Performance and Measurement

Summary

Thames Valley Police is the largest non-metropolitan police force in England and Wales, covering 2,200 square miles and serving a population of 2.16 million, with over 6 million annual visitors. It covers 16 Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships within the areas of two county councils (Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire) and seven unitary authorities. During 2006/07, the force faced many operational challenges, the most significant of which was Operation Overt – a joint counter-terrorist operation with the Metropolitan Police Service that significantly depleted the force’s operational capacity. The net cost to the force of Operation Overt was £3.045 million, and it accounted for 5,586 staff days in total.

HMIC has recently conducted the first phase of a three-year programme of inspection activity, specifically assessing how the force is delivering Neighbourhood Policing, Performance Management and Protecting Vulnerable People. Across all three areas, the force has either maintained or improved on an already satisfactory level of service to the public assessed against inspection criteria that have increased in rigour since last year. The inspection found progress in the introduction of Neighbourhood Policing, with Safer Neighbourhood teams established across the Thames Valley. At the time of inspection some 184 of its 265 neighbourhoods were fully staffed, with the remaining neighbourhoods due to go live by 31 March 2008. Progress continues to be made in managing performance, and some progress is being made to address the levels of recorded crime and sanction detections; however, this is an area of vulnerability. Since the 2005/06 baseline assessment, all key areas of Protecting Vulnerable People have improved, most notably domestic abuse, missing persons and public protection.

There has been a marked improvement in many areas of service delivery. However overall recorded crime increased by 4.9%; this is partly the result of the force encouraging the reporting of domestic violence. Vehicle crime and burglaries in commercial premises have decreased, while levels of domestic burglary and violent crime are above those in similar forces. Sanction detections for all crime fell from 26.6% to 24.0%. The number of offences brought to justice has exceeded the target of 48,000 offences, and the detection rate is close to the average for similar forces. The force is on target to achieve its 2010 road casualty reduction targets. There were five locally selected priorities for 2006/07; answering non-emergency calls within target time and reducing the rate of abandoned calls were graded Fair and Good respectively, while the reduction of BCS comparator crime, and increasing the sanction detection rate for domestic violence and hate crime were graded as Poor.

Throughout 2006/07, the focus has been on implementing Neighbourhood Policing, reducing crime and increasing sanction detections, and improving customer service, protective services and professional standards.

The 2005/06 baseline assessment graded information management as Fair/Declined. Significant progress has been made; all the areas for improvement have been addressed and an acceptable level of performance is now being delivered. However, the force has a number of systems that should be replaced, and choices will need to be made as part of budgetary prioritisation.

The force has managed to sustain and improve some areas of performance despite the significant challenges it has faced over the past 12 months. These include policing animal rights extremism at both a force level, through Operation Rumble, and specifically at Oxford (Operation Balance). The anti-terrorist Operation Overt required significant operational policing resources for the thorough search of various properties and an extensive area of woodland.

Both the force and its police authority recognise the financial challenges that lie ahead over the next few years, and, to meet those challenges, are increasing their focus on improving levels of productivity while providing protective services and Neighbourhood Policing.