Lincolnshire Police improves recording of criminal offences

Chief Constable Bill Skelly said he was "extremely pleased" with the inspectors report

A police force has improved the way it records crimes after being criticised for under-recording offences, a watchdog has found.

Last year, a report found Lincolnshire Police failed to record about 19% of crimes in 2017, including rapes.

Inspectors said the force had since made "significant progress", with 90% of offences recorded.

Chief Constable Bill Skelly said he was "extremely pleased" with the report.

Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services' (HMICFRS) previous report said the force had failed to record "an estimated 9,400 reported crimes a year".

HM Inspector of Constabulary Zoë Billingham said: "Accurate and timely crime recording is not just an administrative matter, it increases the chances of a reported crime being properly investigated, meaning that the victim can get the justice they deserve."

However, the inspectorate said there was "still room for improvement", with concerns over how reports of crimes from third party agencies were recorded.

Mr Skelly said the force had noted the areas highlighted for improvement by the HMICFRS.

"These improvements can only benefit victims because better data quality means we make better decisions, therefore enabling us to deliver a better service to people in Lincolnshire," he said.