Page 13 - Federation magazine: December 2016 / January 2017

‘Outstanding’ rating for
Force in efficiency review

The Force has been rated as Force can best meet the needs of the more on prevention, as well as greater
‘outstanding’ in an annual efficiency communities it serves.” partnership focus and better use of IT. This
review carried out by Her Majesty’s This year, West Midlands Police has been will enable the Force to operate more
Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC), found to be: efficiently and improve the way it provides
making it one of just two forces across l excellent at understanding current services. We are keen to see how these plans
England and Wales to maintain its rating develop.
from last year. demand; “Another area where West Midlands
Inspectors said the Force is excellent at l working well with partner agencies to Police is excelling is in how it matches
understanding demand after completing resources, such as staff and equipment, to
the PEEL (police effectiveness, efficiency and deliver a good service to the public; and priority areas which is achieved by extensive
legitimacy) programme inspection. l working to understand under reported analysis and evaluation. The Force is also to
“Forces were inspected on how well they be commended for the way it measures the
are able to predict demand for their services crime and future demand. demand for its services in relation to ‘hidden
but now and in the future, and how they HM Inspector of Constabulary Wendy crimes’, such as so-called honour-based
manage their officers, staff and other Williams said: “West Midlands Police violence and female genital mutilation.”
resources,” says Tom Cuddeford, interim deserves great credit for how efficiently it The other Force to maintain an
chairman of West Midlands Police keeps people safe and reduces crime. It is outstanding rating was Durham while
Federation. one of only two forces that HMIC has judged Cheshire, Lancashire and Norfolk slipped
“Last year, we were one of five forces to to be ‘outstanding’ in this area. It has built down to ‘good’, the same rating as 30 other
receive the ‘outstanding’ grading in these on its progress from 2015, and is setting an forces across England and Wales.
inspections but this year only two excellent example of how to run an efficient Eight forces received a ‘requires
maintained this standard so it’s obvious service for the public. improvement’ grade. No forces were judged
that forces are finding it more and more “In particular, we found that the Force is to be ‘inadequate’.
difficult to meet increased demand with planning very well for demand in the future. HMIC will report on its findings of all
reduced resources. The Force has a strong track record of police forces’ legitimacy - the way that forces
“Our chief officers and senior achieving efficiencies, having achieved an are fair and ethical - at the end of this year,
management team are to be commended estimated saving of £60 million over the last and on the effectiveness of police forces in
for their efforts and let’s hope that they can few years, and is now using its financial managing all aspects of crime in spring
maintain these high standards so that the reserves to support an impressive change 2017.
programme.
“These plans include moving from a
reactive policing model to one that focuses

FORCE IN NUMBERS

www.westmidspolfed.com federation December 2016/January 2017 13