Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) independently assesses the effectiveness and efficiency of police forces and fire & rescue services – in the public interest.
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News
News article —
On 18 March 2020, HMICFRS suspended all inspection work requiring contributions from police forces and fire and rescue services, to enable them to focus on their vital work in response to COVID-19. We are now planning to resume appreciable inspection activity, with a focus on supporting fire and rescue, policing and the criminal justice system as they continue to respond to the pandemic.
News article —
As part of a rolling programme of child protection inspections of all police forces in England and Wales, HMICFRS published an initial report in February 2019, on the child protection work of Gwent Police. This found that, despite a clear commitment to protecting children, there were areas of concern that meant children were not receiving the service they deserve.
News article —
City of London Police is committed to keeping children safe from harm, according to a new report by HMICFRS. However, the force needs to implement several improvements before it can provide a truly consistent service.
News article —
Police control rooms are in danger of being overwhelmed by the ever rising and increasingly more complex demands they face, HMICFRS has warned.
Our purpose
To promote improvements in policing and fire & rescue services to make everyone safer.
Our role
Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) independently assesses the effectiveness and efficiency of police forces and fire & rescue services – in the public interest.
In preparing our reports, we ask the questions that citizens would ask, and publish the answers in accessible form, using our expertise to interpret the evidence and make recommendations for improvement.
We provide authoritative information to allow the public to compare the performance of their police force – and, in future, their fire & rescue service – against others. Our evidence is used to drive improvements in the services they provide to the public.
Our work
The public want the police and fire & rescue services (FRSs) to succeed in their duties to keep people safe and secure. It is in the public interest that the quality of policing and fire & rescue in England, Wales and Northern Ireland keeps improving.
At HMICFRS, we inspect, monitor and report on the efficiency and effectiveness of the police and FRSs with the aim of encouraging improvement.
By providing accessible information on the performance of forces and FRSs, we allow their public, and peers, to see how they are doing. This will place pressure on those forces and FRSs requiring improvement in aspects of policing and fire & rescue to raise their game.
Who we inspect
For over 160 years, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary independently assessed and reported on the efficiency and effectiveness of police forces and policing, in the public interest.
In summer 2017, HMIC (now HMICFRS) took on inspections of England’s fire & rescue services, assessing and reporting on their efficiency, effectiveness and leadership.
Who we are
Sir Thomas Winsor
HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary and HM Chief Inspector of Fire & Rescue Services
Zoë Billingham
HM Inspector of Constabulary and HM Inspector of Fire & Rescue Services
Matt Parr, CB
HM Inspector of Constabulary and HM Inspector of Fire & Rescue Services
Phil Gormley, QPM
HM Inspector of Constabulary and HM Inspector of Fire & Rescue Services
Dru Sharpling CBE
HM Inspector of Constabulary and HM Inspector of Fire & Rescue Services
Wendy Williams
HM Inspector of Constabulary and HM Inspector of Fire & Rescue Services