Performance and Measurement

Summary

Devon and Cornwall Constabulary serves the counties of Devon and Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, and it covers approximately 4,000 square miles – the largest territorial force area in England. The area’s population is approximately 1.6 million, with the minority ethnic population representing some 1.2% of the total. The resident population is significantly increased by the 10.9 million people who visit the area each year. These visitors spend approximately £2.4 billion per annum within the local economy.

HMIC has recently assessed how the force is delivering Neighbourhood Policing, Performance Management and Protecting Vulnerable People. Across all three areas, it has either maintained or improved on a satisfactory or better level of service to the public. The inspection found progress in the introduction of Neighbourhood Policing through the delivery of neighbourhood teams across Devon and Cornwall; there are some 190 neighbourhoods, each with its own policing team. Progress continues to be made in managing performance, and there has been a sustained period of performance improvement during the year. In all areas of Protecting Vulnerable People, some progress has been made since the 2005/06 baseline assessment.

Throughout 2006/07, the force has focused on the implementation of Neighbourhood Policing, reducing crime and increasing sanction detections, and improving customer service, while also improving protective services and professional standards. Overall recorded crime remains static and is better than in similar forces, with all volume crime categories showing a decrease with the exception of robbery, which rose by 14.7% when compared to the previous year. Sanction detections for all crime also remain stable and in line with peers; however, sanction detections for domestic burglary, violent crime and vehicle crime have all improved.

Local priorities for 2007/08 aim to increase the amount of time officers spend on visible policing activity, to reduce anti-social behaviour, particularly in respect of violent crime and criminal damage, and to increase the perception that the police are tackling issues that are important to the community.

The 2005/06 baseline assessment graded forensic performance and human resource management as Poor and Neighbourhood Policing, managing critical incidents and major crime and leadership as Fair/Deteriorated. Progress has been made and areas for improvement are being addressed.

The force successfully completed the ‘Meeting the Challenge’ business change programme. Sworn officers have been redeployed in protective services on a riskassessed basis and are supported by additional police staff in roles that do not require police powers. The force recruited the agreed number of PCSOs; these have been used to reconfigure Neighbourhood Policing teams in order to meet the associated national standards. A civilianisation programme was also completed to move police officers out of roles that did not require sworn powers; this supported the improvement of protective services and the reconfiguration of Neighbourhood Policing. A corporate vacancy management process was implemented in order to manage budgetary pressures; again, this proved successful. With the appointment of a new Chief Constable, the force is in the process of taking stock of its development programme and ensuring that the benefits from changes made since the last inspection are optimised. A revised five-year strategic plan is being developed to inform future development.

Both the force and its police authority recognise the financial challenges that lie ahead over the next few years; to enable them to meet those challenges, they are increasing their focus on improving levels of productivity and providing pro