HER MAJESTY’S INSPECTOR OF CONSTABULARY (HMIC) Wendy Williams has delivered her final report on the condition of Dyfed Powys Police. While the Inspector found areas of good practice, she nonetheless found that the Force requires serious improvement.
In what is likely to be a blow to incumbent Police and Crime Commissioner Christopher Salmon, not only did HMIC find ‘areas of serious concern in the performance of Dyfed Powys Police’, she also questioned whether the Force had ‘well-developed’ financial plans for the years ahead.
Ms Williams says that in view of the adverse findings: “I have been in regular contact with the chief constable and I am reassured by the way that the force has acknowledged and responded to the issues we have raised. However, I do not underestimate the challenge faced by the force.”
Ms Williams continued: “The force is good at preventing crime and anti-social behaviour and has good arrangements in place to tackle serious and organised crime. However, I am concerned that suitably trained investigators are not always available and, in particular, at the lack of professional expertise in the investigation of some high-risk domestic abuse cases.”
Of particular concern is likely to be the finding that call-handling procedures and training are inadequate, with HMIC remarking: “The force has more to do to improve its response to vulnerable people. I am not satisfied that the risks faced by emergency and non-emergency callers are consistently understood by call-handlers. This is hindering progress that the force is making in safeguarding the most vulnerable.”
Highlighting the Force’s financial arrangements, an area upon which Mr Salmon has invested a great deal of political capital, the Inspector said: “The Force’s plan to continue to provide effective policing over its very large geographical area with fewer staff needs to be developed as a matter of urgency.”
She concluded: “In the year ahead, I will be particularly interested to see how the force improves how it deals with vulnerable victims, with particular attention being given to how public calls are handled and how domestic abuse cases are conducted. I would also like to see the force publish clear and realistic plans for achieving savings beyond 2016.”
Police and Crime Commissioner Christopher Salmon responded by implying the report was itself out of date: “This HMIC report is based on an inspection carried out last year. It repeats findings from previous reports based on the same inspection. I do not believe it adds anything to those reports.”
No doubt Mr Salmon would have said the same about a more positive report.
Mr Salmon continued: “Based on HMIC’s own statistics Dyfed-Powys has the lowest number of recorded crimes in England and Wales. The force has the highest detection rate in England and Wales.
“Dyfed-Powys has seen crime and antisocial behaviour fall further and faster than anywhere else in Wales.
“There is always more to do to keep our communities safe. With the fantastic officers we have, I am determined to make our homes, businesses and communities even safer.”
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