Top Avon & Somerset Officer defends force after crime investigation criticism

Avon & Somerset’s Chief Constable Sarah Crew has defended the force’s performance following criticism from government inspectors over delays in criminal investigations.

A February PEEL report from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary found that investigations were being delayed due to backlogs, with some supervisors juggling between 80 and 170 unallocated cases. The report urged the force to improve how quickly it assigns cases and supervises investigations.

In response, Chief Constable Crew outlined several measures during a recent public Q&A session with Police and Crime Commissioner Clare Moody. She acknowledged a sharp rise in crime, including more complex cases, which has put pressure on resources.

“In 2024 alone, there were 13,000 additional crimes,” she said. “That’s had a real impact on how quickly we can classify and assign cases.”

To tackle the issue, the force has invested in more staff, better training, and advanced technology. CID teams have been expanded, and the force is trialling AI tools, including a system called Soze, which helps investigators sift through digital evidence like social media, phones, and CCTV much faster.

“This kind of tech is already proven overseas,” said Crew. “We’re the first force in the northern hemisphere to test it, and it's already helped speed up serious investigations.”

She added that rape case allocations, once significantly delayed, now average just 1.8 days — a marked improvement. Despite this, only around one in ten reported crimes currently result in a charge or caution, which has left the public concerned.

“We understand the frustration,” she said. “But we’re making progress. It’s about combining people power with smart tech to deliver justice more efficiently.”