Community Resolution

During 2009 we introduced the concept of community resolution to West Mercia, following successful pilot schemes in a number of other police forces. This approach resulted from a recommendation within Sir Ronnie Flanagan's HMIC Review of Policing which suggested that police forces should trial new recording practices to ensure all incidents and crimes are dealt with proportionately, while reducing the bureaucratic burden of crime reporting.

Community resolution empowers and encourages operational officers to use their professional judgement in delivering an outcome that is proportionate to the crime committed and meets the victim's wishes.

This enables the victim of a minor crime, such as criminal damage, anti-social behaviour and minor assaults, to have a genuine say in identifying the way in which a crime could be ‘resolved' in a manner which meets their needs. It also empowers the victim to permit offenders who have behaved foolishly, rather than maliciously, to make amends for their mistake, rather than the police service having to pursue a criminal justice outcome.  The emphasis is on victim satisfaction and a range of tactics are discussed and agreed with the victim from the outset. The community resolution may be words of advice, an informal warning, an apology or compensation, for example.

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