A report by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS), following an inspection in 2023, has graded West Mercia Police’s response to serious and organised crime as inadequate.
Serious organised crime includes offending such as drug trafficking and supply, cybercrime and robbery and West Mercia Police, which serves Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin, Herefordshire and Worcestershire, is one of four forces responsible for tackling these crimes across the region.
The force says it is committed to tackling serious and organised crime and bringing criminals to justice, in line with Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion’s Safer West Mercia Plan.
In response, West Mercia Police has created an improvement plan setting out how it will deliver on the report’s recommendations.
The report found that West Mercia Police has structures and sufficient specialised resources in place, which have been boosted by significant funding from the PCC, to tackle offending and assess threats well, but that improvements are needed in some areas, leading to an overall rating of inadequate.
Disappointed with the grading
In response to the report, Temporary Chief Constable Alex Murray has said that he is disappointed with the grading and acknowledged that more work was needed but that significant changes had already been made in the 11 months since the inspection took place.
Temporary Chief Constable Murray said: “Whilst I am, of course, disappointed with the grading given, I accept that there are more improvements we need to make in the way we tackle serious organised crime. The inspection was a review of our work in 2022 and the beginning of 2023 and we’ve already made some significant changes. In the last 12 months we’ve seen crime reduce, including a 10% decrease in robbery, more crimes detected, significant investigations concluding with lengthy prison sentences for offenders and ultimately less victims of crime in the areas we serve.
“We are dedicated to disrupting and dismantling organised crime groups; in the past year we’ve arrested 484 people and seized drugs with an estimated street value of almost £1million and almost £300,000 worth of cash. 167 weapons have been taken off our streets and 164 people have been safeguarded. Our communities will also have seen outcomes of significant investigations on our social media channels and in the local press, such as the February sentencing for county lines drug dealers to a combined total of more than 40 years in prison – just one example of the positive results we are seeing in pursuing offenders.”
Areas identified for improvement included our work with partners, our use of analysis and that we need to enhance the wider workforce’s understanding of tackling serious and organised crime.
“Since the inspection we have put clear agreements in place with our community safety partnerships to ensure data and information is shared and the threat of serious and organised crime is fully understood by all agencies. A comprehensive programme is being progressed to further develop the skills and capabilities of those responsible for disrupting and dismantling organised crime groups through the 4P (Pursue, Prevent, Protect, Prepare) framework and improve the way best practice is highlighted and recorded.”
A national multi-agency tactic to tackle serious and organised crime threats through neighbourhood policing and partnership working, known as Clear, Hold, Build, has been launched in Oswestry this year with plans to extend the approach to other areas.
“It was good to see that our specialist resources and the way we are able to assess threats were highlighted as working well. We are committed to delivering the recommendations in the report and we will further improve the work we are doing to protect those being exploited, ensure offenders are brought to justice and that we are working effectively with partners to prevent crimes and keep the areas served by West Mercia Police safe.”
More needs to be done by building stronger partnerships
Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion said: “Organised crime groups operating across West Mercia routinely target the most vulnerable people in our society. The impact of this crime is devastating and is felt not only by victims, but also entire communities.
“Whilst the rating is not reflective of the brilliant work officers are doing day-in-day-out pursuing criminals, more needs to be done by building stronger partnerships to prevent serious organised crime from happening in the first place.
“I am clear, the verdict of the HMICFRS report into West Mercia Police’s response to address this crime is deeply disappointing and not what I or the public expect.”
Since the last inspection six years’ ago, the PCC has raised the force’s performance in relation to serious and organised crimes in 16 formal assurance and accountability sessions with three Chief Constables.
This work has been coupled with investment into specialist services to put victims first and interventions to help steer young people away from crime.
The PCC added: “Eleven months on from the HMICFRS inspection, I am reassured that West Mercia Police has been making significant progress including the creation of an improvement plan.
“Whilst its clear action needs to be taken to address the concerns raised in the report, the extended period of time it takes to publish the report does mean the situation has moved on and no longer represents where the force is now.
“I welcome the plan set out by the Chief Constable. However, I have been very clear that progress to deliver change will be a focus of regular and intense scrutiny, as I expect the force to continue delivering improvements to its response to serious and organised crime.”
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