Performance and Measurement

Summary

West Mercia Constabulary is responsible for policing the counties of Shropshire and Worcestershire and the unitary authorities of Herefordshire and Telford and Wrekin. It covers the fourth largest area in England and Wales, with a population of 1.2 million. Although predominantly rural, the force polices five main urban centres. Each policing division is coterminous with its county council or unitary authority. The force and the police authority are currently part way through an extensive investment programme to enhance protective service capacity and capability. This two-year programme, which commenced in April 2006, will provide additional specialist staff for Level 2 policing and a substantial capital investment in key departments. Facilities will be utilised by neighbouring forces as part of a shared services initiative.

The force has implemented Neighbourhood Policing across the region, following a local policing model that can be applied to a mixed urban and rural environment. There are 145 local policing teams, comprising police officers, PCSOs and special constables. Some innovative practice was highlighted in HMIC’s inspection of Neighbourhood Policing.

While improvement is ongoing, significant progress has been achieved in Protecting Vulnerable People, and performance is now acceptable or better in all four elements. Good practice is particularly evident in domestic violence, where both specialist and nonspecialist officers have recently received training.Comprehensive care plans are prepared for repeat and high-risk victims and updated by specialist staff who conduct robust risk assessments. This is supported by visits from local officers. The force also displays good practice in the investigation and management of missing persons, where there is clear accountability, ownership and priority given to such reports.

The force continues to have excellent performance management arrangements, encompassing Level 2 activity and support departments as well as volume crime. Volume crime reduction has remained stable, though there has been a drop in the rate of acquisitive crime. Volume crime investigation has improved, with increases in offences brought to justice and sanction detections. User satisfaction has improved.

Local priorities for the force for 2007/08 are to: ensure that PCSOs spend at least 82.9% of duty time on visible patrol; and, by the end of the year, tackle three priorities per month in every local policing area, 75% of which will be completed within the target time.

The force has actively progressed the areas for improvement and work in progress identified in the 2006 baseline assessment; this has been reported to the police authority and tracked by HMIC. The only area in which the force was assessed as failing to provide an acceptable level of service was Protecting Vulnerable People, where excessive workloads and inadequate quality assurance prompted concern, especially in sex offender management. Commendably, the force reacted swiftly and has completed a comprehensive review, using a detailed action plan to remedy the identified risks. An extensive communication strategy has enhanced awareness and accountability across the force.

A major achievement in 2006/07 was the investigation into the murder of two women in Shrewsbury; this was a major investigation involving search teams, forensic investigators, multimedia liaison, CCTV analysis and extensive use of the HOLMES capability. At the conclusion of the trial, both the QC and the judge commended the high standard of the investigation.