria Constabulary. Working arrangements with other emergency services are advanced, with the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service attending missing person calls and the North West Ambulance Service assisting in dealing with vulnerable people. At a regional level, the force shares specialist policing services, such as motorway policing and the investigation of serious and organised crime, with neighbouring police forces.
Effectiveness
In our effectiveness inspection, we judged Lancashire Constabulary to be good at keeping people safe and reducing crime. The force works well with partners to deal with the causes of individual and family problems, and to prevent them from committing crime. The force is good at identifying vulnerable people and responds well to them. The quality of crime investigation is generally good and the force works well to stop re-offending. It has an effective approach working with a wide range of organisations to disrupt the activity of organised crime groups. This is the first year HMIC has graded forces on their overall effectiveness so a year-on-year comparison is not possible.
Efficiency
HMIC found that Lancashire Constabulary is exceptionally well prepared to face its future financial requirements. It has a good understanding of the main elements of demand and uses its resources well. It is taking clear and effective steps to tailor its future workforce plans to meet longer-term changes in demand, as well as future organisational and financial requirements. It has an excellent track record of robust financial management to achieve planned savings and has well developed plans for future savings. In last year’s value for money inspection, which considered how forces had met the challenge of the previous spending review period, Lancashire was judged to be outstanding.
Legitimacy
HMIC found a positive and supportive culture within Lancashire Constabulary and the wellbeing of officers and staff was considered very important. The force is outstanding in the way in which it engages with its communities to understand their concerns.
The force is not compliant with the Best Use of Stop and Search scheme, and, while Taser is used fairly and appropriately, this use is not always recorded accurately.
This is the first time HMIC has graded forces on their legitimacy, so no year-on-year comparison is possible.
Leadership
Lancashire Constabulary has an open and responsive chief officer team that understands its current leadership capacity and capability. The chief officer team clearly articulates to leaders throughout the organisation what is expected of them, and it emphasises the importance of the wellbeing of the workforce.
The force is actively seeking to identify and develop talented potential future leaders from within the organisation.
Insights from other inspections
HMIC undertakes other inspections in addition to the PEEL programme. Since the last PEEL assessment there have been seven reports published on inspections that included Lancashire Constabulary. 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 the areas for improvement that HMIC has identified in the last year.
I will be particularly interested to see:
- an evaluation of the Early Action programme, which provides joint-agency early intervention;
- compliance with the Best Use of Stop and Search scheme and more accurate recording of Taser use; and
- the progress made with the integration of public services across Lancashire.
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.
