State of Policing: The Annual Assessment of Policing in England and Wales 2019

Summary

This is Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary’s report to the Secretary of State under section 54(4A) of the Police Act 1996. It contains his assessment of the efficiency and effectiveness of policing in England and Wales based on the inspections we carried out between May 2019 and March 2020.

This year’s assessment starts with initial observations on the quality of the police response to the public health emergency created by COVID-19, and the wider demands the police faced during 2019.

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We have broken the report down into chapters, so the files are smaller and quicker for you to download.

Foreword

State of Policing: The Annual Assessment of Policing in England and Wales 2019: Foreword (PDF document)

Part 1: Overview

This section contains Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary’s assessment of the state of policing in England and Wales. It draws on the inspections we carried out between May 2019 and March 2020, as well as the findings and reports of other organisations, and other information and analysis available to him.

State of Policing: The Annual Assessment of Policing in England and Wales 2019: Part 1 (PDF document)

Part 2: Our inspections

This part gives an overview of the findings of the inspections we carried out between 3 May 2019 and 30 March 2020, including a summary of our police effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy (PEEL) inspections.

State of Policing: The Annual Assessment of Policing in England and Wales 2019: Part 2 (PDF document)

Part 3: Our reports

This sets out the full list of our inspections and other work. The results of our individual inspections enable an assessment of the performance of individual forces, or a more general assessment of performance in specific aspects of policing.

State of Policing: The Annual Assessment of Policing in England and Wales 2019: Part 3 (PDF document)

Annexes

State of Policing: The Annual Assessment of Policing in England and Wales 2019: Annexes (PDF document)

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The State of Policing report is provided in a variety of formats.

Single page standard format

This is the best format to use if you want to read this on a small screen or print the report and read it.

State of Policing: The Annual Assessment of Policing in England and Wales 2019: Single page format (PDF document)

Double page format

This format is best if you’re viewing the report on a larger screen, because it’s easier to read the graphics and tables which are spread over two pages.

State of Policing: The Annual Assessment of Policing in England and Wales 2019: Double page format (PDF document)

Large font version

This format has larger text and a simpler layout than the standard format. It has text and lists instead of graphics and tables.

State of Policing: The Annual Assessment of Policing in England and Wales 2019 – Large font version (PDF document)

Large font version, broken down by chapter

We have also broken the report down into chapters, so the files are smaller and quicker for you to download. These are:

State of Policing 2019: Foreword (PDF document)

State of Policing 2019: Part 1 (PDF document)

State of Policing 2019: Part 2 (PDF document)

State of Policing 2019: Part 3 (PDF document)

State of Policing 2019: Annexes (PDF document)

Get the press release

State of Policing press release 2019

This is a revised version of a report which was presented to Parliament on 2 July 2020 during the 2019-21 parliamentary session.

The revision takes out an error in an explanation of the relationship between two sources of police funding for the recruitment of police officers.

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Get the police and crime commissioners' responses to the report

Durham PCC’s response

Gwent PCC’s response (PDF document)

Merseyside PCC’s response (PDF document)

Nottinghamshire PCC’s response (PDF document)

Surrey PCC’s response

West Yorkshire PCC’s response

Find out why we publish PCC responses.

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