Cheshire Constabulary ‘outstanding’ at protecting vulnerable people

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) graded Cheshire Constabulary’s performance across eight areas of policing. It found the constabulary was ‘outstanding’ in two areas, ‘good’ in four  and ‘adequate’ in two.

HMICFRS said the constabulary is outstanding at protecting vulnerable people and all departments and units have a clear focus on vulnerability.

It has worked to upskill officers, staff and partner organisations, and to raise awareness in the community. Inspectors said that the constabulary makes good use of the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme and regularly asks for feedback from victims and partner organisations to improve its services.

The inspectorate said that the constabulary has robust processes for managing suspects and wanted offenders. Since its previous PEEL inspection, the constabulary has invested significantly in additional experienced officers and supervisors in the Sexual Offender Management Unit.

Inspectors also said that the constabulary is committed to neighbourhood policing and uses innovative ideas and digital solutions to help prevent and deal with criminality and antisocial behaviour. Changes have also been made to the force control centre, which has led to improvements in answering emergency and non-emergency calls. But more work needs to be done on managing incidents that require a less urgent response.

HMICFRS said that the constabulary does not consistently achieve acceptable outcomes for victims of crime. It must make sure investigation plans are created when needed, and supervisors should ensure officers take all investigative opportunities.

His Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary Michelle Skeer said: “I congratulate Cheshire Constabulary on its excellent performance in keeping people safe, reducing crime and giving victims an effective service.

“The constabulary has improved or maintained its performance across all areas since our previous PEEL inspection, with four areas receiving higher graded judgments.

“This success is thanks to strong leadership, as well as the hard work of all its police officers, staff and volunteers.

“I was particularly pleased to see improvements in safeguarding vulnerable people and managing offenders. The constabulary has invested in resources and training in these areas.

“It has also developed robust and effective governance structures to oversee crime investigations. But it should continue to closely monitor workloads and the quality of investigations.

“I am confident that Cheshire Constabulary will continue to make improvements based on the findings of this inspection and its internal scrutiny processes. I will continue to monitor its progress and I look forward to seeing the improvements it makes as a result.”

Chief Constable Mark Roberts said: “I welcome the outcomes of the report and must firstly commend our officers and staff, whose efforts have secured these outstanding results and highlight their dedication to ensuring Cheshire remains a hostile place for criminals.

“I am particularly proud that we have been graded ‘outstanding’ for the work we do to protect vulnerable people and how we manage offenders and suspects.

“The recent PEEL Inspection by HMICFRS is a testament to the fact that we are one of the best performing forces in the country – we are not complacent, and we will always strive to improve.

“We are now protecting more vulnerable people, prosecuting more sex offenders, arresting more criminals and getting help to people who need us more quickly and more effectively.

“We have achieved a great deal across the force during the past three years and I am glad the report recognises the continued improvements and investments that have been made across the board to make it even safer for those who live, work and visit Cheshire.”

Inspectors gave special praise for the way officers and staff manage sex offenders, handle online child abuse investigations and safeguard those who are vulnerable. This was on top of the force’s commitment to neighbourhood policing and using innovation and technology to effectively deal with criminality and anti-social behaviour.

Mr Roberts added: “While it is clear that Cheshire Constabulary has made significant progress and improvements over the last few years, we recognise the Inspector’s recommendations and are committed to putting them into practice.

“We have already introduced positive changes which have enhanced our performance in answering 999 and 101 calls, plus implemented new standards to improve the way we respond to Grade 3 non-emergency incidents.

“Our ambition is to build on our strengths and be outstanding in every aspect of the service we provide to the public of Cheshire.”