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Warwickshire Police’s crime recording capabilities have shown noticeable improvements over the past five years, according to a new report.

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Warwickshire Police: Crime Data Integrity inspection 2019

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) previously inspected crime recording arrangements at the force in 2014. It found that, while the force was generally performing well, there were some problems. It issued the force with a list of recommendations for improvement.

During a reinspection carried out earlier this year, HMICFRS found that the force has successfully implemented a variety of measures to improve it how it records crime. The Inspectorate noted that the force recorded over 93 per cent of all crimes reported to it during the period covered by the inspection. HMICFRS also praised the force’s recording rate for sexual crimes, at over 96 per cent during the same period.

The subsequent report, Warwickshire Police: Crime Data Integrity inspection 2019, highlighted the following improvements:

• the development and establishment of a crime data integrity plan;
• robust governance and performance management schemes;
• comprehensive crime recording training for designated decision makers; and
• the successful implementation of all but one of HMICFRS’s 2014 recommendations.

HMICFRS found, however, that there are still some problems. For example, the force needs to do more to ensure that it records all relevant crime within 24 hours of the report. It also needs to refine its systems and training within its Harm Assessment Unit and Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub to ensure reports of crime received by these units are always recorded.

HM Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams yesterday said:

“People who report crimes need to know that the police will take them seriously, which means recording and investigating those reports as necessary.

“That is why I am pleased with the findings from our most recent inspection into crime recording in Warwickshire Police, which revealed that the force had made good improvements since out last inspection in 2014.

“We identified a range of initiatives which have resulted in improved recording rates, but what really came through during our inspection was the force-wide culture of a commitment to crime recording. The force’s senior leadership has done a good job of promoting the importance of good crime recording practices to officers and staff.

“While there are some areas where the force’s recording practices could be further improved, the communities of Warwickshire can be more confident than ever that crimes are being recorded in the proper manner.”

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Warwickshire Police: Crime Data Integrity inspection 2019

Notes:

1. HMICFRS is an independent inspectorate, inspecting policing and fire and rescue services in the public interest. It assesses and reports on the efficiency and effectiveness of police forces and fire and rescue services.
2. HMICFRS inspects all 43 police forces in England and Wales together with other major policing and law enforcement bodies. It also publishes data and thematic reports on areas of particular interest.
3. Since 2017, HMICFRS has taken on responsibility for inspecting all 45 fire and rescue services in England.
4. Crime Data Integrity inspections assess an individual police force’s response to reports of crime by the public, and the effectiveness of that response. The inspection includes an audit, which examines the extent to which a force is applying the correct rules, as well as fieldwork.
5. HMICFRS is unable to make direct comparisons with the 2014 inspection due to a change in the methodology used. In particular, the 2014 inspection was a dip-sample of records in each force which contributed to a statistically robust rate for crime-recording accuracy for England and Wales, whereas this inspection is working to a statistically robust standard within each force.
6. For further information, HMICFRS’s press office can be contacted from 8:30am – 5:00pm Monday – Friday on 020 3513 0600.
7. HMICFRS’s out-of-hours press office line for urgent media enquiries is 07836 217729.