An inspection into how effectively the police investigate crime
Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP
Home Secretary
Home Office
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
20th May 2025
An inspection into how effectively the police investigate crime
I am writing to you in response to His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) inspection into how effectively the police investigate crime published in March 2025.
The report made 11 recommendations in total, with 8 referencing Chief Constables alongside other policing and official bodies.
As the Police and Crime Commissioner for West Mercia, I am committed to ensuring that victims of crime receive the highest possible standard of service. When victims report a crime, they rightly expect that it will be recorded and investigated effectively including regular updates and in line with Victims Code of Practice.
Whilst the inspection report provides insight into national and local challenges in delivering high quality investigations and effective outcomes for victims, I am reassured that our most recent PEEL inspection recognises progress locally.
On the 30th May, I will be discussing the key themes through my formal Assurance and Accountability process to ensure clear and demonstrable progress is being made. Below I provide my assessment against some of the key issues set out in the report alongside comments from West Merica Police where relevant.
Investigative Standards and Supervision
The report highlights variation in the quality of investigations with concerns around supervisory oversight. I am pleased that our most recent PEEL inspection found a significant improvement in the approach to investigations in West Mercia including its oversight of investigations.
I am reassured that West Mercia Police has established guidance for officers and staff on how to develop effective investigation plans with effective auditing to measure both use and quality of them.
Supervisors play a critical role in early supervisory reviews in ensuring the quality, accountability, and victim focus of crime investigations. I acknowledge that despite recent investment, some longstanding issues such as delays in progressing investigations and unclear supervisory oversight persist. I will continue to challenge the force to ensure changes are sustained and that improvements are evidenced through outcomes not just process updates.
I am committed to ensuring a greater proportion of offenders are brought to justice through improved quality of investigations and enhanced digital forensics capability. I regularly challenge the Chief Constable to demonstrate how force activity is translating to improved positive outcomes for victims. Whilst there is more to do, I am pleased to see this metric improve in the most recent year when compared to the previous year.
Victim Care
Supporting victims and witnesses has been an integral part of my commissionership, with this term being no different. I fund a range of services to support victims of crime, including commissioned services for domestic abuse, sexual violence and children affected by exploitation. To ensure this provision is responsive, I have introduced a lived experience panel to bring lived experience into service design.
West Mercia Police has recently refreshed its crime allocation policy to ensure that decisions made at the point of initial crime reporting are both appropriate and victim-focused considering their needs from the outset.
Whilst there is a clear commitment to improving how victims are supported, it is evident that current practice remains inconsistent. I acknowledge that victim needs assessments are not always completed to sufficient standards or used effectively to shape the service a victim receives.
I will continue to seek assurance on how the force is responding to this variation including training, internal guidance and supervisory oversight. I am also working with criminal justice partners through the Local Criminal Justice Board to ensure a joined-up approach to supporting victims across the whole system.
Workforce capability and support
Through additional investment, I have supported the force to grow investigative capacity and strengthen training provision. I make a clear commitment within my Safer Communities Plan that police officer training will be invested in to focus on supporting victims and witnesses, to ensure that the response provided by West Mercia Police are timely and meaningful.
Whilst I welcome the availability of formal training programmes to ensure that all officers and staff involved in the investigative process are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge, I have challenged the force to ensure that learning is translated into improved practice on the ground. This includes monitoring how training is embedded and reinforced through performance measures to truly understand its effectiveness.
Through my oversight I examine progress on recruitment and retention in investigative posts which remains an area of challenge due to the pressure placed on these teams. I want to better understand how the force is monitoring workload and staff wellbeing to prevent burnout and ensure investigative standards remain high.
Summary
This inspection rightly challenges policing to do better for victims and to ensure investigative standards are consistently high. Our most recent PEEL inspection affirms the progress that has been made in areas such as supervision and leadership focus. Through my role I will continue monitor and support this improvement, holding the Chief Constable to account where needed and ensuring the public can have the confidence in the service they receive.
John Campion
Police and Crime Commissioner
West Mercia