#024/2010 - Trafford Basic Command Unit is ‘fair’ and improving

#024/2010 – Trafford Basic Command Unit is ‘fair’ and improving

Policing in Trafford is fair and is getting better, according to a report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary.

The inspection of Trafford Basic Command Unit (BCU), part of Greater Manchester Police, found that it requires improvement but has strengths in making places safe and in reassuring communities.

Basic Command Units – known as divisions in GMP – are how forces deliver local policing and interact with communities.

Trafford’s strengths include:

  • Leadership and management in the division are viewed positively by staff. The BCU Commander and his team have the capability and energy to meet future challenges.
  • The division’s approach to tackling gun and gang crime has been highly successful and is seen as noteworthy practice.
  • Trafford has been recognised for its support and care to victims and witnesses.
  • An action plan has been implemented to identify and monitor the achievement of efficiency savings in the annual budget.

Areas for improvement include:

  • Ensuring public meetings take place as advertised.
  • Correctly grading calls based on urgency so incidents of domestic violence are dealt with rapidly.
  • Making better use of CID staff in volume crime investigations to improve performance.
  • Examining potential areas for savings to be made.

Roger Baker, Her Majesty’s Inspector for the Northern region, said: “Performance in Trafford over the past 12 months has been challenging, especially in terms of the levels of crimes solved within the BCU.

“The BCU Commander and Senior Leadership Team are aware of the ongoing challenge they face and there is a determination to succeed. Recent improvements seen in performance need to continue.

“The BCU Commander and his team have the capability and energy to meet future challenges. They must set about the change management process and make Trafford a safer area for its communities and visitors alike.”

Inspectors made five recommendations, including:

  • The force and Divisional Commander should agree a communications strategy with the lead officers for the major change programmes;
  • The role of PCSOs should be restated so that there is clear understanding among operational supervisors of their powers and restrictions on their deployment;
  • The division should review the systems, procedures and training in place to ensure that incidents and crimes are recorded, classified and resulted correctly.

Trafford BCU will be revisited by HMIC in 12 months to assess whether the recommendations have been implemented and to review the change in performance since inspection.

ENDS

Notes to editors

  1. The inspection of Salford BCU in Greater Manchester Police was conducted between 10 and 14 May 2010.
  2. See HMIC’s full report on Trafford BCU at www.hmic.gov.uk.
  3. BCUs are graded Excellent, Good, Fair or Poor.
  4. The direction of travel is determined from performance analysis over two timescales (12 months and three years) and is assessed as either improving, stable or declining.
  5. HMIC is an independent inspectorate, inspecting policing in the public interest and rigorously examines/the effectiveness of police forces and authorities to tackle crime and terrorism; improve criminal justice and raise confidence.
  6. HMIC inspects and regulates all 43 police forces in England and Wales together with other major policing bodies such as the Serious Organised Crime Agency, the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the British Transport Police and HMRC.
  7. The HMIC press office can be contacted on 0207 802 1824.