North Yorkshire Police receive ‘good’ rating from HMIC

“Once again, I am pleased to see that HMIC has rated North Yorkshire Police as ‘good’ at keeping people safe and reducing crime. North Yorkshire is one of the safest places in England and HMIC’s report is a clear indication that the force is well run and delivers good value for money.

“I am particularly pleased that the high level of victim support for vulnerable people has been identified. We have invested a great deal of time and resources into improving our services, in particular when helping those who suffer from mental health problems, protecting children from neglect and abuse, older people from scams and frauds, and victims of domestic abuse.

“HMIC has raised concerns about our understanding of the threat and risk posed by serious and organised crime, and I agree, improvements do need to be made. This includes when dealing with issues such as drug dealing in our towns and cities, but also North Yorkshire’s remote and isolated locations which can be attractive for organised crime groups.

“Improvements are in train, with initiatives such as the Rural Task Force and the six extra safety camera vans that will soon be deployed across the county, installed with automatic number plate recognition technology that helps to identify criminals using the roads.

“I also want to make sure North Yorkshire Police keeps its stable financial footing and I will continue to campaign to ensure rural police forces get a fair settlement from the Government. Most importantly though, I want to make sure it is delivering the right services for the people of North Yorkshire.

“Finally, I would like to thank officers, PCSOs, staff and volunteers for their dedication and professionalism in providing such a good service.”

Read the HMIC PEEL assessment for North Yorkshire 2016 

This is HMIC’s third PEEL (police effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy) assessment of North Yorkshire Police. PEEL is designed to give the public information about how their local police force is performing in several important areas, in a way that is comparable both across England and Wales, and year on year. The assessment is updated throughout the year with our inspection findings and reports.

• The extent to which the force is effective at keeping people safe and reducing crime is good.
• The extent to which the force is efficient at keeping people safe and reducing crime is good.
• The extent to which the force is legitimate at keeping people safe and reducing crime is good.

Michael Cunningham, Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary said:

“I am very pleased with the overall performance of North Yorkshire Police.

“North Yorkshire Police works well with partner organisations to tackle local problems and keep people safe. The force has a clear commitment to preventing crime and anti-social behaviour, with a strong focus on neighbourhood policing.

“I am reassured that the quality of crime investigation is generally good, and the force works well with other organisations to manage offenders, particularly dangerous and repeat offenders.

“However, it needs to improve its understanding of the threat and risk posed by serious and organised crime, and improve its approach to tackling it. I would like to see the force adopting a longer-term approach to dismantling organised crime groups that encompasses preventative measures as well as reactive investigation.

“North Yorkshire Police is good at identifying at the earliest opportunity people who may be vulnerable. The force uses its assessments of the risks people face to determine the most appropriate response, and it puts significant effort into dealing with vulnerable victims appropriately. I am pleased with the force’s improvement in the level of support it provides to victims of domestic abuse, and with its approach to preventing further incidents while dealing firmly with perpetrators.

“The force has a very good understanding of both the present demand for its services and of potential future demand, which informs the force’s allocation of resources. The force’s financial and people plans are similarly aligned with its understanding of current and future demand.

“I am reassured that North Yorkshire Police is good at treating the people it serves and its workforce with fairness and respect. Senior leaders actively promote ethical and lawful behaviour through the force’s values, and the workforce is positive about the force’s culture.

“North Yorkshire Police seeks feedback from the public using a variety of methods, such as surveys and social media. It also actively monitors and analyses data on complaints, compliments, misconduct, grievances and diversity. The force is good at acting on this information and at responding to the issues of greatest concern to the public: for example, it has established a rural taskforce to deal with problems in more remote parts of the county.

“I am impressed by North Yorkshire Police’s strong commitment to valuing and developing its workforce. Police staff and officers have a clear understanding of what is expected of them and feel comfortable challenging more senior staff.

“In summary, the force provides a good level of service to the people of North Yorkshire. I am pleased that it has maintained its performance since my previous assessment.”