Performance and Measurement

Summary

Avon and Somerset Constabulary covers 1,855 square miles, with a population of 1.5 million. It serves the four unitary authorities of the City of Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, as well as the county of Somerset. The force area encompasses a diverse range of policing environments, including Bristol, which is the largest conurbation in South West England and includes inner city areas of prosperity and deprivation, and major new residential and commercial developments. Bath is one of the country’s leading tourist destinations, as are the historic centres of Wells and Glastonbury. The force has seaside resorts at Weston-super-Mare, Burnham-on-Sea and Minehead and sparsely populated areas such as the Somerset Levels and Exmoor. There is an extensive motorway network, with major traffic flows to the rest of the South West and to South Wales, and international connections at Bristol Airport and Avonmouth docks.

In its 2007 inspection, HMIC assessed the force’s performance in respect of Neighbourhood Policing, Performance Management and Protecting Vulnerable People, which includes child abuse, domestic violence, public protection and missing persons. HMIC found that the force has made progress in all the areas inspected.

The force set itself challenging targets for four local priorities in 2006/07. Its sanction detection target for racially/religiously aggravated offences was 40% and it achieved 34.7%. Against a sanction detection target for robbery of 22%, it achieved 18.7%. Its detection target for rape was 33%; it achieved 19.8%. The target for the local resolution rate for complaints was 55% and the force achieved 42%.

The baseline assessment for 2005/06 identified no areas needing major improvement, the force having been graded either Good or Fair in all categories with none deteriorating.

Among the force’s key achievements are improved levels of customer satisfaction. Levels of confidence are high and overall detection rates have risen from 23.3% to 24.4%. The force’s British Crime Survey crime figures are slightly below those of its peers and there have been reductions in a number of crime categories as well as in road fatalities.

In the coming year, the force will press ahead with reducing the number of priority crimes and increasing detections, with a continued emphasis on quality. A bold plan to share services with strategic partners is under consideration, as well as plans to further modernise the workforce and reduce bureaucracy. Protective services will be addressed through regional collaboration, and Neighbourhood Policing and customer service will remain priorities.