Improvements still needed at Wiltshire Police, report says
The PEEL report noted progress has been made at the organisation
Wiltshire Police has been told improvements are still needed at the force in the latest report from His Majesty's Inspectorate.
The report, which assesses Policing effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy (PEEL) grades forces in nine areas and has highlighted concerns over how the force investigates crime.
Wiltshire Police has been graded as good in two areas, adequate in three areas and requires improvement in four areas.
The PEEL report does note 'considerable' efforts made to improve the force, which was rated 'inadequate' in 2022 when it was placed into the Engage process, an high level of monitoring for struggling constabulary's.
Under the leadership of Chief Constable Catherine Roper, the force was taken out of Engage in May 2024.
Concerns persist
The PEEL report has raised concerns over how crimes in Wiltshire are investigated, saying they aren't always thorough enough and fail to recognise the needs of some victims.
It's also highlighted that insufficient oversight from supervisors over investigations remains, meaning victims don't receive the level of care they require and a better outcome could be achieved.
Other worries persist over how the most vulnerable in our communities are protected and the handling of emergency calls to the control room.
Inspectors found emergency calls were too slow in being answered and that a high volume of non-emergency calls were being abandoned by members of the public.
Improvements have been made
However, the inspection did note that 'considerable effort' had been made to improve the organisations performance.
They've been led by Chief Constable Roper, who took charge in February 2023.
The report notes the forces leadership and management has been boosted, supported by 'clear strategic priorities, plans and effective governance'.
How officers manage offenders and suspects is also said to have improved, by virtue of having a 'robust and risk-based approach in place to pursuing those that it needs to arrest'.
His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary Andy Cooke said: "I am pleased with the progress Wiltshire Police has been continuing to make to improve areas we previously highlighted as concerns, particularly the improvements seen in preventing crime and managing offenders and suspects.
“I particularly welcomed the improvements made to handling of the control room, new development opportunities for personnel, and how the force deals with domestic abuse and child safeguarding as part of the multi-agency safeguarding hubs.
“But there are some areas where they must do more. The force is still not adequately investigating crime, not answering calls quickly enough, and they need to create effective processes for monitoring orders that protect people. Currently there are limits to how effectively they can safeguard the vulnerable.
“I am reassured with how the force has responded to our concerns so far and its efforts to continue to make improvements. I look forward to continuing to work together.”