Audio: PCC Martyn Underhill defends Dorset force after HMIC report

In a new report, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) said this ''mindset'' had led to a concerning trend of asking victims to turn DIY detectives and carry out investigations themselves.

Victims of high-volume offences like vehicle crime and ''burglaries of properties other than dwellings'' are asked questions by call-handlers to assess the likelihood of the crime being solved, inspectors found.

In some forces this included asking victims to check if there was CCTV or fingerprint evidence available, as well as requesting victims interview their neighbours and check second-hand sales websites to see if their property was being sold.

Inspector of Constabulary Roger Baker, who led the inspection, said: ''It's more a mindset, that we no longer deal with these things. And effectively what's happened is a number of crimes are on the verge of being decriminalised.''

He added: ''So it's not the fault of the individual staff, it's a mindset thing that's crept in to policing to say 'we've almost given up'.''

Elsewhere, the inspection found some forces were losing track of named suspects and wanted persons because they did not have effective systems for actively pursing them.

This included suspects who had been bailed from a police station and failed to return.

The report said: ''It is a matter of extreme concern that some forces were not able to provide the data requested on these points. Timely and effective pursuit of named and wanted suspects should be core business for the police.

''Inspectors were also particularly concerned by the number of ''desk-based investigations'', where forces decide to deal with a crime over the telephone without any attendance at the scene, without face-to-face contact with the victim.''

Desk-based investigations are failing to serve the public and mean ''little or nothing more than recording a crime without taking further action'', HMIC warned.

A total of 37 out of 43 forces in England and Wales used a system in which a call-handler assessed whether an officer should attend the scene of an incident.

But in some forces, call-handlers could not accurately describe what amounted to a risk or threat, while 17 forces failed to identify vulnerable callers.

Attendance rates at crime scenes in the year to November 30 2013 varied widely between forces from 39% in Warwickshire to 100% in Cleveland.

This means that nearly two-thirds of crime scenes in Warwickshire were not attended by a police officer.

And in 17 forces, the Inspectorate found police community support officers (PCSOs) were being asked to investigate crimes beyond their role profile and training.

HMIC also found the national picture across all forces in relation to use of technology was ''inadequate'' with officers using ''old technology, ill-suited to modern technology''.

Official figures released earlier this year suggested police are failing to solve half of crimes, including nearly three quarters of cases of theft, criminal damage and arson.

Data from 28 police forces in England and Wales, excluding the Metropolitan Police, showed that in April and May this year 52% of crimes were classed as ''investigation complete, no suspect identified'', meaning that the case is closed unless new evidence comes to light.

This happened in 73% of criminal damage and arson cases, 72% of theft and 56% of robbery, according to figures released by the Home Office, which stressed that the investigations could be reopened later.

Mr Baker added: ''When a crime has been committed, it's the job of the police service to go and find out who's done it and bring them to justice.

''They're the cops and we expect the cops to catch people and my proposition to you is unless you've got the powers of Mystic Meg or something like that, you not turning up and using your skills, it's going to be mightily difficult to bring people to justice.''

President of the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo), Sir Hugh Orde said: ''We accept that the public has a natural expectation to have a positive and supportive experience of interacting with the police service when they have been a victim of crime.

''The reality of austerity in policing means that forces must ensure that their officers' time is put to best use and this means prioritising calls.

''In some instances, this may mean that a report of a crime where the victim is not in imminent danger or the offender is not still in the immediate vicinity will be dealt with over the phone or by other means than the deployment of an officer to the scene. This is not an abdication of forces' duty of care to victims.''

'It is totally unacceptable for victims to have to investigate their own case as it could put them at risk of further harm and they may miss vital evidence which could allow offenders to evade justice.

''We know from supporting children and young people, victims of domestic and sexual violence and those with mental health problems how devastating it can be for their well-being and sense of security. They are also some of the people most likely to suffer repeated crimes.

''These are not the standards we should expect from the police and improvements must be made.''

In Dorset, the letter sent by HMIC to the Chief Constable outlines areas it feels the force could improve on. Investigation and reporting of offences is not one of them, although the data shows its call handlers do have a problem identifying vulnerable and repeat victims.

You can read the letter here. 

They also discovered that while Dorset Police does not have an ‘overarching’ crime prevention strategy, there was clear evidence of the force preventing crime and anti-social behaviour through a range of operations.

Mr Underhill said: “I get really frustrated by the call by the inspectorate for a central team. Every facet of investigation in Dorset has a crime prevention strategy and that is monitored by the people in that business area which I think actually brings more expertise and more focus.

“For example inspectors looking after vulnerable people and children have a crime prevention strategy.

“We don’t have the strategy across the whole force in one document but we do have a strategy and that’s more important.”

He added: “I’m really worried we’re starting to register how many times people attend scenes of crime. If a lady goes on holiday and in a three week period a plant pot is stolen, and she asks her neighbour and no-one sees anything, why would you send an officer?

“If someone wants to report a sensitive crime, if they are targeted by a neighbour, why would they want an officer turn up? A lot of people say ‘please don’t send the police, we will do this on phone.’”

Long-term crime prevention schemes including burglary and car crime have been successful in reducing reported incidents, the report states.

Deputy Chief Constable James Vaughan said the report raised ‘complicated issues’, many of which were the focus of ongoing improvements.

He said a programme to improve computer systems will be in place by next spring, allowing officers to complete their work without returning to the office.

“At the heart of all of our work, is the need to ensure that victims are put first and that the Force meets the needs of all of our communities. Of course, partnership working, sharing best practice and embracing emerging technology is an essential part of this process”, he said.

Data included in the report only shows if an officer immediately visited, not if they attended at a later date.

The new system will ensure Dorset Police are not ‘statistically disadvantaged’, he added.

“Of course, it’s important to remember that all of the force’s extensive efforts to improve and innovate are taking place throughout an incredibly challenging budgetary situation.

“Dorset Police was already one of the lowest funded Forces in England and Wales, and has had to make an additional twenty per cent savings over the last five years.

“This has led to the need to make difficult decisions, some of which will have undoubtedly affected performance in some areas, despite the HMIC recognising that we have implemented numerous measures to free up frontline officers’ time.

“However, we must keep things in perspective. Despite these challenges, recorded crime continues to fall within Dorset and positive outcome rates have risen. I believe this is testament to the hard work of Dorset Police’s officers, staff and volunteers and the Force’s commitment to providing the best possible service while reflecting true demand and value for money.”