This year, for the first time, we have assessed leadership across the force. The assessment has led to a narrative rather than graded judgment, which is summarised below.
Read more about my assessment of Wiltshire Police’s performance this year, including significant events and where I would like to see improvements next year.
I am very pleased with the performance of Wiltshire Police in keeping people safe and reducing crime.
The force is good at keeping people safe and reducing crime. Standards of investigation are generally high and the force works effectively with partners to manage the most harmful offenders. While the force is committed to protecting vulnerable people, some improvements are needed in its understanding of, and response to, missing children.
The force has improved its understanding of the demand for its services. It is trialling a new operating model which relies on the extensive use of mobile information technology by its entire workforce, with the ambition of further improving the force’s effectiveness and efficiency. The leaders of the force are changing the organisation’s culture by developing their people and leadership capabilities which will help to support new ways of working.
I am pleased with the way that Wiltshire engages and works closely with the communities it serves. The force also has good processes for understanding and managing the wellbeing of its workforce.
Description of force area
Wiltshire Police provides policing services to the county of Wiltshire. There are areas of deprivation and areas of affluence in Wiltshire. Around 0.7 million people live in a predominantly rural setting. Its numerous small urban areas include the city of Salisbury and the town of Swindon. The resident population is increased by the large numbers who visit or travel through the area each year.
The proportion of areas in Wiltshire shows that the proportion of areas that are predicted to present a very high challenge to the police is higher than the national average. These are characterised by social deprivation or a concentration of commercial premises (including licensed premises), and in some cases both. Providing services across the entirety of the force area is hindered by the road network.
Exceptional events
Wiltshire Police had to deal with a number of high-profile investigations into allegations of historic sexual abuse. The force has also investigated allegations of historic sexual abuse in children’s homes.
Working arrangements
Wiltshire Police is involved in a number of operational collaborations with the other south west forces. These include the provision of services to investigate major crime, and a tri-force collaboration with Gloucestershire Constabulary and Avon and Somerset Constabulary, for roads policing, firearms and police dogs. The force is also part of a joint forensic services collaboration, and a regional intelligence and serious organised crime and counter-terrorism alliance with the four other forces in the south west. The force is also in the process of considering the business case for entering into a strategic alliance with Avon and Somerset Constabulary.
A review of the organisational hierarchy resulted in the removal of the chief inspector and chief superintendent ranks and is considering removing the deputy chief constable rank. This change does not appear to have adversely affected performance in the force and, if anything, appears to have improved the flow of communication within the organisation.
The chief constable is a new appointment for 2015.
Effectiveness
In our effectiveness inspection, we judged Wiltshire Police to be good at keeping people safe and reducing crime. In terms of preventing crime the force operates effectively and standards of investigation are generally high. Furthermore the force works well with partners to manage the most harmful offenders. The force is clearly committed to protecting the vulnerable; however some improvements are needed in its understanding of, and response to, missing children. There are good arrangements in place to tackle serious and organised crime. This is the first year HMIC has graded forces on their overall effectiveness so a year-on-year comparison is not possible.
Efficiency
HMIC found that Wiltshire Police is well prepared to face its future financial challenges. The force had successfully reduced its spending over the last spending review period, improved its understanding of the demand on its services, is currently trialling a new operating model and is planning effectively for future financial challenges. It has done this through robust financial management and a commitment to continuously improving services. In last year’s value for money inspection, which considered how forces had met the challenge of the previous spending review period, Wiltshire Police was judged to be good.
Legitimacy
HMIC found that chief officers promote ethical behaviour and there is an established force ethics board that informs policy making. The force has good processes for understanding and managing the wellbeing of its workforce. Wiltshire Police engages well with the communities it serves.
The force is not compliant with many aspects of the Best Use of Stop and Search scheme. However, HMIC is satisfied that on the whole Taser is being used fairly and appropriately by Wiltshire Police.
This is the first time HMIC has graded forces on their legitimacy, so no year-on-year comparison is possible.
Leadership
Wiltshire Police has a broad understanding of the current state of leadership in the force, and is taking steps to understand it further. The force actively seeks feedback from the workforce, via a range of methods, about how its officers and staff perceive their leaders.
The senior team has a clear sense of the force’s direction; but this message has not successfully reached all levels of the organisation. That said, the force has successful leadership training programmes in place and there is good evidence that the force understands the value of developing diverse leadership teams, in terms of experience, background and skills.
Insights from other inspections
HMIC undertakes other inspections in addition to the PEEL programme. Since the last PEEL assessment there have been four reports published on inspections that included Wiltshire Police. More detail on some of these inspections can be found under the Other inspections section.
Looking ahead to PEEL 2016
In the year ahead, I will be interested to see how the force responds to this assessment and the cause of concern and areas for improvement that HMIC has identified in the last year.
I will be particularly interested to see:
- the force’s response to missing and absent children;
- compliance with the Best Use of Stop and Search scheme; and
- the longer-term impact on services of removing the chief inspector, chief superintendent and (if applicable) deputy chief constable ranks from the management structure.
In May 2016, like the majority of forces in England and Wales, the force will see the second elections for its police and crime commissioner.
