More improvements needed at Surrey Police, say inspectors
Improvements have been made in a number of areas as well
An inspection of Surrey Police has revealed that the force "requires improvement" in four areas.
Crime investigation, fraud management, leadership development, and diversity are the elements identified by inspectors needing enhancement.
However, the force received a "good" rating for its efforts in reducing crime and ensuring public safety.
The report highlighted that some teams struggle with backlogs and high workloads, indicating the need for investment in digital technology, like automatic redaction software and a formal attendance record, to streamline operations.
Inspectors praised the specialist fraud unit for achieving a positive judicial outcome rate of 14.5%, among the higher scores for forces across England and Wales.
Communication and Workload Challenges
Effective communication with staff is one of the areas needing improvement to assist personnel in understanding why organisational changes are being made.
The chief constable of Surrey Police, Tim De Meyer, acknowledged the report as a "fair assessment."
Earlier inspections of Surrey Police in 2023 highlighted concerns over its response times to public calls, with only 77% of 999 calls being answered within ten seconds.
The recent report indicates "vast improvements" have been made, with 89.6% of calls now answered within the same timeframe.
Despite progress in response times, inspectors identified that officers in certain investigation teams, including those focusing on sexual offences and child abuse, are facing a "work overload."
Furthermore, the force has been commended for its application of stop and search powers, which have been deemed "fair and appropriate."
Future Plans
His Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary, Roy Wilsher, expressed optimism about the plans in place to make necessary improvements, stating, "There are still areas in which Surrey Police must do better, but I am optimistic that the plans it has in place will help it make the improvements needed."
The force is preparing for a "much-needed" organisational restructure, set to take place on 10th May.
Tim De Meyer said, “I welcome today’s PEEL report and accept its findings.
“The period covered by this inspection reflects the first two years of our five-year strategy, which prioritises fighting crime, protecting people, and earning public trust.
“The PEEL report is a fair assessment of our progress made so far, and the improvements still required. We are grateful for the acknowledgement of continued improvement across the force.
“The inspection found encouraging early progress under our five-year plan, reporting how we have maintained our good record in crime prevention, problem solving, and visible neighbourhood policing while addressing previous areas of weakness such as response times and charge rates.
“On 10 May we will implement our most important organisational restructure in a generation, a much-needed change to longstanding structures and arrangements.
"This will ensure that we are resilient and prepared for the crime and policing challenges ahead.
“I am grateful to every officer, member of staff, and volunteer in Surrey Police for their hard work and resilience.
"Together we are determined to serve victims tirelessly, pursue criminals relentlessly and cut crime in our county.”