Gwent Police commended for ‘excellent progress’ in report

A report published by inspectors today has commended Gwent Police for making “excellent progress” over the last year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) has today published its ‘State of Policing’ report which is an annual assessment of policing in England and Wales. The report marks the culmination of the inspectorate’s police effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy (PEEL) assessment programme for 2015. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Over the last year, HMIC looked at how well Gwent Police performed in several key areas and how the Force is keeping people safe and reducing crime. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In its final assessment, HMIC concluded that: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

• The extent to which Gwent Police is effective at keeping people safe and reducing crime is good;
• The extent to which Gwent Police is efficient at keeping people safe and reducing crime is good.
• The extent to which Gwent Police is legitimate at keeping people safe and reducing crime is good.

In her assessment of the force, HMI Wendy Williams, said: “I would like to commend Gwent Police for the excellent progress it has made in 2015. The force has responded positively to the findings of last year’s PEEL assessment and I am very pleased with its performance in keeping people safe and reducing crime. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The introduction of a new operating model has released more officers into frontline policing roles, while enabling the force to make necessary efficiency savings. In the past year, Gwent Police has developed and introduced an extensive programme of change, supported by an effective financial plan. Strong, clear force leadership and a fully-engaged workforce have, within tight timescales, achieved tangible improvements in the effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy of the service the force now provides to the public. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The force is good at identifying repeat and vulnerable victims, assessing risk and supporting victims. When dealing with the public, staff look to understand and deal with the needs of individuals in order to protect vulnerable people from harm. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

I have been very impressed by the way the force engages with the people of Gwent, using a wide range of methods. It has introduced a neighbourhood management system that helps it to understand the needs of the communities in the area. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In the year ahead, I will be interested to see how the force assesses the new operating model in meeting the needs of the public. I will be particularly interested in monitoring the continuous improvement of the Gwent multi-agency missing children hub.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent, Ian Johnston, said: “Eighteen months ago, Gwent Police was deemed to require improvement across the board by inspectors. For that to change so positively and for the Force to receive an overall rating of ‘good’ is a remarkable turnaround in such a short space of time. This is even more pleasing in light of the criticisms the Force has faced previously. Gwent is now being held up as a model of best practice in many respects, with other Forces in England and Wales who are deemed to require improvement being told to look at the Force to see how it has turned things around so quickly and effectively. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It’s been a long road but I have witnessed for myself the impressive efforts and the huge amount of work which has been undertaken by the Force, my office and other partners in the community in pulling together to improve services across the board. We have come out the other end and this is a real testament to all the hard work they have put in.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Mr Johnston added: “Whilst there is always room for improvement, this report shows that the Force is firmly on the right track.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

For HMIC’s annual assessments, each force is given a grading of either ‘outstanding’, ‘good’, ‘requires improvement’ or ‘inadequate’ in each of the three ‘PEEL’ areas (police effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy). ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Further information on how Gwent Police is performing in these areas, including the full HM Inspector’s assessment, can be found at www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmic/peel ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​