I am satisfied with most aspects of Hampshire Constabulary’s overall performance. However, there are some areas that the force needs to improve to provide a consistently good service.
I am pleased with Hampshire Constabulary’s approach to preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour. The force is to be commended for its commitment to neighbourhood policing. Over the past year it has reduced reports of anti-social behaviour by a greater proportion than most other forces.
It works closely and well with partner organisations, like the local council, which helps it to have a very good understanding of the threats facing its local communities.
Hampshire Constabulary needs to improve aspects of how it investigates crime. The force needs to understand why it has a higher proportion of victims of crime who are unwilling to support the police investigation that any other force in England and Wales.
This year I have expressed some deep concerns about Hampshire Constabulary’s practices relating to some victims of domestic abuse. However, since our inspection the force has taken active steps to address its falling arrest rates for perpetrators of domestic abuse, and is working hard to understand why approaching two thirds of investigations into domestic abuse do not progress because it is said that the ‘victim does not support police action’.
This is far above the figure in many other forces. I am also reassured that the force has suspended its practice of only speaking to some victims of domestic abuse over the phone instead of visiting them to make sure they and their children are safe and not at risk from harm.
However, the force is working well with partner organisations to protect other vulnerable victims, including those suffering from mental illness and those vulnerable to sexual exploitation. I am encouraged by the creation of an innovative stalking and harassment clinic. The force now needs to mirror this dedication and innovation in how it responds to the concerns we have raised about how it protects and supports victims of domestic abuse.
The force tackles serious and organised crime well. It is particularly good at involving neighbourhood teams in activity to disrupt organised crime groups. It is also increasing its use of partnership information and intelligence to gain a better understanding of the threats posed by this high-end criminality.
I am pleased that Hampshire Constabulary has maintained its comprehensive understanding of the current and likely future demands for its services. Not only does the force understand where demand for its services is now, it is also working with other partner organisations, like local councils, to understand and reduce demand both now and in the longer term. It has also made progress in identifying so-called hidden demand, such as child sexual exploitation.
Some of the work the force does on predicting future demand is outstanding and this has allowed it to identify where it needs enhance its capability to address future crimes, such as internet crime. It is working with Thames Valley Police on plans to transform how it provides services by ambitious use of technology. The force has made good use of mobile devices to allow frontline staff to spend more time in public by negating the need to return to a police station to use a computer.
The force does not have a comprehensive understanding of the skills of its workforce. It needs to do more to ensure that its officers and staff get the training they need to provide an effective response to some of the most vulnerable members of the community. I am pleased that the force has recognised the need to address this, and with how it is developing its capability to meet future demands.
We found that the force is good at treating the public it serves fairly and with respect. This is in no small part thanks to the force’s commitment to the Code of Ethics, which is reflected in the force’s values and mission. It is a very positive sign that the force actively seeks feedback from the public and is working hard to improve how it responds to that feedback.
I was pleased to find that the force takes seriously the issue of misconduct, including the abuse of power for sexual gain (taking advantage of a position of power to exploit vulnerable victims of crime). It works hard to ensure its workforce behaves ethically and regularly clarifies what unacceptable behaviour looks like, so that staff can identify problems and report them. The force has good vetting arrangements for new recruits, but needs to reduce the backlog of existing members of the workforce whose vetting has expired.
Although Hampshire Constabulary is committed to fair and ethical treatment of its workforce, it is let down by systems that prevent it from fully understanding welfare and performance issues.
In summary, I am satisfied that in many areas, the force continues to provide a good service to the people of Hampshire, and I am reassured that it is taking action to address my specific areas of concern.
Context
Hampshire Constabulary provides policing services to the county of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Hampshire has areas of marked affluence, although there are some areas of deprivation. The force area is home to around 2 million people, who mainly live in the cities of Southampton, Portsmouth and Winchester, the towns of Basingstoke and Farnborough, as well as the town of Cowes on the Isle of Wight. The population is increased by university students and the large numbers who visit, socialise, or travel through the area each year.
The transport infrastructure includes 176 miles of motorway and trunk roads, major rail stations, an airport and major sea ports.
The proportion of areas in Hampshire that are predicted (on the basis of detailed economic and demographic analysis) to present a very high challenge to the police is lower than the national average. The most challenging areas are generally characterised by a high concentration of people living, working, socialising, or travelling in the area.
Features that both cause and/or indicate a concentration of people include the number of commercial premises, including licensed premises and fast-food premises, public transport, and social deprivation. In some areas, these features are combined.
Working arrangements
Hampshire Constabulary collaborates with Thames Valley Police, including the joint operation unit (incorporating specialist policing services, for example, firearms, and dog support). It shares two chief officer posts with Thames Valley and has increased the scope of the collaboration to incorporate information and communications technology, and contact management.
The force collaborates with Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service and Hampshire County Council to provide transactional services such as finance and human resource management.
Looking ahead to 2017
In the year ahead, I will be interested to see how the force responds to this assessment and to the areas for improvement that HMIC identified last year.
I will be particularly interested to see:
- how the force improves its response to domestic abuse;
- how the force improves the quality of its investigations; and
- how the force improves its understanding of the well-being needs of its workforce, and reduces the delay for occupational health services.
