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 Bedfordshire Police’s performance this year, including where I would like to see improvements next year.
In its PEEL inspections this year, HMIC found some areas of serious concern in the performance of Bedfordshire Police in keeping people safe and reducing crime. In view of these findings, I have been in regular contact with the chief constable and I am reassured by the positive way in which the force has acknowledged and responded to the issues we have raised. However, significant improvement is needed in a number of areas.
I do not underestimate the very significant challenges that the force faces, including its historically low funding position and the complex demands of policing an area like Luton. I am satisfied that the chief officer team in Bedfordshire Police is fully committed to making changes to the way the force organises itself to secure the necessary improvements. I welcome these changes and commend the force for the determination it shows to improve policing services for the public.
While the force’s crime investigation is good, and it works well to stop some re-offending, it needs to improve how it prevents crime and anti-social behaviour, including the way it tackles serious and organised crime.
I am particularly concerned about the force’s inadequate approach to protecting vulnerable victims. Problems highlighted in the inspection include weaknesses in the assessment of risk at the first point of contact, including incidents involving vulnerable people such as victims of domestic abuse; and inconsistencies in the force’s response to missing children and young people. However, I am most encouraged that the force has taken immediate action to address these concerns. I also commend the force for being the first in the country to have secured female genital mutilation protection orders, and in doing so protecting two young girls from atrocious harm.
I am satisfied that the force recognises the difficulty of its future financial position, and I am pleased by the strong collaborative arrangements it has with Hertfordshire Constabulary and Cambridgeshire Constabulary through which it is realising efficiencies. However, I remain concerned that the savings the force has made over the past four years have reduced its capacity to respond to the demands on its services, and it is now struggling to meet the public’s needs. Our efficiency inspection concluded that Bedfordshire Police’s financial position is not sustainable in the long term.
The force has some good examples of public engagement in Luton, but needs to do more to understand the needs of the diverse communities across all of Bedfordshire.
I very much welcome the actions that are being led by the new chief constable to address the concerns that we have identified and the impressive commitment of the officers and staff throughout the force to keeping the public safe.
Description of force area
Bedfordshire Police provides policing services to the county of Bedfordshire. Although there are some areas of deprivation, Bedfordshire is generally affluent. Around 0.6 million people mainly live in the urban centres which include the towns of Luton and Bedford. The resident population is ethnically very diverse, with 23 percent from black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, and is increased by students who study in the area’s university and the large numbers who travel through the county each year. The transport infrastructure includes a major airport.
The proportion of areas in Bedfordshire 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.
Working arrangements
A number of chief officer changes have taken place, including the appointment of a new chief constable, who was previously the deputy chief constable.
The mature and successful collaboration of Bedfordshire Police with Hertfordshire Constabulary and Cambridgeshire Constabulary brings efficiencies across specialist operational and support services. There are clear plans in place to develop further joint arrangements.
Effectiveness
In our effectiveness inspection, we judged Bedfordshire Police to require improvement in the way in which it keeps people safe and reduces crime. The force needs to improve how it prevents crime and anti-social behaviour. The force’s crime investigation is good and it works well to stop some re-offending. The force has good arrangements in place to ensure that it can fulfil its national policing responsibilities, but needs to improve the way it tackles serious and organised crime which is a significant threat in parts of Bedfordshire. Of concern is the force’s inadequate approach to protecting vulnerable victims as detailed in our vulnerability report in December 2015. This is the first year HMIC has graded forces on their overall effectiveness so comparison of their year-on-year effectiveness is not possible.
Efficiency
Bedfordshire Police is partly prepared to face its future financial challenges. The force has achieved all of the savings required to date, but in doing so it had reduced its capacity to respond to the demands on its services. Bedfordshire Police was struggling to meet the public’s needs, but took immediate steps to address this issue following our inspection. The force recognises the scale of the future challenges and is working hard to address them. However, because of the risks and uncertainties surrounding its future plans, HMIC is concerned that Bedfordshire Police’s future financial position is not sustainable for the long term. In last year’s value for money inspection, which considered how forces had met the challenge of the previous spending review period, Bedfordshire Police was judged to require improvement.
Legitimacy
The chief officer team takes seriously the need for an ethical and inclusive workforce. The force has some good examples of public engagement, but needs to do more to understand and engage with communities across all of Bedfordshire. Decision-making by Taser-trained officers is fair and appropriate, and the force complies with the Best Use of Stop and Search scheme.
This is the first time HMIC has graded forces on their legitimacy, so no year-on-year comparison is possible.
Leadership
Bedfordshire Police has some leadership strengths, and the new chief constable has articulated a clear vision for future improvements. The force has a clear sense of its strategic direction and this can be seen through its work to introduce a new policing model and its strong approach to collaboration with Cambridgeshire Constabulary and Hertfordshire Constabulary.
Insights from other inspections
HMIC undertakes other inspections in addition to the PEEL programme. Since the last PEEL assessment there have been four reports published on inspections that included Bedfordshire 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 improves the quality and consistency of the assessment of and response to vulnerable victims; especially missing and victims of domestic abuse; and
- how the new chief officer team secures an improved service to all the communities across Bedfordshire.
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.
