Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP
Home Secretary
Home Office
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
9th July 2024
HMICFRS- An inspection of the West Midlands regional response to serious and organised crime (SOC)
I am writing to you in response to the above HMICFRS report published in May 2024.
HMICFRS undertook an inspection of all four regional forces and West Midlands Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU) in June 2023. The inspection report provided a grading for each force and the ROCU alongside identifying areas for improvement and innovative or good practice.
West Mercia received an overall rating of “inadequate” against the SOC criteria being examined by HMICFRS. As a consequence, the inspection identified a Cause of concern and 9 recommendations and regional areas for improvement (AFIs) relating to interaction with the regional ROCU. This rating is deeply disappointing. As Commissioner I will ensure a robust approach to SOC in the areas identified and oversee the improvements being delivered to reduce the harm it creates within our communities.
A summary of the cause of concern, recommendations and regional AFIs is set out below:
Cause for concern:
West Mercia Police needs to improve how it works with its serious and organised crime partners and uses information and resources to tackle serious and organised crime effectively.
West Mercia specific recommendations:
- Improve how it works with partners to tackle SOC, including improving access to partnership data and information to understand SOC threats
- Make sure its workforce and SOC partners are aware of SOC local profiles so that these profiles inform a multi-agency response to SOC
- Provide enough analytical capacity to improve its understanding of emerging SOC threats
- Provide consistent and structured training to lead responsible officers to improve how they manage SOC threats
- Carry out a review of the lead responsible officer model and the role of lead responsible officers in managing tactical 4P plans
- Make sure that tactical 4P plans are better co-ordinated and have better quality assurance
- Improve the process to identify learning and good practice
- Improve how it records disruption activity
- Review its SOC delivery plan to make sure it is an effective tool to assess force improvement and that updates on performance are recorded accurately.
Area for improvement (AFI): The ROCUWM and its constituent forces should improve how they work together to tackle serious and organised crime.
The ROCUWM, with its constituent forces, should:
- Improve the effectiveness of the lead responsible officer (LRO) role;
- Improve the quality and consistency of 4P plans;
- Develop a regional approach to the management of 4P plans;
- Improve how serious and organised crime (SOC) disruptions are recorded to accurately reflect regional performance; and
- Identify and promote promising and innovative practice.
I welcome the recommendations to review the forces’ response to SOC as preventing and tackling serious organised crime is central priority of my Safer West Mercia Plan where I have made several commitments under the priority of Building a more secure West Mercia. This includes a commitment to ensure a robust response to SOC and to make West Mercia a safer place by reducing crime and reoffending.
I have oversight and scrutiny of the West Mercia Police’s activity related to SOC through quarterly briefings and regional updates through the Regional Governance Group (RGG).
This activity is also complemented by a comprehensive programme of work undertaken by West Mercia Police and my office in response to the findings of the Inspection. This activity includes the development of West Mercia Police’s SOC Delivery Plan and an OPCC SOC Delivery Plan.
Below I summarise how the Chief Constable will continue to drive improvements against the Cause for Concern and 9 associated recommendations; as well as setting out my role in providing local assurance and accountability.
R1. Improve how it works with partners to tackle SOC, including improving access to partnership data and information to understand SOC threats.
I am pleased to report that the Crime Reduction Board, chaired by my Deputy Police & Crime Commissioner will now act as the forum for strategic engagement with partners in relation to SOC. At the forthcoming Crime Reduction Board meeting in August 2024, partners will receive an update on force activity to address the inspection findings followed by a proposal to establish a task-and-finish multi-agency group.
R2. Make sure its workforce and SOC partners are aware of SOC local profiles so that these profiles inform a multi-agency response to SOC.
I have been reassured that all existing local SOC profiles have now been reviewed and areas for improvement identified to drive CSP SOC activity. As part of this work, I have committed funding for additional Partnership Analysts which will continue to support the work of CSP SOC activity.
R3. Provide enough analytical capacity to improve its understanding of emerging SOC threats.
West Mercia Police are in the process of finalising a proposal for 4 additional analyst posts to ensure there is sufficient analytical capacity to understand emerging threats and provide the required partnership data to ensure improvements.
R4. Provide consistent and structured training to lead responsible officers (LRO) to improve how they manage SOC threats.
The force has committed as part of the improvement plan that LROs & Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) will be provided with training and support, via CPD events and one to one support. I shall be raising this within my forthcoming Assurance and Accountability meeting on the 16th July to obtain reassurance that this training is providing tangible benefits to the force in their response to SOC.
R5. Carry out a review of the lead responsible officer model and the role of lead responsible officers in managing tactical 4P plans.
I have received assurance surrounding the force’s prevention and deterrence activity and this will also feature within my Assurance & Accountability session to ensure the effectiveness of the LRO roles in managing 4P plans.
R6. Make sure that tactical 4P plans are better co-ordinated and have better quality assurance.
I welcome this recommendation as this has been raised directly with West Mercia Police through my holding to account meetings. I have been assured that LRO guidance and 4P plan templates with consistent format and content have been developed. It is my understanding that the plans are now subject to detailed scrutiny in Organised Crime Group Meetings (OCGM) and in the Force Delivery Group to ensure rigour of oversight and consistency in approach.
R7. Improve the process to identify learning and good practice.
West Mercia Police have implemented ROCU LRO CPD days that will be take place on a monthly basis and I have been reassured that learning and good practice is shared amongst the different departments at CPD days.
R8. Improve how it records disruption activity
West Mercia Police is implementing several changes that include extensive consultation to understand how best to manage the Agency and Partnership Management Information System (APMIS) while minimizing the administrative burden on the front line.
R9. Review its SOC delivery plan to make sure it is an effective tool to assess force improvement. This should include accurately recording updates on performance
The improvement plan has been written with direct links to the areas covered by the recommendations for ease of reference and to ensure improvement activity is meaningful
and relevant in each area. It is subject to regular review and scrutiny within my quarterly briefings supported by the Regional Policy Team.
Regional AFIs
I have received reassurance that West Mercia Police continue to actively engage and work with the ROCU to ensure they draw on existing good practice within the region. The Regional Governance Group (RGG), attended by all PCC’s and Chief Constables in the region, will be convening in the near future to ensure that improvements identified by the inspectorate are delivered. Our Regional Policy team will continue to support the delivery of the RGG in additional to local and regional scrutiny work.
Assurance & Accountability
On the 16th July 2024, I will be holding an Assurance & Accountability meeting with the Chief Constable in response to the HMICFRS SOC inspection. This meeting will focus on force activity and partnership working to drive improvements in response to the West
Mercia specific recommendations from the SOC Inspection report as well as observations on collaborative working to deliver against the ROCU AFI’s.
As the PCC, I directly commission and support local funding of initiatives and services focussed on prevention, early intervention and support for those at risk of, or effected by organised criminality (including CSE).
Whilst I am disappointed with the judgement, I am confident that the system wide response as outlined above will deliver the required improvements for the benefits of the communities of West Mercia.
John Campion
Police and Crime Commissioner
West Mercia
