Performance and Measurement

Summary

The key challenge for Lincolnshire has been to balance resources against the competing demands of providing for continued delivery of neighbourhood policing and some improvements in protective services.

Phase 2 of the HMIC Inspection covered Tackling Serious and Organised Crime, Major Crime, Neighbourhood Policing and Developing Citizen Focus. The force has a maturing approach to managing major crime. It has been able to invest some resources to minimise risks to the public and has collaborative agreements with the East Midlands forces, East Midlands Special Operations Unit and Serious Organised Crime Agency. However, the force failed to meet the standard for major crime. The force is aware of the risks it faces and manages these utilising existing resources. Neighbourhood policing has improved year-on-year, is well developed and embedded, with 59 neighbourhood policing teams. A wide range of engagement activity takes place, from which local priorities are set and acted upon. A neighbourhood policing manual sets out corporate standards, guidance and best practice to support service delivery. The force is developing citizen focus with a central theme of ‘Policing with PRIDE’ (Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, Dedication, and Empathy). Survey results are used to focus service improvements and routine quality assurance calls are carried out to keep customers informed, identify good practice and areas for development. The force ‘met the standard’ for both neighbourhood policing and citizen focus.

Performance surrounding volume crime investigation has remained stable and total recorded crime has fallen. The force has focused on improving the service provided to victims of crime, and set challenging targets for 2007/08. The longer-term results from improvements implemented in 2007/08 have begun to show and are a current strategic aim of the force. The force is focusing on building community confidence and satisfaction in 2008/09 in line with the local priority ‘agreement that local police deal with things that matter in the local community’.

Following HMIC 2007 inspections, steady improvement has been made in Protecting Vulnerable People. A robust quality assurance and audit process has been introduced, resulting in improved data and file quality. An electronic case tracking system has been implemented and improved arrangements have been made for managing registered sex offenders. Protecting vulnerable people is a strategic priority for 2008/09 and the force is currently recruiting additional posts to support this critical area.

A Project was implemented to develop options for service improvement and protect the people of Lincolnshire through risk reduction and mitigation. In the Audit Commission PURE Assessment for 2007/08, the force scored highly in financial management, internal controls and value for money. Following the relaxation of the Crime Fighting Fund rules, 62 posts were civilianised, with a projected saving of £1.4 million. The force won two awards from the Chartered Institute of Personal Development Police Forum for human resource achievements in People Development and for being the best force across all three award categories of people development, improving frontline performance and promoting equality and diversity. In response to the Bichard Review, an information management unit has been established to facilitate the requirements of managing Police Information. It is responsible for data protection, freedom of information, vetting, force security, information sharing, data quality, audit and disclosure.

The force wishes to build on the success of the neighbourhood policing programme, to develop community trust and confidence. Despite strong collaborative arrangements within the East Midlands region, the protective services are, in some areas, still below standard. Changes to working practices and some minor increases in staffing levels are helping to alleviate those areas judged as having critical risk attached to them, but gaps remain, which cannot be reduced without financial investment in this area.