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Home / Too many crimes going unrecorded by Thames Valley Police, says inspectorate

Too many crimes going unrecorded by Thames Valley Police, says inspectorate

By agency reporter
February 16, 2018

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and  Rescue Services (HMICFRS) has published an assessment on the accuracy of crime recording in Thames Valley Police, which found that the force records around 80 per cent of crimes reported to it. 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 one in five 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 crimerecording 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.”

* Read the report  here

*  Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and  Rescue Services https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmicfrs/

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