While I am satisfied with parts of Humberside Police’s overall performance, there are several areas that are of serious concern to me. Humberside Police has made some progress over the past year, but more needs to be done.
I am particularly concerned about Humberside Police’s weaknesses in identifying and addressing the needs of the most vulnerable people. The force has inconsistent processes for assessing the vulnerability of people when they contact the police, and there are too many occasions when the force does not respond promptly to those needing their help.
I brought these shortcomings to the attention of the force last year. I am disappointed that they have not been adequately addressed.
The standard of investigations undertaken by Humberside Police is inconsistent. The more complex crimes are investigated to a high standard by specialist detectives. However, by contrast, investigations of more frequent, less serious offences are less effective.
Some investigators do not receive the guidance and supervision that they need. I am pleased with improvements which mean that Humberside Police is now good at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour, and it remains good at disrupting serious and organised crime. I am encouraged by the way the force works with prolific offenders to deter them from causing further harm.
Since last year’s assessment, Humberside Police has improved its understanding of the demand for its services and the way in which it manages calls from the public. However, the force needs to continue this progression, and it also needs to develop a better understanding of likely future demand for its services. Despite some improvements in the availability of officers, I remain concerned about the force’s capacity to respond to calls from the public. The force needs to match its resources more effectively to the demands it faces to improve its service.
I am reassured that the force has financial plans based on sound assumptions. It has identified gaps in the knowledge and skills of the workforce, which it is starting to address through recruitment. The force is planning to invest substantially in technology over the next two years.
Humberside Police actively seeks feedback about the extent to which it treats members of the public with fairness and respect, including from those who may have less trust and confidence in the police.
The force uses a variety of methods to identify issues that affect the workforce’s perceptions of fair and respectful treatment, but it could do more to demonstrate how the feedback is used to make improvements. The force has a good understanding of local and national corruption threats, and uses this to prevent police corruption. However, the force could do more to identify officers who have abused – or are at risk of abusing – their authority for sexual gain (that is, taking advantage of a position of power to exploit vulnerable victims of crime).
Humberside Police has made some improvements since my assessment last year. However, I am disappointed that the force has not made further progress, and it needs to move quickly and effectively to provide a consistently good service to the public. I remain in regular contact with the force leadership to support these improvements.
Context
Humberside Police provides policing services to the East Riding of Yorkshire, Kingston-upon-Hull, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire. Humberside has a high level of poverty, although there are some more affluent areas.
The force area is home to around 0.9 million people, who mainly live in the city of Kingston-upon-Hull, as well as the towns of Bridlington, Scunthorpe and Grimsby. The resident population is increased by university students and the large numbers who visit or travel through the area each year. The transport infrastructure includes 83 miles of motorway and trunk roads and major sea ports.
The proportion of areas in Humberside that are predicted (on the basis of detailed economic and demographic analysis) to present a very high challenge to the police is higher than the national average. The most challenging areas are generally characterised by a high concentration of people living, working, socialising, or travelling in the area.
Features which both cause and/or indicate a concentration of people include the number of commercial premises including licensed premises and fast-food premises, public transport, and social deprivation. In some areas, these features are combined.
Hull has been awarded UK City of Culture for 2017. The charitable trust team is now working to provide 365 days of cultural activity throughout 2017. The City of Culture and the events will increase the number of visitors to the city throughout the year.
Working arrangements
Humberside Police collaborates with South Yorkshire Police on human resources and criminal justice functions, and on the development of joint information and communications technology projects, such as hand-held mobile data devices. They have also merged some of their operational policing functions, such as roads policing, firearms and the dog section.
Humberside Police also collaborates with other police forces in the Yorkshire and Humber region to provide a range of specialist policing services. The force takes the lead in providing regional police services for both underwater search and public order mobilisation.
The force’s vehicle fleet and maintenance services are run in collaboration with the Humberside Fire and Rescue service. The force meets with local authorities to consider opportunities to work together to reduce demand and improve services.
Looking ahead to 2017
In the year ahead, I will be interested to see how Humberside Police responds to this assessment and to the areas for improvement that HMIC identified last year.
I will be particularly interested to see:
- how the force improves its response to vulnerable victims;
- how the force improves the standard of its investigations;
- how the force improves its understanding of the current and likely future demands for its services; and
- how the force better matches its resources to the demands it faces.
