Police Authority Comment On Performance
Each year following public consultation the Police Authority agrees the priorities to guide the Force in its activities for the forthcoming year and also agrees a series of key measures which are used to monitor progress in delivering the agreed outcomes. With the introduction of a government target based on public confidence and the roll out of the Policing Pledge, the Authority has worked very closely with senior staff within the Force to ensure measures are also in place to track progress against these initiatives. The outcomes, priorities and measures are set out in the joint policing plan.
By focusing on the priority areas identified in the joint policing plan West Mercia Police has continued to maintain a high level of performance results and recorded crime has fallen consistently over recent years. End of year figures show that there was a 7.6% reduction in recorded offences comparing 2009/10 to 2008/09. Other results include a fall in serious violence against the person incidents with an improvement in the detection rate for the same type of crime. The Force has also maintained good progress against the government's confidence target and achieved a 50% confidence level by the end of 2009/10.
Recognising the need to improve the service offered to the victims of serious sexual offences the Force has introduced approximately 60 specially trained officers across the force to deal with these types of crimes. In addition the Authority has recently endorsed the development of a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) for West Mercia and the Force is now working in partnership with other agencies to introduce this facility.
The challenging financial climate has made us concentrate even more on collaboration and partnership working to achieve greater value for money. Both the Force and the Authority have actively participated in increased collaboration and joint working with neighbouring forces and authorities. This commitment to collaborate has recently been strengthened by entering into a five year regional collaboration strategy within the West Midlands region. The Force and Authority have also actively engaged in local partnerships across West Mercia, recognising the importance placed on shared targets and enhanced delivery.
The Force has performed well in external assessments. It has been inspected on its implementation of the Policing Pledge and was one of only eight forces to be assessed as ‘Good'. In 2010 Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary published performance information from its rounded assessment of police forces, known as the ‘report card'. In the three areas graded within the report card West Mercia Police was graded ‘good' in two areas and ‘fair' in the third.
Despite an overall excellent performance record in 2009/10 the Force were criticised for failings in two particular cases where fuller and more timely investigations may have made a difference. These cases have been subject to detailed scrutiny by the Police Authority. Some remedial steps have already been taken. The Authority remains committed to ensure the Public receive the very best service which can be provided at all times but it is recognised that as financial pressures come to bear a heavy burden falls to our officers and police staff to make the right judgement every time, a responsibility which inevitably and with benefit of hindsight will always be open to challenge.
Overall the Police Authority is confident that West Mercia Police is well placed to address all the challenges ahead and will continue to be seen as a high performing, cost effective force which is capable of sustaining a high standard of policing services for West Mercia.
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