Transparency
The Elected Local Policing Bodies (Specified Information) (Amended) Order 2021 came into effect on 31st May 2021. The Order amended the 2011 Order, and requires Police & Crime Commissioners to publish additional information relating to their force’s performance against the Government’s published national priorities for policing, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) performance reports on the force, and complaints handling. You can see how the OPFCC complies with the requirements on our Specified Information Order page.
The Home Office National Policing Priorities
The key national policing priorities are as follows:
- Reduce murder and other homicides
- Reduce serious violence
- Disrupt drugs supply and county lines
- Reduce neighbourhood crime
- Tackle cyber crime
- Improve satisfaction among victims – with a particular focus on victims of domestic abuse
Additional Information on the key national policing priorities can be found by accessing the link below:
National Crime and Policing Measures
Crime and Policing Minister Letter to CCs – National Crime and Policing Measures
The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Cumbria (PFCC) has a four-year Police and Crime Plan 2021-2025. The Police & Crime Plan sets out the policing priorities for the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner and the Chief Constable. The plan has been developed following public consultation asking people to identify what policing priorities are important to them, the policing knowledge from the Chief Constable linked to national policing priorities and input from the Police, Fire and Crime Panel. It is one of the Commissioner’s key roles to make sure that these concerns are heard and that he holds the Chief Constable to account for the performance of the Police Force. As with the rest of the country, the Commissioner also shares the Home Office intention to:
- Reduce murder and other homicides
- Reduce serious violence
- Continue to disrupt drugs supply and county lines drug dealing
- Reduce neighbourhood crime – burglary, robbery, theft of and from a vehicle, and theft from a person
- Tackle cyber crime
- Improve satisfaction for victims of crime and in particular victims of domestic abuse.
The new Plan has taken into account the national policing priorities.
At his Public Accountability Conference, the Commissioner receives updates from the Chief Constable on what the Force is doing to contribute towards the delivery of the national policing priorities. The Force is currently gathering data from a broad range of Police, partner and public information data sources to determine how effectively each of these policing measures is being delivered locally. The Force is also identifying how it can best use its own data against those measures that require a national data source to ensure it has access to information that is timely and is therefore continually informed.
The Office of the Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner (OPFCC) and Constabulary work collaboratively to develop a performance framework that will measures how well the new Police & Crime Plan is being delivered. The Commissioner uses his Public Accountability Conferences to hold the Chief Constable to account for the delivery of these measures, which will include the national policing priorities.
The Commissioner has also developed and launched a Fire and Rescue Plan
The plan was produced in consultation with Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS), sets the strategic direction for the service and details how the Commissioner will hold the Chief Fire Officer to account for the provision of fire services within Cumbria. The Commissioner wants to ensure that the service will always prioritise attending emergency fire and rescue incidents,
focus on prevention where possible, whilst providing an effective and efficient prevention and protection activities that keep people safe and also reduces the risk of harm.
The Commissioner also holds the Chief Fire Officer to account at his Public Accountability Conference meetings.
Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS)
Since 2018, HMICFRS has issued a single report to Forces, Police & Crime Commissioner (PCCs) and the public with gradings for force performance in those areas inspected. These inspections known as Integrated PEEL Inspections are published on the HMICFRS website and measure police effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy. In 2020/2021, HMICFRS published a new police inspection programme and framework. As part of this, they have moved to a two-year inspection and reporting cycle and will publish new PEEL force performance reports between late summer 2021 and end of March 2023.
Further information about the new police inspection programme can be accessed by clicking the following link: HMICFRS
The Specified Information Order requires the Commissioner to publish a link to the new 2021-2023 PEEL report for the Force once it has been released by HMICFRS. The Force is set to undergo this inspection later this year, with a final report being published in April 2022.
In the interim, the Commissioner is to provide a link to the 2018/2019 Integrated PEEL Report. To access the report, click on the link below:
Cumbria Constabulary Integrated PEEL Inspection Report 2018/2019
The Commissioner’s response to this report is published on his website can be reviewed by accessing the link below:
The Commissioner’s response to further HMICFRS documents can be accessed here
Please click here to view the information of the above as part of the Commissioner’s desire to ensure transparency.
