Watchdog rates Northumbria Police as '˜good' after annual efficiency inspection

The PEEL - police effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy - report which is published today, follows scrutiny by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC).

The report assesses how police forces use their resources now and how they plan to do so in the future.

The majority of police forces in England and Wales continue to do a good job in identifying current demand and managing their resources, according to the publication.

However, forces need to do more to better understand future demand and to ensure that their staff have the necessary skills to deal with that demand.

Thirty-three of the 43 police forces in England and Wales were assessed as ‘good’, while two – Durham and West Midlands – were rated ‘outstanding’.

Eight as forces were deemed to ‘require improvement’ – these are Bedfordshire; Cambridgeshire; City of London; Devon and Cornwall; Dyfed-Powys; Humberside; Nottinghamshire; and South Yorkshire.

Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary, Mike Cunningham, who led the inspection, said: “I am pleased to find that the majority of forces understand the demand they are facing and have effective plans in place to meet that demand.

“There needs to be more focus on the future, on understanding new and different types of demand and on the skills that police forces will need to best deal with the new challenges, especially in growing areas such as cyber crime. Every year, we highlight how important it is for forces to embrace the challenges.”