I am satisfied with some aspects of Devon and Cornwall Police’s overall performance. There are, however, some areas that the force needs to address to provide a consistently good service, and I am concerned that its performance has declined since last year.
I am very pleased with the improvements that the force has made since my assessment last year in how it protects the most vulnerable people.
The workforce is now better able to recognise and respond to signs of vulnerability. The force works well with partner organisations, both at force and local level: it makes risk assessments that draw on information from a wide range of sources, and it co-ordinates its approach to safeguarding with the activities of partner organisations.
I have concerns about Devon and Cornwall Police’s approach to neighbourhood policing. The force is inconsistent in how it engages with the public across the force area and, as a result, it cannot be confident in its understanding of the issues that cause them the greatest concern. The force also has a variable approach to problem solving: there is some good local practice, but this can be offset by some unstructured activity that is not driven by a coherent plan.
I am deeply concerned by the force’s crime-recording practices. Since our inspection in 2014, the force has made limited progress in improving its arrangements for recording crime. Officers and staff do not always make correct crime-recording decisions at the first opportunity because of deficiencies in the force’s crime-recording arrangements, which include insufficient understanding of crime-recording requirements and limited supervision. The force has already begun to address this.
The force has sound processes for investigating recorded crime. The control room is effective in gathering information, assessing risk, and allocating crimes for subsequent investigation. The force is usually quick to attend crime scenes, and investigating officers are appropriately supported by specialist services. However, the force’s poor recording practices mean that these processes may not be applied appropriately to every incident.
I also have some concerns about the force’s approach to managing offenders. The capacity of the team that manages registered sex offenders to mitigate risks to the public is limited because of poor data quality and the size of its workload. The force also needs to improve its integrated offender management programme, which is focused too narrowly on acquisitive criminals and does not include those involved in violent crime or domestic abuse.
I am pleased to note that the force’s approach to managing serious and organised crime is effective. It has a good understanding of the breadth and scale of serious criminality across both counties, and it works well with partner organisations and regional police specialists. However, the force needs to improve the awareness of officers and staff working in local areas of the threat of organised criminality and of how to respond appropriately.
The way the force is organised and provides services – its operating model – is informed by its understanding of current and likely future demands, and the knowledge and skills of its workforce. In my assessment last year, I highlighted issues in respect of the force’s operating model, and it is unfortunate that the force has not made more progress in addressing them.
Devon and Cornwall Police has also made only limited progress in developing its understanding of the current demand for its services. The analysis undertaken so far has been restricted to calls from the public for police attendance at crimes and incidents, and this analysis may have been adversely affected by the force’s crime-recording practices. The force urgently needs to widen the scope of this analysis by improving its understanding of so-called hidden demands, such as internet crime. It also needs to build on the work it has done to understand how the demand for its services is likely to change in future. The force’s ability to plan is further hindered by its limited understanding of the current knowledge and skills in its workforce, and of how these will need to change.
The force has a good track record of achieving budgetary savings. It has formed a strategic alliance with Dorset Police, and the two forces now share some services, which has reduced their cost. The forces plan to combine other services, which should result in further savings.
I commend Devon and Cornwall Police for using a variety of different methods to engage with the public and gather information about their perceptions of the police. The force then uses this information to shape changes to its policies, systems and practices. However, the force could do more to seek feedback from the public, and in particular those who may have less confidence in the police, about what constitutes fair and respectful treatment. That said, the force has a firm commitment to addressing the well-being of its workforce and is putting in place initiatives to support them for the challenges of policing in the current age.
I have been in regular contact with the chief constable and I do not underestimate the force’s commitment to providing a consistently good service to the people of Devon and Cornwall.
Context
Devon and Cornwall Police provides policing services to the counties of Devon and Cornwall, including the Isles of Scilly. Devon and Cornwall is generally affluent, although there are some areas of deprivation. The force area is home to around 1.7 million people, who live in a predominantly rural setting. The counties have 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 includes 240 miles of motorway and trunk roads and major rail stations, air and sea ports.
The proportion of areas in Devon and Cornwall that are predicted (on the basis of detailed economic and demographic analysis) to present a very high challenge to the police is very low compared to the national average. The most challenging areas are generally characterised by a high concentration of people living, working, socialising, or travelling in the area.
Features which both cause and/or indicate a concentration of people include the number of commercial premises including licensed premises and fast-food premises, public transport, and social deprivation. In some areas, these features are combined. The police force area is very large, relative to other forces in England and Wales, and it takes a comparatively long time to travel across the area by road, which increases the difficulty of providing police services.
Working arrangements
Devon and Cornwall Police’s collaboration with Dorset Police is an emerging strength that will support it in sustaining efficient and effective policing services while responding to financial challenges.
Devon and Cornwall Police and Dorset Police have decided to align their deputy chief constables across both organisations. One is responsible for operational policing for both forces and the other is the transformational change lead for both forces.
Looking ahead to 2017
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 identified last year.
I will be particularly interested to see:
- how the force improves its approach to neighbourhood policing;
- how the force improves the accuracy of its crime recording; and
- how the force develops its understanding of demand and uses this in the development of its new operating model.
