More about this area

The force says...

South Wales Police provides a policing service to 1.3 million people covering 42% of the country’s population with around 43% of the total crime in Wales. South Wales Police is the busiest force in Wales in terms of crimes per 1000 population, the 7th most effective in England and Wales in terms of identifying suspects and the 4th most effective in taking action against suspects.

In 2018/19, the Force dealt with 201,949 emergency (999) calls, 501,754 non-emergency (101 calls), recorded 374,894 occurrences and carried out 39,207 arrests.

Policing in South Wales is delivered by 2,971 officers, 1,906 staff and 374 PCSOs, with a budget of £287 million.

The force is developing ever closer partnerships to protect vulnerable people through multi-agency hubs. The force has a tri service centre with two Fire & Rescue Services and the Wales Ambulance Service Trust. The force works with other forces and partners to deliver services collaboratively to the communities of South Wales.

The force area includes 64 of the 100 most deprived communities in Wales and is a diverse region featuring rural, coastal and urban policing challenges including the two most populated cities in Wales, Swansea and the capital city, Cardiff, which attracts over 18 million visitors per year and is home to 80,000 students.

Policing a capital city brings its own demands and the presence of the Welsh Government requires a dedicated policing unit. Despite the increased demand the Force does not receive capital city status funding.

South Wales Police is the strategic force in Wales delivering not only a local service but also providing support for major national events outside the force area. The force polices approximately 500 events each year including national and international sporting events, royal visits and demonstrations whilst policing the night-time economies in Cardiff and Swansea.

Disclaimer: the above statement has been prepared by South Wales Police. The views and information in it are not necessarily those of HMICFRS.