ONE of my main responsibilities as your Police and Crime Commissioner is the scrutiny and governance of the police service
This means monitoring and challenging the Chief Constable to ensure that Avon and Somerset Police is delivering an effective and efficient service to you and our communities.
I recently welcomed the latest report by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services into the effectiveness and efficiency of Avon and Somerset Police, published in February
The Police Efficiency Effectiveness and Legitimacy Inspection, or PEEL as it is known, provides important additional evidence to support me in my scrutiny role and guide the focus of that scrutiny alongside the main oversight delivered through my Police and Crime Plan.
I’m pleased that the report noted that Avon and Somerset Police were found to be ‘good’ in two areas: preventing crime and police powers and public treatment.
However, the report highlighted that Avon and Somerset Police is only ‘adequate’ at developing a positive workplace and that their service ‘requires improvement’ in five areas: responding to the public; investigating crime; protecting vulnerable people; managing offenders and leadership and force management.
These are all key areas I have already identified for Avon and Somerset to focus on, and they are also within the five priorities of my Police and Crime Plan, which gives me confidence that my plan is focusing on the right things to deliver a more effective and efficient service for you.
I will continue to monitor closely the progress Avon and Somerset Police is making against all the ‘areas for improvement’ (AFIs) within this report, paying particular attention to the observation regarding the same areas that still require improvement since the last HMICFRS PEEL inspection.
I asked the chief constable questions around the report in a recent police question time session, which was live streamed through Facebook, LinkedIn and added to YouTube.
You can find out more and watch the session back by searching for PQT on my website, www.avonandsomerset-pcc.gov.uk.
Please feel free to reach out to me and my office with any questions, concerns, or suggestions you may have about policing, at www.avonandsomerset-pcc.gov.uk/contact.