PCC Encouraged by Force's Performance

19eg Rhagfyr 2016

The Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent, Jeff Cuthbert, has once again praised the efforts of Gwent Police after inspectors found the Force to be 'good' at keeping people safe and reducing crime. The report published today also highlights the 'statistically significant' increase in the satisfaction of victims of crime with the service they receive from Gwent Police.

The latest inspection by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) specifically looked at how legitimate Gwent Police is at keeping people safe and reducing crime. HMIC considers a police force to be legitimate if it has the consent of the public, and if those working in the force consistently behave in a way that is fair, ethical, and within the law. To assess this, HMIC inspected how well Gwent Police treats the people it serves; ensures its workforce acts ethically and lawfully; and treats its workforce with fairness and respect.

Gwent Police received an overall rating of 'Good' (the second highest grade possible) and the report highlighted the 'statistically significant' increase in the satisfaction of victims of crime with regards to the service they receive from the Force, with nearly 94% of all victims in the 12 months to 31st March 2016 (excluding hate crime) satisfied with the overall treatment Gwent Police provided.

The report also highlights how the Force:

  • Fully recognises the importance of treating and engaging with the public it serves in a fair and respectful manner;
  • Has an anti-corruption unit that effectively identifies threats to the organisation;
  • Regularly contacts victims of crime to make sure its service is provided in a professional, consistent and considerate manner;
  • Has a clear and well-articulated set of 'vision and values' and that an ethical culture is well established within the Force;
  • Has a well-established health and wellbeing strategy that is supported by a range of practical measures;
  • Is effective in how it makes sure its workforce understands acceptable and unacceptable behaviour, and;
  • Has a Chief Officer team that clearly sets out the standard it expects across the Force.

HMIC concludes that Gwent Police is a good force and that it has not identified any causes of concern and therefore has made no specific recommendations.

Last month, the Commissioner praised the Force for receiving good ratings across the board in a report which demonstrated that Gwent Police provides an efficient service for the public and highlighted 'outstanding' areas of its work.

Congratulating the Force on its efforts, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent, Jeff Cuthbert, said: "I have been positively encouraged by the performance of the Force since I was elected as the Commissioner. It is very pleasing to see Gwent Police receiving another good report from inspectors despite the well-known challenges it has faced around substantial budget cuts and a significant reduction in police officer and staff numbers over the last six years. I would like to praise the Chief Constable and his team for the strong leadership they have shown and for their efforts in continuing to maintain this level of performance. This is also a testament to the hard work officers and staff at Gwent Police and the partners and volunteers we work with in the community put in every day. There are areas for improvement but the report today is a clear indication that the Force is heading in the right direction."

The Chief Constable of Gwent Police, Jeff Farrar, said: "I am pleased to see that HMIC has seen the good work that continues here within Gwent. We as a force are determined to provide a fair and impartial service to communities. During this period we have seen an improvement in how victims are satisfied with the level of service offered locally, an area that is vitally important as a public service. HMIC has recognised this, as well as our understanding of the diverse demands of policing. The grading of 'Good' within the recent PEEL Inspection acknowledges the focus and efforts of all staff in this delivery and the positive leadership across the force."

HM Inspector of Constabulary, Wendy Williams, said: "It is extremely positive that Gwent Police fully recognises the importance of treating the public it serves with fairness and respect. It has made this a priority in its vision and values, which are clear and well-articulated and it regularly seeks feedback from the public through a variety of methods. The force has an anti-corruption unit that effectively identifies threats to the organisation and the workforce understands the expected standards of behaviour with regard to relationships and recognises abuse of authority for sexual gain as serious corruption. We found that Gwent Police has a well-established health and wellbeing strategy that is supported by a range of practical measures to promote health and wellbeing. The workforce recognises the value of this. I am pleased that the force also undertakes preventative work to improve workforce wellbeing and that it frequently seeks the views of its staff."

For further information and to access the full report visit https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk