Concerns over police recordings of crimes

HMICFRS found that Dyfed-Powys Police is only recording 87.6 per cent of all reported crime – meaning an estimated 4,400 crimes are not recorded each year.

Its performance is even worse for violent crime, of which only 85.4 per cent of offences are being recorded – some involving domestic abuse or vulnerable victims.

The force has said that since the inspection “we are already seeing improvements as a result of the swift additional action we have taken”.

In 2018, HMICFRS found that Dyfed-Powys Police was too often failing to record reported crimes. Through a follow-up inspection in 2021, the inspectorate found that Dyfed-Powys Police had failed to make the expected improvements, with crime-recording levels broadly unchanged.

HMICFRS has recommended that Dyfed-Powys Police should immediately improve its systems and processes for recording reported crimes, paying particular attention to domestic abuse and ensure adequate supervision of the crime-recording decisions made by police officers and staff.

The inspectorate also recommended that the force should provide better training for all police officers and staff working on crime recording within the next three months. Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams said: “Anyone who reports a crime should feel safe in the knowledge that their local police force will record it. I am concerned that Dyfed-Powys Police has consistently failed to record so many crimes and is risking public safety.

“I am particularly worried that victims of domestic abuse are being let down by Dyfed-Powys Police. Failing to record these crimes often results in vulnerable victims not being safeguarded properly and no investigation taking place.

Monitoring

“We told Dyfed-Powys Police to make improvements in crime recording two and a half years ago, yet it has still not made any progress.

“The people of Wales will rightly expect Dyfed-Powys Police to ensure their reports of crime are recorded, reported and taken seriously. We will therefore be closely monitoring the force’s performance to make sure that public safety comes first.”

After failing to make improvements, Dyfed-Powys Police has been issued with a cause of concern. This process can be accelerated when a police force’s failures raise concerns about public safety – as is the case with Dyfed-Powys Police.

HMICFRS will monitor Dyfed-Powys Police’s progress against its recommendations.

Dyfed-Powys Police Chief Constable Claire Parmenter said: “We accept the concerns and recommendations published by HMICFRS in respect of crime data integrity. As an organisation, we are firmly committed to supporting victims and putting them at the heart of everything we do. The force has plans in place to improve its crime recording and I am determined we will get this right.

“Since the previous HMICFRS inspection in 2018 we have made significant improvements in our response to domestic abuse victims, creating the vulnerability desk which provides real time intelligence to officers attending incidents of domestic abuse and ensuring that safeguarding arrangements are in place through a new partnership hub.”

“Recent audits in April evidenced we were achieving a 98 per cent compliance for the completion of risk assessments. This ensures that every Domestic Abuse victim is looked after and kept safe.

“We have a programme of change already in place which will deliver significant process and cultural change. The elements of this programme will improve the forces’ ability to manage demand, support victims, improve the timeliness and quality of investigations and supervision of crime. HMICFRS were unable to take this project into account as part of this inspection. Delivery plans commence next month.

“Since the date of this inspection, we are already seeing improvements as a result of the swift additional action we have taken, achieving 100 per cent crime recording compliance in respect of anti-social behaviour for February and March 2021 which is positive.”