Stroud News

Gloucestershire Constabulary is rated 'fair' in new report card grading

By Rachel Clare

5:00pm Wednesday 17th March 2010

GLOUCESTERSHIRE Constabulary has reduced crime in the last two years, with particular success in the areas of violent crime and robbery, according to its first report card by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary.

The report cards, introduced this year, give HMIC's assessments of all 43 police forces in the country.

It highlights how Gloucestershire police has achieved some excellent detection rates and indicates an improvement in public confidence.

But the report also refers to the force's deteriorating burglary detection rate and the fact the force costs more than its peer forces per head of population.

Also among the recommendations is that the constabulary should provide the same rigour to neighbourhood policing as it has to reducing crime.

A police spokesman said: "We endorse this and are already making changes in a number of areas to improve the delivery of our services and meet the commitments of the policing pledge.

"We are also pleased that our investment in a multi-agency bureau to improve the protection of children and vulnerable adults is commended in the report and believe this will help make people feel more comfortable reporting such crime and more confident we will be able to address it."

With regard to Gloucestershire being a medium to high cost force the spokesman said: "It is important to stress that this is due largely to the costs stated including the policing of the royal households within the county which are funded by the Home Office in the form of grants and not from the constabulary budget.

"The figure the report uses also includes the cost of the additional 63 police officers funded by Gloucestershire County Council."

Gloucestershire Constabulary was graded as 'fair' across three gradings – for local crime and policing, protection from serious harm and for confidence and satisfaction.

For more information visit www.hmic.gov.uk Comment on the report here...

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