Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy has today thanked officers and staff for all their hard work following publication of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) PEEL (Police Effectiveness, Efficiency, Legitimacy) assessment for the financial year 2021/2022.

The force was one of three forces in the UK to volunteer to pilot a new approach taken by HMICFRS in relation to its Peel assessment (the other two forces involved in the pilot are Dyfed Powys and Suffolk Constabulary) and on publication of the report Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services, Matt Parr, congratulated the force for its overall good performance, whilst recognising that we need to improve in some areas.

The inspection looked at 13 specific policing areas and graded 11 of them after assessing how the force is performing. The report highlights areas where the force is doing well and where improvement could be made.

The gradings awarded are:

o Disrupting serious organised crime: Outstanding
o Investigating crime: Good
o Preventing crime: Good
o Recording data about crime: Good
o Treatment of the public: Good
o Responding to the public: Good
o Protecting vulnerable people: Good
o Managing offenders: Good
o Developing a positive workplace: Good
o Good use of resources: Good
o Supporting victims: Adequate

Following publication of the Peel Assessment Chief Constable Serena Kennedy, said: "I am absolutely delighted with the PEEL assessment, which I believe recognises the pride and commitment our officers and staff have in providing a professional and effective police service that puts our communities at the heart of everything we do.

"We continuously review and develop our processes and practices to ensure we provide value to our communities and today’s report reflects our determination to consistently evolve and grow as an organisation. It recognises that we do this by having good, mature strategic planning processes in place, supported by rigorous governance arrangements

"The hard work of our officers and staff across the board has resulted in our ability to maintain our outstanding grade for tackling serious and organised crime. Just last week we had one crime gang sentenced to more than 187 years in prison for conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs worth more than £6m and our firearms discharges for the last financial year were the lowest we’d had for more than 20 years. Results like this are the result of hard work and commitment. The use of firearms and the supply of drugs do untold harm within our communities and we will continue to take positive action against those involved in serious organised crime.
“In its overall assessment HMICFRS recognises that the force has a focus on crime prevention and the inspectors found good examples of problem solving and officers working with partners to prevent crime, investigate it effectively and safeguard vulnerable people.

“The report has also identified areas for improvement that could impact on our ability to reduce crime. These are:

• Not always attending priority calls for service in agreed timescales
• Not completing victim needs assessments in all cases, which could lead to victims withdrawing support for prosecutions

“I can reassure the public that work is already underway in relation to these areas across the force to continue our improvement.

“The force has been recognised for our ‘Community First approach”, which puts the public at the centre of the service we provide. There is a pride in working for Merseyside Police that reflects well on the organisation. It says that we are good at engaging with communities and seek their views to understand what is important to them. It recognises the invaluable work of the Independent Advisory group and local community advisory groups and also acknowledges the work that our Local Policing teams do with their communities to set local priorities and act on them.

“The Inspectors also reviewed the work that we do in relation to use of Stop Search powers and the training we provide to student officers and our consistency in delivering information to officers in line with changes in legislation or practice. Most of the officers spoken to by the Inspectors said they feel well trained. They also looked at body worn video recordings of stop search encounters to see how officers interacted with the person being searched and concluded that most interactions were of a good standard.

Chief Constable Kennedy added: “Finally, I would like to highlight some of the findings from the Inspectors in relation to our work with the most vulnerable in our communities.

“The report highlights the child exploitation risk index (CERI) and relationship risk index (RRI) that we use to identify those at risk of sexual and criminal exploitation; harm including domestic abuse, drugs and violence involving firearms and serious violence. The information helps us, together with our partners including the five local authorities; public health; education and third sector organisations, to protect and support the most vulnerable in our communities.

"We are determined to continue to provide our communities with a professional, effective and compassionate police service, putting the community first in all we do. I am grateful to the police officers and support staff who work tirelessly to keep the people of Merseyside safe."

Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary Matt Parr said: “I congratulate Merseyside Police on its performance in keeping people safe and reducing crime. In particular, the force’s performance in dealing with serious and organised crime is outstanding. It disrupts gangs bringing in drugs from other areas in innovative ways and consults the public on how to use the money it seizes to benefit the community.

“The force is also performing well across most other areas of policing – this includes protecting vulnerable people, preventing and investigating crime, and supporting its own workforce.

“There are some areas where the force could improve, such as giving a better service to victims – for example, by recording why some victims withdraw their support for investigations – and responding quicker to priority calls.

“Merseyside Police should be applauded for its efforts to keep the public safe, and I will continue to monitor its progress as it makes further improvements.”

Merseyside’s Police Commissioner Emily Spurrell said: “I welcome this positive report from the independent inspectors from HMICFRS. This report is particularly significant given Merseyside volunteered to be a pilot force for a new, more extensive type of inspection.

“This report confirms Merseyside Police is effective at dealing with its core business of preventing and deterring crime, responding to the public and protecting vulnerable people.

“Inspectors have rightly recognised that police here in Merseyside investigate crime well, are good at managing offenders and are planning effectively for the future.

“It is particularly pleasing that Merseyside Police’s work to disrupt serious and organised crime has been assessed as ‘outstanding’ yet again. The fact it is one of only three forces to receive this grading out of 18 which have received their assessments so far highlights just what an achievement this is. Inspectors also identified some areas of success and innovation, including the way Merseyside Police handles firearms, works with partners to recognise and assess vulnerability, and engages with its communities about how money seized by criminals should be best used.

“I recognise that inspectors have also identified three areas as requiring improvement, two of which relate to the service it offers to victims of crime. It is vital that Merseyside Police provides the right response, every time to victims of crime and I know this is what the Chief Constable is committed to delivering.

“I know a significant amount of work has already been undertaken to address the issues highlighted and I will support the Chief Constable to make the changes needed, ensuring through my scrutiny processes that Merseyside Police continues to make progress in the way it responds to the needs of victims, records decisions when victims withdraw their support for investigations, and in how it responds to priority calls.

“Overall, this independent report has found Merseyside Police continues to be one of the top performing police forces in the country – a positive assessment achieved against a backdrop of austerity, which means Merseyside Police is still missing 456 officers from the number it boasted back in 2010. That is testament to the professionalism and dedication of the Chief Constable and her senior team and all the officers, PCSOs and staff who work so hard to serve our communities.”