SURREY Police is one of 18 forces in England and Wales that “requires improvement” overall according to a report on police effectiveness by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC).

The force was rated ‘good’ at preventing crime and anti-social behaviour and keeping people safe but requiring improvement in how it investigates crime and manages offenders, and also in the way it tackles serious and organised crime.

In December, HMIC rated Surrey inadequate at protecting the vulnerable from harm and supporting victims but HMIC inspector Zoe Billingham reported: “As a result of feedback from our inspections, the force has recently produced a comprehensive action plan.”

Surrey is investing an extra £4.9 million to protect the vulnerable and ensure its response to victims of sexual offences, domestic abuse and child abuse continues to improve. The additional funding will mean an increase of more than 90 officers and staff working in these specialist areas.

Ms Billingham found some improvement in the quality of Surrey’s investigations of ‘volume crimes’, such as burglary, but judged the way it investigates more complex crime requiring special investigations, particularly cases of child abuse, “not good enough”, although levels of victim satisfaction remained above the average for England and Wales.

Surrey requires improvement in the way it tackles serious and organised crime, largely because it has yet to develop “a full and sophisticated picture” of organised criminal activity in conjunction with partner organisations.

There were also some occasions when organised crime group mapping procedures were not applied correctly, and it should ensure safer neighbourhood teams played “a routine, active part in collecting intelligence and disrupting the activity of crime groups”.

Ms Billingham added police leaders must “make sure that neighbourhood policing - the cornerstone of the British policing model - is preserved for future generations”.

Surrey’s Temporary Chief Constable Nick Ephgrave responded: “The force has a long tradition of being really effective at making Surrey one of the safest counties in the country and I’m really pleased we have maintained this as it means our communities aren’t being blighted with crime and anti-social behaviour and that most people never become a victim or need our services.

“Nevertheless, we recognise that this potentially came at the expense of the force’s ability to deliver universally effective investigations when crime does occur, and as our recent inspection into vulnerability outlined, we also have more progress to make in protecting the vulnerable from harm.

“These are concerns that the force has been tackling head-on for over a year by increasing resources to protect the vulnerable, more training, better processes and use of systems, as well as a culture change in how the force operates. None of these things can provide an instant fix but together they are starting to deliver positive results.

“The whole force is committed to maintaining our good performance in preventing crime and keeping people safe while at the same time enhancing our approach to protecting the vulnerable and improving our investigations.

“The various HMIC inspections which contributed to their Police Effectiveness 2015 report were a snapshot in time and while I’m certainly not complacent, we have already made significant progress since these 2015 inspections.”

Surrey Police Crime Commissioner Kevin Hurley welcomed the force’s ‘good’ rating at preventing crime and anti-social behaviour, reflecting his office’s zero tolerance policing approach.

“The introduction of joint enforcement teams, initially in Reigate and Banstead, and now adopted in Elmbridge, Spelthorne and likely to go county wide in the coming year, has met with enthusiastic approval of local residents,” he said.

“The joint powers of council officers and police officers working closely together increases the visibility of authority on the streets and enables quick and effective tackling of fly tipping, graffiti, littering and other forms of anti-social behaviour, making a positive difference in the boroughs.”

To read the full HMIC report visit the website www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk and follow the links to PEEL: Police legitimacy 2015.