Police accused of failures over anti-social behaviour

[san!]

The way the police in England and Wales deal with complaints of anti-social behaviour has been strongly criticised by the chief inspector of constabulary.

Denis O'Connor said the failure to properly record and tackle incidents undermined confidence in the police, and called for urgent improvements.

His comments came as the inspectorate published "report cards" on the performance of 43 forces.

Nottinghamshire and Greater Manchester received the lowest grades.

Nottinghamshire also recorded the highest rate of violent assaults.

  I think this undermines confidence if it is not dealt with seriously, confidence not just in the police but in general

Denis O'Connor,
HM chief inspector of constabulary



Have your say 
The inspectorate found the way police databases logged information about reports of harassment, vandalism and verbal abuse was "inadequate".

Most police computer systems were unable to identify people who had been victims before or previously categorised as "vulnerable".

Mr O'Connor said: "It is like going back to the doctors' surgery but you see a different doctor every time.

Confidence

"The more times they suffer the less confidence people have. There are some heart-rending stories."

The Independent Police Complaints Commission is investigating the case of Fiona Pilkington who killed herself and her severely disabled daughter after suffering sustained anti-social behaviour in Leicestershire.


 
Fiona Pilkington killed herself and her daughter, Francecca, after abuse
Police there were called 33 times in seven years to reports of abuse, vandalism and violence by local youths.

A survey of forces by the Inspectorate found that in 23% of incidents of anti-social behaviour officers did not turn up.

Almost all the victims in these cases said they were dissatisfied with the explanation given.

Where police did attend, confidence in the police increased.

Mr O'Connor said the distinction between crime and anti-social behaviour was "artificial" and urged police to take it more seriously.

He said: "I think this undermines confidence if it is not dealt with seriously, confidence not just in the police but in general.

"It is partly an individual thing but it also has a wider effect on the community, it adds an air of futility in public."

Derrick Campbell, an adviser on anti-social behaviour to the Home Office and the Association of Chief Police Officers, told the BBC it was time the issue of anti-social behaviour was made a priority.

"When we see individuals or gangs of individuals terrorising neighbourhoods, stealing cars, throwing stones at windows, the police have a duty to respond," he said.

"What we are asking for is that the decision makers within the police force ensure that decent people are allowed to live their lives in peace and safety and the police are there as an instrument to the state to ensure that that happens."

Monitoring developments

In terms of overall performance, the Inspectorate assessed each constabulary in three categories - local crime and policing; protection from serious harm; confidence and satisfaction.

Nottinghamshire was graded "poor" on all three criteria - the worst-performing force.

It also had the highest number of violent assaults per 1,000 residents - 11.6.

Greater Manchester Police - which had the highest rate of vehicle crime - was adjudged to be performing poorly in two areas, and Lincolnshire was ranked poor in the local crime and police section.

A team of inspectors are closely monitoring developments in Nottinghamshire and GMP to ensure improvements are made.

But Peter Fahy, GMP chief constable, said the HMIC's analysis used old data: "It is important to note that the figures in the report are five months out of date and the force has had significant achievements in cutting crime and improving performance since then."

The top six performers were Cleveland, Hertfordshire, Lancashire, Merseyside, Northumbria and Surrey.

The Police Superintendents' Association gave a cautious welcome to the publication of the report cards.

Irene Curtis, vice-president-elect, said: "We welcome the fact that HMIC has endeavoured to understand what information the public wants to know about how their local police are performing, and the fact that the Report Card goes beyond the 'traditional' performance data."

[san!]

thought I'd put this up this morning after that PACT meeting and funnilly its in the news this morning.

[yetion1]

Police and Crime Commissioners - Have YOUR Say!

On 26 July the Home Office published a consultation paper "Policing in the
21st Century: Reconnecting Police and the People". The document contains,
amongst others, proposals to replace police authorities with a directly
elected Police and Crime Commissioner for each force area, with the first
elections taking place in May 2012. We are intending to respond to the
consultation, which closes on 20 September 2010.

West Yorkshire Police Authority members want to include the views of local
people in the response and have developed a short online survey for this
purpose. It should just take a couple of minutes to complete.

If you want to take part, please click on the link in this e-mail to go to
the survey. There you will find some information about the proposed role of
the Police and Crime Commissioner to help you answer the questions.  It
will stay open until 31 August 2010.

Please feel free to forward the link to anyone you know who would also be
interested in expressing their views.

The link is http://www.smart-survey.co.uk/v.asp?i=25321betye

Please note: If clicking on the link doesn't work, try copying the link and
pasting it directly into your web browser. If you still experience problems
accessing the link, please call 01924 294000.

[yetion1]

Just one of those days when the camera was to hand. Looked today like the van driving police were having a bad day. 

[Kim685]

The first pic is genuine, it happened at the entrance to Tesco's in Ponte.
The second pic however, is taken from some moving footage. In the footage the letters "CFZ" can be seen on the side of the van, which indicates it is a film/TV prop and not a genuine police vehicle. (verified by Sussex Police)

[yetion1]

Today, I have published the refreshed Police and Crime Plan 2014 that sets out a renewed strategic direction for policing and community safety across West Yorkshire.
 
This Plan reflects the issues and concerns that have been raised by local people and local partners, including yourselves, over the last 12 months but also the new and emerging challenges that we and partners face here in West Yorkshire.
 
You can read the refreshed Police and Crime Plan at: http://www.westyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk/our-business/the-police-crime-plan.aspx
 
I would like to thank you for your important contribution to this refreshed Plan whether it be through talking to me about what matters most to you when I have been out and about in your community or by taking the time to complete my Listening to You First or my Public Perception surveys over the last 12 months.
 
I value your continuing input and that of your colleagues, friends and family. Please feel free to circulate the link to the refreshed Plan and I welcome any feedback you and others may have, in particular ideas you may have on how the outcomes and priorities set out in the Plan could be better delivered in your community.
 
I look forward to hearing from you if you have any queries or require any further information, or have any ideas around who could help deliver the priorities within the Police and Crime Plan and how, then please do not hesitate to get in touch at:
 
Email: contact@westyorkshire.pnn.pcc.gov.uk
Twitter: @WestYorksOPCC and use #wypcp
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficeOfThePoliceAndCrimeCommissionerWestYorkshire
 
Please feel free to forward the email or links to anyone you know who would also be interested.
 
Kind regards
 
Mark Burns-Williamson OBE
Police and Crime Commissioner for West Yorkshire
 
Tel: 01924 294000
Fax: 01924 294008
Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for West Yorkshire
Ploughland House, 62 George Street, Wakefield, WF1 1DL
Visit: www.westyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk for more information

[yetion1]

Been passed this link to the new regulations on how Police decide what to do with a criminal. The first link “out of court disposals” is an interesting document.

http://www.crimeline.info/news/conditional-cautions

[yetion1]

For those who actually care and have an interest the last 2 years political and authoritarian goings on in the Wakefield area are best described as an un-edited version of the film V. Ironically “if you are looking for the guilty you simply need to look in to a mirror”.
I would imagine many posts from hear will be subject to complaints.................
Starting with the West Yorkshire police, thankfully the Irish police have taken action against West Yorkshire Police Chief Inspector Mark Gilmore who is presently still suspended and under investigation. The rot does not stop there. It extends right down to grass roots. The new crime and justice act has opened all avenues to criminals. Basically if you keep your crime down to a figure of about £3500 in costs to deal with you will receive a piece of paper in the back of a police car and told to be good. Criminals are catching up with the new laws. A crime wave has just begun that no one gives a dam about.
New internet laws this year covering slander and malpractice appear to have created in our area an opposite reaction to enforcement. In the Wakefield area it is now legal to slander and bully any person you wish without prosecution. This includes any Wakefield council member and police officer.
However for those who “feel as I do” I am sure you understand the opposite reaction possible by the common person. With so much evidence available of corruption and non compliance of law enforcement the big old web is now an open battle ground to write ALL the facts. Let the literature roll...........

[yetion1]

The labour news rag attempted to print the facts today, shame they didn't print them all,

http://www.pontefractandcastlefordexpress.co.uk/news/local-news/victims-asked-to-investigate-crime-says-report-1-6822287

[yetion1]

Considering recent criminal facts, is it me or are there 2 separate police forces?
1A. a Russian vacates a property but attempts to use the old address to obtain credit cards, a work permit and driving licence. The landlord reports this to the police and fraud squad and still awaits a police visit.
1B. the landlord 4 weeks later receives a police visit regards a report made that day of steeling the Russians mail. The visit was not about the original complaint and the landlord still waits for their police visit.

2A. a local business is robbed for about an hour in public view and cleared of thousands of pounds of stock. 24 hours later still no police.
2B. A Featherstone Street is plagued with fly tipping by Russians. One of whom has many dust bins for a business that does not exist on the residential street, and if they are missing a bin they go door knocking. The police respond to the Russians report that a resident has stolen a bin. They arrive and search the house. No bin is found. The poor residents haven’t seen the police at their door in 25 years and were very alarmed.

I am in no way having a go at the police as the 2 separate forces appear to be working very well.
I think I have the idea. I need to change my name to Cuny Shuvitupumavich and join in our multicultural Country!

[yetion1]

Nice one 2B looks to have hit a nerve, even the national press cannot resist the abnormalities of Featherstone. Better still are more residents who have come forward reporting seeing the Police climbing over walls with a torch search gardens the same night? So do now ALL have the same right to call the police?