Dorset PEEL 2015
Legitimacy
How legitimate is the force at keeping people safe and reducing crime?
To what extent does practice and behaviour reinforce the wellbeing of staff and an ethical culture?
HMIC found there is a recognised ethical culture within Dorset Police and the chief constable and her team have put a lot of effort into publicising the force’s vision, values and the need for ethical behaviour. These are well understood and widely supported across the organisation.
The force provided for the wellbeing of staff, and also invested in a range of effective occupational health services. While those we spoke to were generally positive about the wellbeing arrangements in place, there were concerns raised about the support available to those involved in a potentially traumatic event.
The force publicises and promotes the Code of Ethics, and we found evidence that it is well understood and widely supported across the organisation.
The force uses a range of initiatives to make sure that complaints and misconduct allegations are managed fairly and proportionately.
To what extent are forces recording crimes in accordance with the Home Office Counting Rules?
This question has not been inspected or graded in 2015.
How well does the force understand, engage with and treat fairly the people it serves to maintain and improve its legitimacy?
HMIC found the chief constable and her senior team in Dorset Police have invested a significant amount of effort in ensuring that officers understand the need for engaging with communities and treating them fairly and without bias. This has included personal presentations from senior officers, and training on the Code of Ethics and the National Decision Model (the framework by which all policing decisions should be made, examined and challenged).
Although we found evidence of some inconsistency in relation to public engagement and maintenance of neighbourhood profiles, we were satisfied these issues had already been identified by the force and are being addressed through ‘Project Genesis’, an academic evidence-based strategic review of neighbourhood policing in Dorset Police.
The force runs a successful volunteers’ scheme to get the public involved in a wide range of policing activities.
Overall the force engages well with the public, listens to public concerns and ensures that officers are appropriately trained.
To what extent are decisions taken on the use of stop and search and Taser fair and appropriate?
HMIC found that Dorset Police is complying with almost all of the features in the Best Use of Stop and Search scheme, although there is more to do on recording and publishing outcomes.
The force should ensure that stop and search records include sufficient reasonable grounds to justify the lawful use of the power, and that officers fully understand the grounds required to stop and search. In addition, the force should ensure that adequate supervision takes place to ensure that stop and search records are accurate and contain the required information in respect of reasonable grounds.
Officers are appropriately trained in the use of Taser and in completing the national reporting form. Officers use the National Decision Model to justify any use of Taser. Taser use is scrutinised for appropriateness and issues brought to the attention of senior officers. The force publishes limited information regarding Taser usage. HMIC suggest that the force should be more transparent about how it uses Taser in order to enhance public confidence in the use of this tactic.
Overall we were satisfied that Taser is being used fairly and appropriately by Dorset Police.
As Dorset Police was not compliant in one or two aspects of the Best Use of Stop and Search Scheme in 2015, HMIC revisited the force in 2016 to assess improvements made since the initial inspection.
Best Use of Stop and Search letter – Dorset Police