Police and Crime Commissioner Lord Willy Bach believes Leicestershire Police is clearly a high-performing force and that people living and working in the county should be rightly proud of its officers and staff.
His comments follow praise from government inspectors for the way Leicestershire keeps people safe and reduces crime.
The Commissioner says an HMIC report into the effectiveness of Leicestershire Police endorses his view that the force is now one of the best in England and Wales.
The report found that Leicestershire has fewer crimes, fewer incidents of antisocial behaviour and fewer incidents of domestic abuse than the national average.
Inspectors from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary rated the force ‘good’ at keeping people safe and reducing crime, saying it had made good progress since a previous inspection two years ago and that the ‘direction of travel’ was positive.’
It said Leicestershire has made ‘significant changes to improve the overall quality of the service it provides for people who are affected by crime, particularly those who might be vulnerable.’
These include reshaping its workforce to speed up investigations, strengthening accountability and improving the quality of victim contact.
The report also found that:
- The force is fully committed to identifying and helping vulnerable people
- Victims of domestic abuse are receiving a better service from the force
Lord Bach said: “The report reflects the professionalism and dedication of Leicestershire’s officers, staff and volunteers. A series of major incidents combined with the real and present national terrorism threat, the changing nature of criminality and an increase in demand for services really piled the pressure on capacity this year, but they have never given up. We are fortunate to have one of the best police forces in the country, where officers and staff work tirelessly to keep our communities safe and reduce crime.
“This is no accident. What Leicestershire is demonstrating, is that with the right leadership, the right people and the right ideas, forces can, despite reduced funding, provide a quality service to the citizens they serve.”
Lord Bach believes one of these ideas – a new digital hub which deals with cyber-crimes - is a perfect example.
The hub was described by HMIC as a very effective way of tackling online child sexual exploitation. It is also responsible for reducing waiting times for the examination of evidence from computers and mobile devices.
The Commissioner said he was also delighted to see that victims of domestic abuse now receive a better service from the force. HMIC put this down to Leicestershire working more closely with partner agencies, devoting more staff who have been trained to carry out safeguarding and an increase in multi-agency meetings to consider high-risk cases.
Lord Bach said: “There has been a huge sea change in recent years in the way the Police Service now treats domestic abuse. For too long it wasn’t given the priority its victims deserved.
“Thankfully, things are changing for the better and the work Leicestershire Police and so many other agencies are doing in this highly complex area, which sadly affects so many, is to be applauded.”
Deputy Chief Constable Rob Nixon added “I am pleased that inspectors have recognised the wealth of positive work being delivered across the force.
“The demand placed on officers and staff across the force is significant as we continue to investigate more crime, tackle new and emerging threats and police an ever-growing population. The ‘good’ grades from the latest inspection is testament to the hard work and commitment of team Leicestershire.”
Ends
Media Enquiries: Sallie Blair - 01283 821012 / 07702 541404
Posted on Thursday 22nd March 2018