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22
Jan
Police must improve response to misconduct allegations, inspectors find
North Yorkshire Police must improve its response to complaints and misconduct allegations, inspectors have found.
His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services made the finding following an inspection into the force’s effectiveness of integrity arrangements in July 2024.
Inspectors assessed North Yorkshire Police in three areas including vetting of officers, upholding professional standards and counter-corruption arrangements.
The report, which was published today (January 22), found the force was rated “good” for vetting, but “requires improvement” for its professional standards and tackling potential corruption.
Michelle Skeer, of His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, said:
It was positive to find that North Yorkshire Police manages its vetting processes effectively and regularly analyses vetting data, helping it to identify and address any disproportionality in its decision making.
But improvements are necessary in some areas. For example, the force needs to improve how it responds to complaints and conduct allegations. It also needs to implement an effective plan so it can identify and manage corruption threats.
We will continue to monitor the force’s progress.
Areas of improvement
The report found that the force needs to establish better processes to make sure it is providing a good service to complainants.
Inspectors also said that the force doesn’t always investigate complaints and misconduct thoroughly and proportionately and its management of investigations falls short of the standards required.
Meanwhile, the report found that the force does not have an established system of mobile device management and that it should make sure it has accurate records of who has each mobile device, so that it can hold users to account for any misuse.
The inspectorate added that the force must also improve how it collects, assesses, develops and investigates counter-corruption intelligence.
However, the report found that North Yorkshire’s vetting process was of a good standard.
Inspectors said the force’s vetting unit effectively used the national decision model to make vetting decisions and that it consistently uses a template to make sure decisions are clear and supported by thorough rationale.
'We accept the findings'
In response to the report, Scott Bisset, deputy chief constable at North Yorkshire Police, said the force fully accepted the findings of the inspectorate.
He said:
It is hugely important to the public’s trust and confidence in our force that they know North Yorkshire Police has officers and staff they can trust.
We welcome and fully accept the findings of the Inspectorate and have already been working on the areas identified for improvement. Recognition that the vetting of North Yorkshire Police officers and staff is good is very welcome and demonstrates the force continues to be rigorous in how we ensure officers and staff meet the highest standards.
North Yorkshire Police continues to be one of only two forces who lead the way in the proactive screening through the national police computer system of all our officers and staff on a monthly basis. The handling of public complaints is not good enough and falls short of what we and the public should expect.
For those areas that have been identified as requiring improvement, a plan is in place and we are taking the necessary action to address the issues. I have every confidence that we are well-positioned to significantly improve the performance of our professional standards and counter-corruption work.
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