Improvements in Warwickshire Police's response times lead to closure of concern
Significant progress has been noted in handling incidents promptly
Last updated 17 hours ago
Warwickshire Police has successfully addressed concerns over its response times, leading to the closure of an official cause of concern raised during previous inspections.
Kathryn Stone OBE, His Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary, confirmed the closure in a letter today (11/06).
The cause of concern was initially identified in the 2023–25 police effectiveness, efficiency, and legitimacy (PEEL) inspection.
During the 2022 PEEL inspection, it was noted that Warwickshire Police failed to meet its own targets for attending incidents promptly and keeping victims informed of any delays.
The area in need of improvement focused on the police force's ability to attend calls for service within their published targets, and to update victims about unavoidable delays, while ensuring appropriate risk assessments are conducted.
Warwickshire Police was expected to attend emergency incidents within 20 minutes, priority 2 incidents within two hours, and priority 18 incidents within 18 hours.
In the latest assessment carried out in April 2026, Warwickshire Police demonstrated notable progress in meeting these targets.
The force's data indicated a positive change in their approach, ensuring victims were updated if officers could not attend within the expected time frames.
A quality assurance process was implemented to guarantee call handlers provided victims with proper updates.
These improvements contributed to a positive atmosphere in the control room, with reports of stress-related ill health among personnel decreasing significantly.
Kathryn Stone noted that Warwickshire Police's senior leaders played a significant role in leading the force's progress and encouraged continued focus on sustainable improvement.
Warwickshire Police will be evaluated again during the 2025–27 PEEL inspection.
Acting Chief Constable David Gardner said: “Our mission is to serve and protect our communities. We’re pleased that the improvements we’ve made to response times have been recognised and we’re committed to continuing to improve.
"I’m grateful to all officers and colleagues who have been working tirelessly to provide the best service possible to the people of Warwickshire.”
'I welcome the Inspectorate’s confirmation that this cause of concern has now been closed'
Philip Seccombe, Police and Crime Commissioner for Warwickshire said: “I welcome the Inspectorate’s confirmation that this cause of concern has now been closed. This is a positive step forward and reflects the work of officers and staff, alongside regular scrutiny to support improvement.
“My role is to hold the Chief Constable to account for the service provided to the public, and I have kept a clear focus on response times and communication with victims as progress has been made.
“It is important that these improvements are sustained, so people across Warwickshire can be confident they will receive a timely response and be kept informed when they need help. I will continue to monitor performance closely to ensure this progress is maintained.”
You can read the full details here and Warwickshire Police's statement here.