Members’ hard work praised as Force comes out of special measures
9 June 2025
But secretary Tom Hill warned that cuts and underinvestment continued to have a significant impact on policing.
He said: “The news the Force is out of special measures is welcome and due in no small part to the outstanding work and commitment of our members.
“They continue to go above and beyond in their duty and I want to recognise their efforts in achieving what was needed to come out of special measures.
Branch secretary Tom Hill.
“Our members are doing more than ever with less, crime is more complex than ever, and the public expects more from us, but with fewer resources.
“We need long-term investment and a change in the funding model that enables chief officers to plan ahead and make long-term decisions, rather than firefighting each year when budgets are set.”
Tom’s comments came after His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) informed the Force the causes for concern it previously raised have been addressed and closed.
These related to the need to make improvements in how the force investigates crime, delivers neighbourhood policing and activities to prevent crime and disorder, and to improve how it manages performance.
Enhanced monitoring
The force was placed under enhanced monitoring in March 2024.
HM Inspector Roy Wilsher, who has responsibility for Nottinghamshire Police, said:
“I am pleased with the good progress that Nottinghamshire Police has made so far. While there is still work to do, I have recommended removing the service from our enhanced level of monitoring, known as Engage, and return it to routine monitoring.
“We are reassured by the plans the police force has in place to continue making improvements, particularly in relation to crime investigation, leadership, force management and neighbourhood policing. We will continue to assess its progress to make sure the people of Nottinghamshire are getting the service they deserve.”
Temporary Chief Constable Steve Cooper said: “This represents a significant step in the force’s ongoing improvement journey to better serve communities across Nottinghamshire.
Improvement plan
“We took being placed in ‘engage’ very seriously and through Chief Constable Kate Meynell’s improvement plan, which she implemented and ensured we delivered against, we used this as an opportunity not only to deliver meaningful improvements that are embedded across our force, but to improve in all that we do.
“The changes we have made have improved the quality of service we provide to communities and victims of crime, and we are committed to maintaining this and identifying any further improvements we can make.
“We remain grateful to HMICFRS, the College of Policing, the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the Home Office for their guidance and support throughout.”
Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Gary Godden added: “This is fantastic news for the public of Nottinghamshire. It is recognition that Nottinghamshire Police is successfully improving the service it provides, following the plan put in place by Chief Constable Kate Meynell and the focused delivery by the entire workforce.
“It is a milestone moment for the service, and we now have a platform to build from to improve even further.”
Crime
Two of the causes for concern, relating to managing performance and governance, and neighbourhood policing and preventing crime, were closed by HMICFRS on 4 April 2025.
At this time, the inspectorate commended the force for the improvements it had made in these areas, which included ensuring neighbourhood police officers spend more time in their local community.
HMICFRS also reported being pleased with the progress Nottinghamshire Police had made in improving the management, supervision and effectiveness of its investigations, before closing this final cause for concern on 22 May.
On closing this, the inspectorate commented that it was pleased with the improvement in Nottinghamshire Police’s management of crime, including supervision of crime and oversight of performance.
Nottinghamshire Police has introduced several new systems to maintain this level of performance and high-quality investigations. These include the implementation of Quality Assurance Thematic Testing, to improve crime outcomes and victim satisfaction, and Power BI, to manage performance.
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