Greater Manchester Police has significantly improved, watchdog says

Greater Manchester Police was put into special measures in December 2020 for failing to record up to 80,000 crimes

A police force which was put into special measures for failing to record up to 80,000 crimes has "significantly improved" its performance, the police inspectorate has said.

A report by the watchdog said no areas of policing by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) were currently inadequate.

Outcomes for victims of crime had been improved, it added.

However, the report said the way the force monitors its visits to registered sex offenders required improvement.

Chief Constable Stephen Watson said there had already been improvements in this area since the inspection.

'Dialled up muscularity'

GMP told inspectors in April that the force had backlogs of 1,490 registered sex offender visits.

At the end of the inspection period, it said the backlog had reduced to 163 but inspectors found some visits to offenders who had been part of the overdue backlog had again lapsed and become overdue.

Mr Watson replaced Ian Hopkins as the chief constable of GMP in May 2021 after the force was placed in special measures in December 2020 when it was revealed it had failed to record 80,000 crimes.

Mr Watson had blamed a "failure of senior leadership" for the force's problems and promised a "dialled up muscularity" in his approach to crime.

GMP was moved out of special measures in October 2022.

HM Inspector of Constabulary Michelle Skeer said the force's leadership and management had "significantly improved both its service to the public and outcomes for victims of crime".

"There are still areas in which Greater Manchester Police needs to do better," she said.

"However I am optimistic that the force's leadership and management will continue to provide further improvements."

Mr Watson said: "This report reiterates the success of the plan - to focus on the basics, strengthen leadership, and improve performance, which propelled GMP out of special measures in the record time of just under two years."

"However, it goes without saying that our journey to improvement is ongoing and involves sustaining the progress we have already made, whilst ensuring continuous development in the highlighted areas for improvement - not least the management of sex offenders and suspects, which I can confirm has advanced since the inspection."

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said the latest report showed "how much of a turnaround" GMP had made.