Police and Crime Commissioner Angelique Foster has commented on the findings of a recent report published by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) regarding Derbyshire Constabulary’s Efficiency, Effectiveness and Legitimacy.
The latest Police Efficiency, Effectiveness and Legitimacy (PEEL) inspection report from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Service (HMICFRS) found that Derbyshire Constabulary is continuing to make progress, but in some areas further improvement is needed.
Derbyshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Angelique Foster, said: “While it is encouraging to see that the force has made progress, it is clear that there is still much more to do. I have discussed the Inspectorate’s findings with the Chief Constable and she has confirmed her commitment to delivering the improvements necessary to boost the Constabulary’s performance. I am confident that she will deliver those improvements having witnessed the significant progress she has driven to date.
“The requirements set out in my Police and Crime Plan aim to drive that programme of work. For example, the call for improvement to the way the force engages and communicates with our communities, the standard of service that victims of crime should receive from the first point of call or the need to recruit and effectively train and equip more officers are clearly presented in my Plan and it is the responsibility of the Chief Constable to deliver on this.
“The 283 extra officers recruited recently will strengthen the neighbourhood policing teams; helping to restore strong local policing which is a key expectation in my Plan. I have also provided additional resources to boost the Constabulary’s performance in key areas of service delivery and I know that many of the improvements supported by this investment are currently being implemented. However, the report identifies five areas as ‘needs improvement’ which is still not acceptable and I have made it clear to the Chief Constable that the public need to see the standards in these areas significantly improved.
“Since being elected as Police and Crime Commissioner, I have continually increased scrutiny and performance monitoring of Derbyshire Constabulary. This report will form part of the performance monitoring I undertake and help drive up service standards further. In my view, the pace of improvement must be increased, without sacrificing efficiency. This is critical to public trust and confidence in the police service.
“As Commissioner, I will monitor the implementation of the report’s recommendations and other service enhancements planned by the force. I know that some of the work undertaken by the Constabulary earlier this year, like the creation of a dedicated missing person team to combat the risk of young people being exploited, or the recruitment of more police officers to strengthen neighbourhood policing teams will help improve standards. I have asked for a clear timeline by when I can expect to see further positive outcomes.
“It is the Constabulary’s job to keep people safe and ensure they feel safe. Like the public, I want to see an efficient and effective police service and I will be monitoring progress to make sure that we get the high standard of policing that we expect and deserve. There is still much more to do and the standards of policing must continue to improve.”