‘We need urgent investment in policing’

10 July 2023

West Mercia Police Federation chair Barry Horton has called on the Government to urgently invest in policing to meet the modern demands on the service.

Barry said members were doing “a brilliant job” but that more than a decade of cuts had left the police struggling with demand.

He was responding to the publication of Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) report on police performance, which brings together significant findings from the 2021/22 police effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy (PEEL) inspection programme.

The report highlighted police forces’ progress in recording crime, increasing from an estimated 80.5 per cent of all crime being recorded (excluding fraud) in 2014 to 92.4 per cent at the end of 2021/2022 inspections.

However, the inspectorate found that too many forces were failing to properly understand and manage their own performance, meaning they did not know which issues were most important to tackle and where and how they can improve.

Barry said: “The first thing to say is that our members are doing a brilliant job despite all the obstacles they face. They’ve had to contend with years of cuts and underinvestment in the service, to manpower and resources, to systems and processes – to the whole of the policing system.

“It’s led to an overstretched workforce that’s having to deal with more issues than ever before, so it’s no surprise the inspectorate found issues with performance.

“We need urgent investment in the service – which must include fair pay so that we can recruit and retain the best officers – in order to meet the demands being placed on us and to provide the service the public expects.”

The HMICFRS report found that:

• Too many forces make decisions based on poor data or insufficient analysis of data;
• Forces too often have knee-jerk reactions to long term problems and don’t work proactively enough to prevent issues arising in the first place;
• First-line supervisors are critical to improving performance and developing the right culture in forces, but they are not getting the investment and support they need;
• The public is too often being failed at the first point of contact, with long call delays, in particular non-emergency 101 calls; and
• The workforce is increasingly under-resourced and under skilled, with forces not doing enough to understand why such a large proportion of its workforce are leaving and having any plans in place to tackle it.

The report also highlighted how West Mercia Police shares performance information with local authorities as promising practice.

The report said: “This includes information on crime types, risks, repeat missing children, number of repeat child suspects and victims, and information on vulnerable adults.

“There are also ‘deep-dive’ reports on subject areas relevant to each authority, on serious and organised crime in the community, and on areas of concern such as knife crime and violence against women and girls. These reports use police and local council data, as well as publicly available statistics.

“This information allows the force and local authorities to better understand the risk faced by their communities and helps planning for joint working to address these risks.”

Andy Cooke, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary, said: “We found a wealth of examples where police forces are performing well. Forces must learn from each other and should consider if the positive practice described in this report can be applied in their own area.

“But the public are still being let down too often by policing, and there are several improvements that forces need to make. One of the first things forces need to do is to get better at understanding and managing their own performance. Without this, forces cannot aspire to provide the high level of service that the public deserves.

“The public’s trust and confidence in the police are at an all-time low, so it is vital that forces take heed of our findings and work quickly to rectify the issues highlighted.”

Tiff Lynch, deputy chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW), said: “There is a common thread throughout this report that links the red flags PFEW have been highlighting repeatedly – a severe lack of funding leaving police forces up and down England and Wales struggling with demand, and officer levels. This is further leading forces to use outdated, cumbersome, and poorly understood systems and processes.

“If our members are to give the public the service they deserve, then long-term, sustained investment in policing must be the Government’s top priority.

“Only proper investment in the service will allow all the service to implement the procedures and training that are vital to improving policing and regaining public confidence and trust.

“This report rightly adds more pressure on the Government to take urgent action, invest in policing, improve police pay and officer morale, and restore policing to the respected and trusted public service it should be.”