Legal powers to protect stalking victims not being used by Thames Valley Police
Stalking Protection Orders (SPOs) are a new civil power available to police
Thames Valley Police are one of four forces in the country not using new powers to protect stalking victims.
Stalking Protection Orders (SPOs) are a new civil power available to police which impose restrictions on suspected stalkers. They are designed to make it easier to curb the behaviour of stalkers, with a lower burden of proof required than for a criminal conviction.
But the use of SPOs, which have been available to police since January 2020, varies widely from force to force, with four failing to apply for a single order in the past 15 months.
Those four forces are Thames Valley Police Dorset, Humberside and Suffolk.
In England, just 294 orders have been granted since January 2020, despite more than 55,000 stalking incidents being recorded by police in the nine months to December 2020 alone.
And in Wales, only two orders were granted despite more than 4,000 stalking incidents recorded in the same period.
A spokesperson from Thames Valley Police has said:
“Thames Valley Police takes reports of stalking extremely seriously and is committed to helping victims as well as preventing those who carry out this sort of offence.
“Over the past year, there has been a significant increase in reports of stalking to Thames Valley Police, as well as forces across the country. This can be attributed in large part to a change in the way this type of crime is recorded, as well as increasing victim confidence.
“The use of Stalking Prevention Orders is just one of a number of tactics that officers can use when they are combatting this sort of offence. Since responding to the original FOI request, Thames Valley Police has applied for a number of SPOs, one of which has been granted, with a number of others currently being processed.
“We have also created new guidance and training for officers and staff responding to and investigating stalking, around obtaining Stalking Protection Orders. This has seen an increase in processes that have started the legislative route to obtain a SPO.
“However, there are a number of other ways in which we combat this offence including restraining orders, Domestic Violence Protection Orders and non-molestation orders if appropriate for the circumstances. Victim support and safeguarding by working alongside partnership agencies is also essential to reduce the risk of harm as much as possible.
“Thames Valley Police will continue to do everything possible to combat this sort of offence, and to protect the safety of victims."
Meanwhile national crime outcomes data shows the number of stalking incidents recorded by police has surged since 2019.
The latest figures show 59,950 incidents were recorded across England and Wales in the nine months between April and December 2020 – almost double the annual number of incidents for the year ending March 2020.
The number of incidents recorded in the Thames Valley have increased by 130% since 2015, going from 55 to 1681 for March-December in 2020.
And more than half of all police forces have seen stalking incidents double over the same time period, with two seeing an increase of more than 500%, and five more seeing the number of outcomes recorded more than triple.
While the national charge rate for stalking offences is at its lowest point for five years, falling from 23% in 2015/16 to just 6% for the nine months to December 2020. The lowest charge rate by any force is 2%.