Thames Valley Police told to improve the quality of its investigations

A report on the effectiveness of TVP by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, published today, brands the force ‘good’ at preventing crime, protecting vulnerable people and tackling organised crime.

Investigations, however, were found to be lacking - with the quality of investigations into less-serious crimes described as inconsistent. Inspectors found that some crimes were ineffectively investigated and that some victims were given ineffective support.

HM inspector Zoë Billingham said: “I am pleased that overall Thames Valley Police’s performance in keeping people safe and reducing crime is ‘good’ again this year. However, there has been a slight deterioration in the quality of the force’s investigations.

“The force rightly focuses on preventing crime from happening in the first place. It is good that neighbourhood policing teams work well with local communities to identify what matters most to them. And the force works really well with partners, like local councils, to tackle the underlying causes of crime.

“TVP investigates serious crimes well, but in other cases the quality of investigation, supervision and victim updates varies. The force needs to make sure that initial enquiries are conducted to a consistently high level by officers attending crime scenes.”

The report praised the force for working with partner agencies including councils.

It says the force is committed to protecting the public from dangerous offenders and quickly arresting suspects and those who are unlawfully at large.

TVP was also commended for the ability of its officers and staff to support vulnerable people.

Investigations and efforts to reduce re-offending were said to require improvement.

Inspectors examining a random sample of crimes found that nearly half involved unsatisfactory victim care, ineffective investigations or ineffective supervision. One investigation was referred back to the force for immediate remedial action to be taken.

The force, the report says, generally achieves good investigative outcomes - but said inspectors found several investigations that were signed off despite unfollowed lines of inquiry.

Deputy chief constable John Campbell was pleased with the overall rating which he said reflected the force's good community and partnership work.