A report has found that police demand has increased significantly over the last decade. With crime rates rising, workloads are reported to be too high. His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) highlighted was that there was also a weak investigative mindset and culture.
Chief officers have been facing challenges in changing this culture as many higher-ranking have not investigated crime in the last ten years. Some supervisors have not supervised criminal investigations in the past decade. In the HMICFRS ‘State of Policing 2023’ report they found a systemic issue that affects forces is increasing complexity of crimes. This issue has continued to affect forces. Many do not have a deep understanding of their crime-related demands.
The consequence of this is that over the decade, positive outcomes have declined. Positive outcomes refer to charges, summons to appear in court. In 2024, the rate of positive outcomes was at 11 percent compared to 25 percent ten years ago. At the heart of this, it is victims that are affected the most. HMICFRS stated that offices are recording the number of times they update victims rather than the effectiveness of the reports. This has led to victims being frustrated, many withdrawing themselves from investigations, due to the ongoing delays.
His Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary Lee Freeman said, ‘We have found that all too often, investigators’ efforts are hampered by ineffective force processes which mean that often forces don’t put victims first.’ This comes following the recent announcement of £100 million for neighbourhood policing by the current administration as reported by the Justice Gap. Despite the funding increase, further cuts have been announced by major police forces such as the Met Police and Gloucestershire Police.
HMICFRS has reported that crime rates per 1,000 population have increased in England and Wales. While police workload has increased by 32 percent, officer numbers fell by 6 percent between 2010 and 2024. When it comes to frequent crimes such as theft and assault, The Guardian said that police are left feeling ‘overwhelmed’. These crimes are committed daily, with not enough officers to supply the demand.
11 recommendations were made including improving the supervision of crime investigations and better training for investigators and their supervisors. The HMICFRS recognise that adequate investigation influences how safe people feel and acts as a deterrent in preventing future crime.
