North Yorkshire Police receive another ‘good’ rating from HMIC
“I am pleased to see North Yorkshire Police receive another ‘good’ rating from HMIC. The hard work and professionalism of everyone working for North Yorkshire Police is clear to see and ensures North Yorkshire remains the safest place in England.
“HMIC have raised their concerns about the strains on neighbourhood policing, but those concerns are unfounded in North Yorkshire. Numbers had dipped in preparation for reduced funding from the Government, but we are now actively recruiting officers and PCSOs and it will soon pay dividends in local communities. Other initiatives like the Rural Task Force and more safety camera vans also help with police visibility and making sure communities get the best service possible.
“Specific improvements do need to be made in North Yorkshire though, specifically in addressing serious and organised crime, and I agree. I will work with my Deputy to ensure we keep a close on eye on progress in this area, although I know the Chief Constable has already started to make improvements. Alongside that, I am keen to see more work done to ensure we better understand the impact of serious and organised crime in our rural areas.”
HMIC press release
North Yorkshire Police’s effectiveness at keeping people safe and reducing crime is good
HMIC judged that North Yorkshire Police:
- is ‘good’ at preventing crime, tackling anti-social behaviour and keeping people safe;
- is ‘good’ at how it investigates crime and reduces re-offending;
- is ‘good’ at how it protects those who are vulnerable from harm, and supporting victims; and
- ‘requires improvement’ in how it tackles serious and organised crime.
HM Inspector of Constabulary Mike Cunningham said:
“I am pleased to report that since our last inspection North Yorkshire Police continues to effectively keep people safe and reduce crime.
“The force is good at preventing crime and anti-social behaviour, with a strong focus from the police and crime commissioner and the chief constable on protecting neighbourhood policing. The commitment to preventing crime is well understood by all officers and staff, which was evident by the early intervention steps taken to tackle local concerns and stop problems from getting worse. This demonstrates a commitment by the force to continue to keep local communities safe.
“The force carries out good quality investigations, and has good processes in place to identify, investigate and bring repeat and dangerous offenders to justice and prevent them from re-offending. We found that officers and staff have the appropriate skills to investigate specific crimes. Call centre staff are able to assess risk correctly, however more could be done to gather information at this early stage. This would assist in the investigation process in order to prevent any delay and ensure the best possible outcome for victims.
“I am pleased to find improvements to the way in which the force protects vulnerable victims since our inspection last year. Vulnerability is recognised as a priority across the force. Individuals who may be vulnerable are identified at the earliest opportunity to make sure that the most appropriate response is provided by the force. The levels of support provided to victims of domestic abuse have also improved which will help to protect more victims from future harm.
“The force has improvements to make in the way it tackles serious and organised crime. The force does have some understanding of the threats faced by local communities and is taking active steps to enhance its knowledge of emerging crime types. There is some work ongoing to gather intelligence and disrupt crime groups within local areas; however, this was not consistent across the whole of the organisation. Further prevention and detection work is needed to ensure that all communities are protected from serious and organised crime.”