FOI 34015

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: HRC0034015/26

 

I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 6^th October 2026. Please find below the response to your request:

 

In March 2026, the government stated that the MSOIC programme had developed a framework for investigating modern slavery which would be made available to officers in England and Wales through the Knowledge Hub and incorporated into the College of Policing’s Authorised Professional Practice (APP) on Modern Slavery.

I am seeking the following information for your force:

1. Access to the national framework
2. a) Has your force been provided with, or given access to, the national framework for investigating modern slavery developed through the MSOIC programme?
3. b) If yes, please provide the date on which the framework was first made available to your force.
4. Implementation
5. a) Has your force incorporated the MSOIC national framework into any of its policies, procedures, guidance, training or operating practices for investigating modern slavery?
6. b) If yes, please state which of the following apply:

• force policy/procedure
• investigation guidance
• investigator training
• supervision/review processes
• other (please specify)

1. c) Please provide the date on which the framework was first incorporated into the force's practices.
2. Use by investigators

For the period 11 February 2026 to the date of this request, please provide:

1. a) The number of officers/staff within the force who were designated as investigators of modern slavery and human trafficking offences.
2. b) Of those, the number who were PIP2 accredited.
3. c) Of those, the number who had completed the College of Policing modern slavery investigator course.
4. d) The number of modern slavery investigations in which the national MSOIC framework was recorded as having been used or applied.

If your force does not record whether the framework was used in individual investigations, please state this.

4. Senior oversight

For the same period, please state:

1. a) Whether your force has a designated senior officer responsible for modern slavery and human trafficking.
2. b) Whether modern slavery and human trafficking is currently identified as a priority within your force control strategy.
3. c) If modern slavery is not currently identified as a priority, please state when it was last identified as a priority.
4. Specialist capacity

Please provide:

1. a) Whether your force currently has a dedicated modern slavery/human trafficking team or unit.
2. b) If yes, the number of full-time equivalent police officers and staff currently allocated to that team/unit.
3. c) Whether the dedicated MSHT function has been merged with another policing function since 1 January 2024. If yes, please state the date of the merger and the other function with which it was merged.

I am requesting recorded information only and am not seeking operationally sensitive information, details of individual investigations, identities of officers or victims, or information that could compromise current investigations.

Where information is already published, please provide a link to the relevant publication rather than reproducing it.

 

 

Reply

 

West Mercia Police have conducted searches and can confirm that we hold information in relation to your request.

 

1. Access to the national framework
2. a) Has your force been provided with, or given access to, the national framework for investigating modern slavery developed through the MSOIC programme? – Yes

 

1. b) If yes, please provide the date on which the framework was first made available to your force. – The force has had investigative guidance produced MSOIC for a number of years (5 to 6 yrs, exact date unknown).

 

2. Implementation
3. a) Has your force incorporated the MSOIC national framework into any of its policies, procedures, guidance, training or operating practices for investigating modern slavery? – Yes

 

1. b) If yes, please state which of the following apply:

• force policy/procedure – Yes
• investigation guidance – Yes
• investigator training – Yes
• supervision/review processes – Force has a standardised review process for all crime
• other (please specify)

 

1. c) Please provide the date on which the framework was first incorporated into the force's practices. – Our latest MSHT Policy/Procedure was implemented in April 2021, with links to CoP and National investigative guidance.

 

3. Use by investigators

For the period 11 February 2026 to the date of this request, please provide:

1. a) The number of officers/staff within the force who were designated as investigators of modern slavery and human trafficking offences. – 60

 

1. b) Of those, the number who were PIP2 accredited. – 37

 

1. c) Of those, the number who had completed the College of Policing modern slavery investigator course. – 60

 

1. d) The number of modern slavery investigations in which the national MSOIC framework was recorded as having been used or applied. – No requirement for this to be recorded on our system.

 

If your force does not record whether the framework was used in individual investigations, please state this.

 

4. Senior oversight

For the same period, please state:

1. a) Whether your force has a designated senior officer responsible for modern slavery and human trafficking. – Yes

 

1. b) Whether modern slavery and human trafficking is currently identified as a priority within your force control strategy. – Yes

 

1. c) If modern slavery is not currently identified as a priority, please state when it was last identified as a priority. – n/a

 

5. Specialist capacity

Please provide:

1. a) Whether your force currently has a dedicated modern slavery/human trafficking team or unit. – The force has Child Exploitation Teams but no dedicated MSHT teams.

 

1. b) If yes, the number of full-time equivalent police officers and staff currently allocated to that team/unit. – n/a

 

2024. c) Whether the dedicated MSHT function has been merged with another policing function since 1 January 2024. If yes, please state the date of the merger and the other function with which it was merged. – n/a