by John Prince
The latest assessment of Humberside Police’s performance has been published, offering a mixed picture of strong prevention work and public contact, but it says the force has more to do around safeguarding vulnerable people.
The report by the police watchdog released under the Police Efficiency, Effectiveness and Legitimacy (PEEL) programme, is one of the first in England and Wales to reflect the inspectorate’s new regime.
The updated framework introduces two new areas of scrutiny, fraud and custody inspections, and marks a shift in how forces are assessed.
His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) have graded Humberside Police as outstanding for preventing and deterring crime and antisocial behaviour, and reducing vulnerability.
Historically, they are areas where the force has performed strongly.
The inspectorate also highlighted the work of neighbourhood teams, who are working closely with communities, schools, local authorities and other partner agencies to identify emerging problems before they get worse.
The report notes that through targeted patrols, problem-solving initiatives and the use of data and intelligence, officers are disrupting offenders and addressing antisocial behaviour in ways that make a difference to the communities.
But the inspectorate graded the force as adequate in several areas. They were in leadership and management, workforce development and diversity, use of powers, investigating crime, managing fraud, and providing safe and lawful custody.
The report also says that safeguarding children and adults at risk requires further improvement, stating the force “has more to do” to ensure vulnerable people receive consistent protection.
HMICFRS also identified three areas of innovation at Humberside Police, recognising original approaches that support prevention and early intervention.
These include problem-solving approaches across the force, supported by a partner-accessible portal to aid collaborative working.
The expanded use of key individual network mapping and the My Community Alert system is used to improve communication with residents.
Another is the integration of youth work with the force’s offender management programme, to reduce harm and reoffending.
The force was graded as good for responding to the public, with inspectors noting significant improvements in call handling and deployment.
Humberside Police receives around 1,300 calls a day, and 999 calls are answered in an average of three seconds, while 101 calls are answered in six. HMICFRS described the force as one of the best in the country for responsiveness.
Innovative practice was again highlighted, including automated processes to assess and manage online reports, and ongoing development of digital channels to make it easier for the public to reach the force.
Michelle Skeer, from HMICFRS, said: “I was pleased to see that the force had maintained outstanding performance in prevention and deterrence. It has a higher number of neighbourhood officers than the average for forces in England and Wales.”
She added: “I congratulate the force for improving outcomes for victims of crime. The rate of positive outcomes is now higher than the typical range for forces in England and Wales, despite the force having to deal with some significant investigation challenges and demand.”
She said she was “optimistic that its new leadership team will continue to support the improvements needed”.
Humberside Police’s Chief Constable Chris Todd welcomed the findings, saying: “Overall, this is a positive report for Humberside Police. When people call us, we answer. When people need us, we turn up and when we investigate a crime. We get an outcome.”
He added that neighbourhood policing “remains an absolute priority”, but acknowledged the need for continued improvement: “We have more work to do. It is important that every police force, including Humberside Police, continues to improve. We owe that to the communities we serve.”
The full report can be found on the HMICFRS website.
More information can also be found at humberside.police.uk.