Thames Valley Police Force rated ‘inadequate’ for failing to record thousands of reported crimes each year

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) has rated the Thames Valley Police Force as ‘inadequate’ for failing to report thousands of reported crimes each year.

HMICFRS has found that Thames Valley Police Force was shown to have not recorded over 35,000 crimes a year which is about one in every five reported to it. Crimes not recorded included rape, violent assaults and domestic abuse.

HMICFRS previously inspected the accuracy of crime recording in Thames Valley Police in 2014.

To assess the extent that recorded crime information in Thames Valley can be trusted, HMICFRS asked:

• How effective is the force at recording reported crime?
• How efficiently do the systems and processes in the force support accurate crime recording?
• How well does the force demonstrate the leadership and culture necessary to meet the national standards for crime recording?

Based on these criteria, overall HMICFRS has judged Thames Valley Police as ‘inadequate’.

HM Inspector of Constabulary Zoë Billingham said: ‘I am disappointed with the quality of crime recording in Thames Valley. Although the force has implemented the recommendations from our previous crime recording inspection in 2014, we found that almost 1 in 5 crimes in Thames Valley are not being recorded properly – that equates to approximately 35,200 crimes a year.

I am satisfied that the force works very hard to ensure that victims of crime, especially vulnerable victims, are safeguarded. It now needs to ensure that it records crimes at the earliest opportunity, and that there is proper supervision of crime recording decisions.

Since our inspection in September 2017, I have been in close contact with Thames Valley Police and I am encouraged by the immediate steps that the force has taken in response to our findings. Since our inspection, Thames Valley Police has developed a plan to address our concerns, and have set up a group chaired by the deputy chief constable with strong oversight of progress. HMICFRS will re-visit the force later in 2018 to assess this.‘

The Thames Valley Police and Crime Panel (PCP) is holding the Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner to account following the publication of Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) findings.

Cllr Trevor Egleton, Chair of the PCP said: ‘Whilst I am disappointed with the findings I am pleased that the HM Inspector of Constabulary has been encouraged by the immediate steps the Force has taken in response to these findings and that they have developed a plan to address these concerns, we will be scrutinising the Police and Crime Commissioner in how he has held the Chief Constable and the Force to account on this at their next meeting on [Friday] 20 April 2018.‘

The Thames Valley Police and Crime Panel meeting starts at 11.00am on Friday 20th April 2018 and will be held at the offices of Aylesbury Vale District Council.

The full report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services can be found at the following link : https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmicfrs/publications/thames-valley-police-crime-data-integrity-inspection-2017/.