South Wales PEEL 2015

HMIC found that the ethical culture of South Wales Police is strong with significant efforts being made by the chief constable and command team to lead by example. The force places a strong emphasis on the wellbeing and pastoral care of the workforce. It has a welfare department which offers advice, counselling and occupational health support and provides a range of health initiatives and wellbeing support for the workforce.

The strong ethical approach of the force is reinforced by staff who reflect the force values, being professional, proud and positive. Work is ongoing to ensure that staff fully understand the Code of Ethics and the force is making it part of day-to-day practice. The force has not yet established if its values align with the code.

The force deals with complaints and misconduct in a fair and consistent way. Staff have a positive view of the professional standards department and are confident they would be treated fairly if they were the subject of an allegation. Representatives from the office of the police and crime commissioner dip-sample complaint investigations.

HMIC is concerned with the time taken to investigate allegations, and the failure to record routinely the ethnicity of staff who were the subject of allegations.

This question has not been inspected or graded in 2015.

HMIC found a clear understanding throughout South Wales Police of the importance of effective engagement. The force has a comprehensive understanding at both a strategic and local level of the communities it serves. There is an effective understanding, at all levels, of the link between engagement and legitimacy and its importance.

Neighbourhood profiles are used to good effect and the force has shown innovation and energy when engaging with some of its most difficult local areas which had previously disengaged with the police. Engagement is inclusive with good links with young people, elderly people and a range of ethnic groups.

South Wales Police has many existing channels to inform the public of its activities and is tailoring its engagement to the needs of the community. It uses volunteers in important and novel ways.

There is a good understanding of the National Decision Model (the framework by which all policing decisions should be made, examined and challenged) and this, together with the commitment to customer care and specific training, ensure that all staff in South Wales Police are aware of how they should treat and engage with their communities.

HMIC is satisfied that officers and staff in South Wales Police understand their communities, engage effectively and treat people with fairness and respect; however, we are concerned that the force has no process in place to provide staff with the opportunity to record their views and concerns, anonymously if necessary, and additionally that the force does not monitor the ethnicity of members of the public who have cause to complain.

HMIC found that, while South Wales Police has clear plans in place, it does not comply with most aspects of the Best Use of Stop and Search scheme. There is limited understanding of the scheme among staff, and any monitoring that does occur is based on minimum data. There is no publication of data on either the force website or the police.uk website. HMIC is also concerned that reasonable grounds for stop and search encounters are not recorded properly, and that there is no supervision or oversight of these powers.

Taser-trained officers are aware of the National Decision Model and understand its application. HMIC is satisfied that the use of Taser in South Wales Police is fair and appropriate.

As South Wales Police was not compliant in three or more 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 – South Wales Police