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Gwent Police criticised over handling of domestic abuse Review of Welsh police forces finds failings and successes
(24 minutes later)
Gwent Police has been criticised for "risks" in the way it handles domestic abuse cases. Gwent Police has been identified as failing on all levels of policing by an official report.
It also needs to improve crime reduction and prevention, and improve investigations, an official inspection England and Wales' 43 forces found. Inspectors also identified some areas of improvement needed at the North Wales force.
But Gwent's police and crime commissioner Ian Johnston said the report "lacked balance". Dyfed-Powys, which also needed improvements in some areas, was the only force to hit detection rates.
Inspectors said some improvements were needed in Dyfed-Powys and North Wales. South Wales Police had a good report. South Wales Police received a good inspection by the HMIC which looked at Wales and England's 43 forces.
The HMIC looked at how each force:The HMIC looked at how each force:
The inspection into Gwent highlighted "significant concerns" over how the force responded to some victims of domestic abuse. It said Gwent Police must prevent and cut more crime, tackle anti-social behaviour and give better value for money.
It also raised concerns over its effectiveness in cutting crime and anti-social behaviour, saying levels were rising after a number of years where they had fallen. It also highlighted "significant concerns" over how the force responded to some victims of domestic abuse.
Inspectors raised concerns over its effectiveness in cutting crime and anti-social behaviour, saying levels were rising after a number of years where they had fallen.
Victim satisfaction was also one of the lowest of all forces in England and Wales.Victim satisfaction was also one of the lowest of all forces in England and Wales.
And the crime inspection report identified a lack of clarity among officers about who was responsible for investigating high-risk domestic abuse cases.And the crime inspection report identified a lack of clarity among officers about who was responsible for investigating high-risk domestic abuse cases.
However the report did praise Gwent's progress over the past two years on instilling ethical and professional behaviour but said more training on integrity issues and challenging poor behaviour was required.However the report did praise Gwent's progress over the past two years on instilling ethical and professional behaviour but said more training on integrity issues and challenging poor behaviour was required.
The force will now receive another inspection in 2015 with external experts to "assist the senior leadership of Gwent to improve the service it delivers".The force will now receive another inspection in 2015 with external experts to "assist the senior leadership of Gwent to improve the service it delivers".
But Gwent's PCC Ian Johnston, who said the force had spent around £150,000 preparing and responding to the inspections, said HMIC was "trying to justify" its existence.But Gwent's PCC Ian Johnston, who said the force had spent around £150,000 preparing and responding to the inspections, said HMIC was "trying to justify" its existence.
"Some of the criticisms in the report the force accepts and I accept, particularly around victim satisfaction," he said."Some of the criticisms in the report the force accepts and I accept, particularly around victim satisfaction," he said.
"Our biggest complaint is the lack of balance in the report and that's something that other commissioners are concerned about and it's only happened in the last 12 to 18 months. "We want to hold the force to account for local issues that affect local people, we don't want some sort of central control and a regulator which doesn't understand the area, making comments which cannot be justified in a report," he added.
"HMIC had £9.4m extra last year which was top sliced out of the police budget and I think they're now trying to justify their existence.
"We want to hold the force to account for local issues that affect local people, we don't want some sort of central control and a regulator which doesn't understand the area, making comments which cannot be justified in a report."
He went on: "I'm disappointed that the report does not articulate what the force has actually achieved and the effort they have put in.
"It focuses too much on national comparisons in relation to crime statistics."
HMIC has been asked to respond.HMIC has been asked to respond.
South Wales Police said it was "satisfying" to be judged good at all the benchmarking criteria. Meanwhile North Wales Police was found to be good at preventing and cutting crime and tackling anti-social behaviour but must improve in how it investigates crime.
Dyfed-Powys was judged to be effective in general but there were some concerns over its approach to domestic abuse which led to a lack of clarity over who was responsible for managing some processes. The force's commissioner Winston Roddick said he was "surprised" at HMIC's concerns about crime recording because the force achieved a 94% compliance rate, making it the fifth best in England and Wales.
North Wales Police's commissioner Winston Roddick said he was "surprised" at HMIC's concerns about crime recording because the force achieved a 94% compliance rate, making it the fifth best in England and Wales.
"I take extremely seriously my responsibilities in relation to scrutinising the force on how it responds to this inspection but it is of paramount importance that a balanced conclusion is made available on the findings," he added."I take extremely seriously my responsibilities in relation to scrutinising the force on how it responds to this inspection but it is of paramount importance that a balanced conclusion is made available on the findings," he added.
Dyfed-Powys was judged to be effective in general but there were some concerns over its approach to domestic abuse which led to a lack of clarity over who was responsible for managing some processes.
South Wales Police said it was "satisfying" to be judged good at all the benchmarking criteria.