North Wales Police is good at reducing crime and preventing offending. The force requires improvement in investigating offending. It is good at tackling anti-social behaviour.
North Wales Police has reduced recorded crime over the past four years. The rate of reduction during this period of time is broadly in line with that for England and Wales. The likelihood of being a victim of crime or anti-social behaviour (per 1,000 population) is less in North Wales than across England and Wales as a whole.
North Wales is collaborating with forces in the north west of England as well as those in Wales in order to deliver a more efficient service to the public and to meet the demands of austerity. However, the force remains committed to delivering policing through its local policing teams. The local policing service comprises neighbourhood teams based in ten local policing commands which span North Wales’ six counties. Major crime is investigated in the force by a centrally-based team.
The force has sophisticated joint working arrangements with councils and other local service providers to support victims who are vulnerable or persistently targeted. Service providers work closely with the force to manage offenders who are the most likely to cause harm in communities and criminals who are most likely to re-offend.
North Wales has a strong focus on the most vulnerable, and individuals who cause most harm in society, making the area a safer place for residents, businesses and tourists.
Further insights on effectiveness
The domestic abuse inspection found that, although domestic abuse was a clear priority for North Wales Police and that this was recognised by staff at all levels, the service provided to victims was inconsistent and the force could not be confident that all victims were getting the service they needed when the force investigates offences and safeguards victims. However, the crime inspection found evidence that North Wales had made some progress to improve its response to domestic abuse.
The crime inspection also found that, in cases of more serious and sustained offending, partnerships in the force area make use of a range of tactics to stop offending behaviour; these tactics involve drugs intervention, the use of curfews and tagging schemes.
