HMIC Reports 2013
This page provides links to HMIC reports either specifically following an inspection of Essex Police or with regard to national policing but with direct relevance to Essex.
Please note that the PCC response to the HMIC reports should be published within 30 days of the report being issued.
18 July 2013: Value for Money
HMIC Summary page: http://www.hmic.gov.uk/publication/essex-response-to-the-funding-challenge/
HMIC Essex Report:
PCC Response to HMIC Report on Value for Money:
Essex Police is a lean and efficient force. The “Value for Money” inspection by HMIC, published in July 2013, found that Essex Police had the second lowest net expenditure and the lowest non staff expenditure per head of the population. National comparisons also show that Essex Police has a below average number of police officers and PCSOs given the size and population of our county, and the seventh lowest number of police staff. Finally, in terms of efficiency, compared with other forces an above average proportion of police officer time was spent on the operational front line.
Here, in short then, is the predicament for our county. We have a highly professional, lean and efficient police force, and we are faced with the need for further savings. At the same time I hear week by week that everyone is concerned there are too few police on the front line.
Fundamentally, I believe that with any large organisation, there are always efficiencies to be found. Under scrutiny from me Essex Police is delivering those efficiencies. However, I also believe that it is my job as Police and Crime Commissioner to be responsible, and to do the right thing for the people of Essex to ensure that our county continues to be a safe and enjoyable place in which to live and work.
This is why I proposed a small increase in the Policing Precept, the portion of council tax used to fund policing, for 2014-15.
Nick Alston
Police and Crime Commissioner for Essex
13 June 2013: Domestic abuse inspection
HMIC Summary page: http://www.hmic.gov.uk/publication/essex-polices-approach-to-managing-cases-of-domestic-abuse/
HMIC Essex Report: https://www.essex.pfcc.police.uk/2013/06/hmic-report-into-the-management-of-domestic-abuse-cases-by-essex-police/
PCC Response to HMIC Report on Domestic Abuse:
I welcome the HMIC report into the management of domestic abuse cases by Essex Police, published on June 13, 2013.
This independent review was requested by the force, with my full support as Police and Crime Commissioner.
HMIC finds that Essex Police has made improvements in its handling of these incidents, especially in providing background intelligence and information to officers, responding to calls quickly and investing significantly in training.
The report also identifies several areas where further progress needs to be made. In particular, HMIC finds that Essex Police should make further refinements to the risk assessment process, increase the focus on perpetrators including targeted activity around repeat offenders, continue to develop means to enhance the confidence of victims to report crimes, and intensify its work with partner agencies across the county to safeguard victims. These are all constructive and insightful recommendations, and I am grateful to HMIC for their work.
Domestic abuse is the only crime type that is a specific area of focus in the Police and Crime Plan for Essex, and our new Chief Constable, Stephen Kavanagh, is personally leading the force’s work. I will be reviewing progress month by month.
It is essential that Essex Police continues to develop and improve its practices and processes for protecting victims of domestic abuse and bringing perpetrators to justice. It is also crucial that partner agencies and the voluntary sector are fully integrated into this work so the resources and the support available are used to safeguard victims and prevent harm.
Every week, I meet officers who are deeply committed to making a difference and doing their utmost to combat the dangers of domestic abuse, and the HMIC report found that there is much good work taking place in Essex. I know that Chief Constable Kavanagh has already begun building on that good practice, and is determined to move to a position where Essex Police is amongst the very best forces in the country for managing incidents of domestic abuse.
Nick Alston
Police and Crime Commissioner for Essex
Essex Police Response to HMIC Report on Domestic Abuse:
Essex Police has today welcomed the publication of an independent report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) into its handling of domestic abuse incidents.
The report highlights a number of areas where the force has made significant improvements in its response to domestic abuse and also suggests how further progress could be made – emphasising areas for development.
Chief Constable Stephen Kavanagh said: “This report was requested in August 2012 because the force was keen to get an independent view of its progress in tackling this issue.
“It recognises the substantial steps that have been taken to make sure suspects are arrested at the earliest opportunity, that calls are dealt with quickly and that intelligence is developed to identify those at greatest risk.
“But I also recognise that it highlights several areas where we need to streamline our processes, improve communication, and provide a better service to victims. This includes improving information sharing between other agencies by tackling the issue with a genuine partnership response and commitment.
“I stated only two weeks ago that I would now be taking personal oversight of the force’s plans to shape the way we deal with this particularly important issue. There has been some really positive work done so far and I have already acknowledged that there is still much work to be done.
“I chaired the first Domestic Abuse Strategic Oversight Meeting (DASOM) this week which has developed a number of strands to be more effective in keeping abuse victims safer.
“We have already had some success in victimless prosecutions where, for understandable reasons, vulnerable people may not feel able to give evidence in court. We can still do more and we are looking to work more closely with the Crown Prosecution Service to continue to build on that.”
Mr Kavanagh said he was also planning to hold a meeting with a range of interested parties regarding domestic abuse issues to consider further improvements.
“I want to get key people together so we can discuss this issue frankly and build on the work that has already been done,” he said. “I’m interested in listening to charities, local authorities, social services, prosecutors, academic experts, victim advocates and my own officers – who deal with this problem on the front-line.
“We receive 80 calls on domestic abuse a day and we are very conscious that we must get our response right every single time.
“We are committed to helping victims of domestic abuse and we would urge anyone suffering at the hands of a violent offender to contact us immediately. Our pledge is this: ‘We will listen to you and we will help you’.”
