Chief Constable welcomes strong force inspection report

Chief Constable Rob Nixon has welcomed publication today of a strong and largely positive report about Leicestershire Police’s performance.

The police inspectorate, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), evaluated Leicestershire’s performance across eight areas of policing earlier this year. In its report today, it has found the force was “good” in four areas, “adequate” in two areas and “requires improvement” in two areas.

Chief Constable Nixon said:

“I would like to welcome this strong and largely positive report from policing’s inspectorate. It recognises the improvements and investments we have made in service and standards, and indicates we remain one of the leading forces in the country.

“We have more to do as a force, of course, but in light of national pressures and the budget challenges we have faced locally, this is a good report showing we are on track to make further progress.

“I was pleased that our efforts in prevention, supporting our young-in-service workforce, and working closely with our communities were highlighted by the inspectorate. I was also grateful to the inspectorate team for recognising the improvements and gains we are already making to respond to calls for service and achieve better outcomes for victims.

“We strive to be a leading force in the country that local people trust. This report is a stepping stone to help us achieve this and it is very welcome. Our public pledge is underpinned by good service and high standards. Our investments in local policing, training, digital infrastructure, and a focus on investigations will continue to improve our service for the people of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.”

Rupert Matthews, Police and Crime Commissioner for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, said:

“The officers and staff of Leicestershire Police have worked hard to secure these very creditable outcomes and their contribution to creating safe and prosperous communities should be acknowledged.

“We are all aware that the HMICFRS inspection regime has changed the gradings system for all forces, which means that any comparison with previous gradings is inappropriate.

“That said, I welcome the report which will provide a useful baseline for future improvements.  I look forward to seeing the force’s plans to implement the Inspector’s recommendations and deliver the improvements our residents expect and deserve.”

His Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary Roy Wilsher said:

“I am pleased with the performance of Leicestershire Police in keeping people safe and reducing crime. But to provide a consistently good service, it needs to improve in some areas.

“I am pleased that the force places a priority on preventing crime. The prevention directorate is an area of strength and innovation for the force, and with continued investment it should help to solve local problems and keep people safe.

“However, the force needs to improve its service for the public in some key areas, such as responding to the public and investigating crime to secure justice for victims and keep communities safe.

“Leicestershire Police, in common with many other forces, is facing financial challenges, but I am reassured by the plans that the force has in place to meet these ongoing pressures.

 “I congratulate the officers and staff of Leicestershire Police for their efforts to keep the public safe and I will continue to monitor progress in the areas where the force needs to improve.”

Notes:

You can find out more about our public pledge here Introducing the Leicestershire Police Pledge | Leicestershire Police

HMICFRS has said it isn’t possible to make direct comparisons between the grades awarded in this PEEL inspection and those from the previous cycle of PEEL inspections. This is because HMICFRS has increased its focus on making sure forces are achieving appropriate outcomes for the public, and in some cases they have changed the aspects of policing they inspect.