‘Outstanding’ Humberside Police rated best force in the country
TOP RANKED: Humberside Police Chief Constable Lee Freeman
By Rick Lyon
Humberside Police have been rated by an independent watchdog as the best force in England and Wales.
His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) has graded Humberside as “outstanding” in six out of nine categories in its latest inspection report, which has been released today.
It is the highest number of “outstanding” grades received by any of the 43 police forces across England and Wales and represents a remarkable turnaround for Humberside, which was rated as “inadequate” seven years ago and placed in special measures.
The force has now been classed as “outstanding” in the following areas:
Preventing crime
Treatment of the public
Protecting vulnerable people
Managing offenders
Developing a positive workplace
Good use of resources
‘VICTIMS ARE RECEIVING A BETTER SERVICE’: Lee Freeman talking to The Hull Story
It has been rated as “good” at both investigating crime and responding to the public.
Only one category – recording data about crime – received an “adequate” rating, with none receiving “requires improvement” or “inadequate”.
The PEEL (Police Effectiveness, Efficiency and Legitimacy) report praises Humberside’s focus on neighbourhood policing, tackling domestic abuse and early intervention to prevent young people falling into a life of crime, among other areas.
Humberside Police Chief Constable Lee Freeman said: “I’m delighted with today’s report, the assessment from HMICFRS and the outstanding grades the force have been awarded.
“When I took over as Chief Constable in 2017 the force was in special measures and remained so until 2018. I recall saying then that my ambition was that our local communities have a right to be policed by one of the best performing forces in the country.
ON THE BEAT: Humberside Police have been praised for focusing on neighbourhood policing
“Today’s report demonstrates that Humberside Police, through our staff, always had the potential to achieve that and that my belief in them was not misplaced.
“I also recall saying that it was our actions and not words the public needed to see and my officers and staff have done everything I’ve asked of them and have delivered the strongest set of grades of any force in the country.
“These improvements have a real-world impact – victims are receiving a better service, more offenders are being brought to justice and I hope, as a consequence, public trust and confidence in Humberside Police will continue to increase.”
Despite the overwhelmingly positive report, Mr Freeman insisted improvements could still be made and said he understands the frustration felt by some victims of crime.
He said: “As with any comprehensive inspection, there are always areas where there remains room for improvement and this is something that we will now focus on.
“Being graded as outstanding does not mean you cannot improve further.
“I also know there will be some victims of crime who will read the headlines and know that they haven’t received the service they have a right to expect. My priority is to support my staff in order that all victims receive the level of service I know my staff want to provide, but are sometimes unable to, due to workloads.”
Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner Jonathan Evison said: “This report from His Majesty’s Inspectors is testament to years of hard work, planning and dedication by everyone at Humberside Police, from the outstanding leadership shown by Chief Constable Lee Freeman and his senior team through all officer ranks, police staff and volunteers.
“Humberside Police has been on a continuous journey of improvements since 2016, which has not been without its challenges, but everyone in the force can rightly be proud of today’s announcement.
“As the public’s representative on policing matters, I would like to congratulate everyone at Humberside Police today. There’s always more to do and I know the Chief Constable and his team are continuing to drive standards even higher.
‘EXCELLENT’: Humberside Police currently have the highest level of performance of any force in the country
“Our residents have a police force to be proud of.”
HMICFRS has statutory responsibility for inspecting all 43 police forces in England and Wales, as well as fire and rescue services.
There are currently six forces in special measures, including the Metropolitan Police.
The latest Humberside Police report follows an inspection between January and June this year.
His Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary Roy Wilsher said: “I want to congratulate Humberside Police on its excellent performance in keeping people safe and reducing crime.
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“The force has achieved the highest level of performance and service in six areas of policing and demonstrated improvements in many areas.
“I was pleased to find that the force arrest rate for domestic abuse is high and officers arrest offenders at the earliest opportunity. Victims can be reassured that the force treats crimes seriously and it will seek to achieve appropriate outcomes for them.
“The force also continues to develop its well-established neighbourhood policing model and this works effectively to tackle local problems. It also places value on early intervention, which is important in supporting children and young people to divert them away from offending.
“However, although the force has improved its recording of crime, it still needs to improve its reporting of anti-social behaviour incidents.
“This is an excellent report and Humberside Police should be applauded for its efforts to keep the public safe. I will continue to monitor its progress in maintaining this high level of performance.”
HERE TO HELP: Humberside Police have made major strides since being placed in special measures
To view the full report, click here.
To report a crime, call the Humberside Police non-emergency number, 101. In the case of an emergency, call 999.