Devon and Cornwall Police rated inadequate in several areas, report finds

The force was found to be "inadequate" in three areas

Devon and Cornwall Police has been told to make urgent improvements after it was found to be inadequate in several areas in a report from the police inspectorate.

Failing areas included recording data about crime, responding to the public and managing offenders.

In October the inspectorate moved the force into enhanced monitoring.

The force's new chief constable said ongoing work had "already had a significant positive impact".

Alison Hernandez, Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said she had "every confidence" in the new chief constable, Will Kerr, who joined the force in December.

The report from His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) found "the force is unable to adequately manage registered sexual and violent offenders".

It also calculated it failed to record more than 18,000 crimes over a one-year period.

Devon and Cornwall Police chief constable Will Kerr started his role last month

Call response times were also a concern, with some people waiting "over an hour" after dialling 101.

Wendy Williams, His Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary, said during their inspection in 2022, they had found "good examples" of the force "working well...to prioritise the prevention and deterrence of crime".

However, she raised concerns over its "performance in keeping people safe and reducing crime".

Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez said she had "every confidence" in the new chief constable to "swiftly deliver the changes required"

She added: "Failure to record a crime often results in victims not being properly safeguarded and no investigation taking place."

In three areas, Devon and Cornwall Police were graded as "inadequate" - crime data integrity, responding to the public and managing offenders and suspects.

Two areas were rated as "requires improvement", two were "adequate" and two were "good".

The two good areas were the categories of preventing crime and anti-social behaviour, and also building, supporting and protecting the workforce.

Failings

• The report found the force is "too often failing" to record reports of violent crime including harassment, stalking, controlling and coercive behaviour and domestic abuse.

• It "does not always accurately record" reported incidents of rape, and the recording of crimes against children were also a concern.

• Using data from a three-month period, the report estimated 84% of crimes were reported over a year.

• Between November 2021 and 31 August 2022, the force answered 66.7% of 999 calls within 10 seconds, below the target of 90%.

• While the national standard for abandoned calls was 5%, Devon and Cornwall Police recorded a rate of 46% for "high priority" 101 calls.

• The report found "several areas of concern" with how sex offenders were being managed, including overdue risk assessments and reviews.

• It found issues around working with other agencies to help children at risk of abuse.

Chief Constable Will Kerr said he was "confident that we have made significant improvements to the areas identified and progress continues to be made at pace".

He said a "new governance structure" was in place for crime recording "to scrutinise our compliance with national standards".

Regarding the delays in responding to calls Mr Kerr said: "For answering emergency and non-emergency calls, we have recently introduced a triage service, which means that the caller speaks to a person who first identifies what assistance the caller requires.

"This has allowed us to focus on improving our response to 999 calls, with 90% being answered within 10 seconds in January 2023. This is a 5% increase since the inspection was carried out."

The chief constable said six police front desks had been reopened "to improve public access to our service".

Mr Kerr said the force had already increased the number of supervisors dealing with sexual or violent offenders "to ensure workloads are managed in line with national guidance".

Alison Hernandez, Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said: "Inspectorate reports assist me in my duty of holding the Chief Constable to account for the delivery of an efficient and effective police force."

Ms Hernandez said she had "every confidence" that Mr Kerr would "swiftly deliver the changes required to satisfy inspectors and the public we serve".