HM INSPECTORATE OF
CONSTABULARY News Release issued by COI News Distribution Service
on 11 June 2009
Forces in England
and Wales must radically rethink the way they operate to guarantee
the public receives a high standard of service wherever they live
- according to Denis O'Connor, Her Majesty's Chief
Inspector of Constabulary.
A new HMIC report shows that members of the public are not
getting a good deal, in terms of crime fighting and financial
efficiency, for the substantial amounts of taxpayers' money
spent on policing.
Getting Together, which is published today, discloses that police
forces with the most effective joint working arrangements across
traditional force boundaries are getting the best results on
organised crime. HMIC found they mount full-scale operations
against four times as many crime gangs, including drug
traffickers, compared with forces that do not collaborate.
Some forces and authorities spend more than twice as much on
human resources as others. Average police spending in this area is
above the rest of the public sector, where collaboration is more
advanced. There are similar variations in costs for finance services.
Some of the 43 forces in England and Wales also fail to get the
best deal from the money they spend each year on procuring goods
and services, though the potential for better value is clear and
the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has been working
on this. One force saved £144,000 a year alone on DNA sample
submissions by taking part in a multi-force forensic collaboration.
The HMIC report argues that these wide variations in operational
effectiveness and costs must be reduced. It calls for greater
collaboration to make the public safer and get better value for money.
Mr O'Connor said: "The police must get the best deal
for the public. People want to know how their money's being
spent, particularly in the current climate.
"We've found that forces and authorities support the
idea of collaboration in principle but find the practice harder.
That needs to change. The fact is that joined-up working is a
win-win situation - it's more effective against organised
crime and, in areas of finance, it avoids duplication and creates
savings that can be ploughed back into front-line policing."
HMIC research has found that collaborative work is already taking
place, but much is ad hoc and short-term, rather than systematic.
Many forces complained of a 'dearth' of information
about successful collaboration.
Getting Together proposes a robust, transparent, market-style
system to help police forces overcome barriers to collaboration. A
new 'Informed Choice Model' (ICM) will give senior
officers and authorities information on the range of costs and
risks and where the best option can be found for the public by
collaboration or other means.
HMIC believe collaboration works best on a voluntary basis but
warns that forces must account for continued variations in crime
risks or costs.
The ICM provides a five point sliding scale of
support for police forces, ranging from the most current
information on the benefits of collaborating - "a nudge"
- to being mandated to work together when the Home Secretary feels
it's the best option for the public.
Forces will be required to spell out their collaborative work in
annual reports and the public will be able to judge the cost and
quality of policing in their areas.
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. The report "Getting Together - a
better deal for the public through joint working" is
published on 11 June 2009 and can be viewed at http://www.inspectorates.homeoffice.gov.uk/hmic .
2. The report was commissioned by the Minister for Policing in
November 2008. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary
(HMIC) undertook the review as part of its role to ensure police
forces secure the best deal for the public in terms of preventing
serious crime and ensuring value for money.
3. Denis O'Connor was appointed Her Majesty's Chief
Inspector of Constabulary (HMCIC) in May 2009. He took over the
role from Sir Ronnie Flanagan.
4. HMIC is an independent inspectorate. It is a fierce advocate
for the public interest and rigorously examines the effectiveness
of police forces and authorities to tackle crime and terrorism,
improve criminal justice and raise confidence.
5. HMIC inspects and regulates all 43 police forces in England
and Wales together with other major policing bodies such as the
Serious Organised Crime Agency, the Police Service of Northern
Ireland and the British Transport Police.
6. Further information on the role of HMIC can be found at http://www.inspectorates.homeoffice.gov.uk/hmic