Performance and Measurement

Summary

Thames Valley Police has been active in scrutinising its protective services capability, and, according to its assessments of protective services gaps, has made significant investment in major and serious organised crime to close gaps in these areas. The HMIC major crime inspection 2008 reported that historically, major crime cases are reviewed appropriately. The force works well with partners to reduce and prevent major crime. Problem profiles and intelligence products are well developed. There is scope to reduce the number of unsolved murders and sexual offences.

The HMIC serious & organised crime inspection 2008 recognised the active sharing of intelligence, supporting national assessments and force tasking and coordination functions cohesively to manage threat from serious and organised criminality, taking account of disruption and dismantling methodologies.

Since the HMIC baseline assessment of 2006, significant improvements have been made. A number of measures show that Thames Valley has built on its performance in 2006/07. The sanction detection rate and offences brought to justice rate both increased by over 1%. The level of life threatening and gun crime, which was already low, has decreased further, as has the number of people killed or seriously injured on roads. The improvements achieved are reflected in greater satisfaction of victims of crime and the high level of confidence in the police shown by the public. However, satisfaction with overall service provided is below its peers.

The Police Authority set five areas where improvements in performance were anticipated. In each of these, Thames Valley has improved. In three of the areas (reducing British Crime Survey Comparator Crime, solving hate crime and answering non-emergency calls from the public), stretch targets were exceeded. The number of domestic abuse cases resolved did not meet the stretch target set, but met the required minimum improvement. The sanction detection rate for violent crime involving injury improved.

In terms of areas for improvement from the 2006/07 HMIC inspection of protecting vulnerable people, considerable progress has been made in introducing a robust risk assessment and risk management process for domestic abuse, strengthening the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements process. The force has ensured that all Protecting Vulnerable People staff are aware of how to use strategic intelligence products. The missing persons policy has been updated and disseminated to ensure that it refers to issues associated with cultural and family pressures. From the HMIC inspection of Performance Management, the force addressed improvements by introducing a performance monitoring framework for Neighbourhood Policing.

Principal achievements include success in achieving most objectives and targets set in the annual force priorities, in some cases exceeding stretch targets, including a significant reduction in British Crime Survey crime. Substantial investment in leadership, career development and learning initiatives to support current supervisors and prepare future leaders. The full roll out of neighbourhood policing teams, made up of police officers, PCSOs, Special Constables and volunteers, contributing significantly to providing greater visibility and reassurance to the local community. Through Operation Quest, the force has secured improvements, resulting in improved customer satisfaction and tailored resources to match victim requirements.

Key challenges for the future include the need to strengthen neighbourhood and citizen focus policing and introduce neighbourhood management. The profile of victims and suspects is changing, as well as the need to identify and protect vulnerable people in minority, ethnic and transient communities. The force has a young and relatively inexperienced workforce despite investing in training programmes. Increased domestic and international terrorist activity and organised crime and cross-boundary criminality, balancing the additional demands for policing with limited resources whilst improving performance in certain areas.