Inspectors still have concerns over performance of Devon and Cornwall Police
Inspectors say they still have concerns over the performance of Devon and Cornwall Police with understaffed and inexperienced teams investigating serious offences. However the force has questioned the use of data which is more than a year old.
The force has been in special measures, known as ‘Engage’ since October 2022.
In the latest report His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary Andy Cooke said: “I have serious concerns about how it manages its investigations. In view of these findings, I have been in regular contact with the Chief Constable as I don’t underestimate how much improvement is needed.
"Since our previous inspection, the force has made significant efforts to improve in the areas we highlighted as causes of concern or areas for improvement, which is recognised.
"However, despite those improvements, more is required to place the force in a position where it is consistently providing a good standard of service to its local communities.”
Mr Cooke’s report added: “The force has understaffed and inexperienced teams investigating serious offences. There are delays in crime allocation and supervision, with many investigations lacking a detailed investigation plan or effective supervision.
"The force needs to improve in this area to achieve better outcomes for victims of crime.”
The report also criticised Devon and Cornwall Police over response times.
Mr Cooke did acknowledge some areas have seen improvements. He said: “The force has made considerable improvements in how it treats the people who contact it, from the quality of the initial call to the services the force offers.”
The report also recognised other issues including the suspension of Chief Constable Will Kerr, who is being investigated by the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland.
The latest inspector’s report said: “I also accept that operating as a temporary senior leadership team since June 2023 hasn’t been easy.
"The number of officers it now has is the highest it has had for some time and although some of these officers will be less experienced, this presents a good opportunity for the force to make progress.”
Overall the report graded Devon and Cornwall Police good in one area, adequate in three areas, requires improvement in two areas and inadequate in two areas.
Devon and Cornwall Police welcomed some parts of the report but raised significant concerns about other aspects, saying the inspection used historical data, some of which is over a year old and which the force says does not accurately reflect improvements they have made.
Acting Chief Constable Jim Colwell said: “I fully acknowledge that we still have work to do to ensure that our investigations are completed to the high standards that the public would expect of us, particularly when it comes to serious and complex crimes.
"We have made progress since the last inspection, but I recognise there is still much more to do if we are to deliver a better level of service to our communities and reduce some of the pressure on our colleagues.”
The force has raised concerns with the inspectorate about the use of historical data and not reflecting the sustained improvements made since being placed in special measures.
He said: “I am extremely concerned that some aspects of this report will only serve to mislead the public about how effective we are at providing a service across Devon and Cornwall.
"I am disappointed it does not acknowledge the improvements we have and continue to make in other areas of our work and the strength of our community policing approach.”