People in West Yorkshire can be confident when reporting crimes says force's temporary Chief Constable following inspection

West Yorkshire Police is one of only two forces across the country to be rated as outstanding for crime recording, a latest inspection has revealed
Temporary Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police, John Robins.Temporary Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police, John Robins.
Temporary Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police, John Robins.

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue’s Service (HMICFRS) said the force has made “substantial progress” to achieve a high standard of crime recording accuracy and stated “victims are at the forefront of the force’s crime recording arrangements”.

Inspectors said officers and staff understand the importance of crime recording and estimated West Yorkshire Police records 94.6 per cent of crimes recorded to it.

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HMICFRS said the force only fails to record around 16,000 crimes each year.

Inspectors said to improve even further the force must improve its recording of crimes associated with modern slavery and make sure officers and staff understand and apply changes made in April 2018 to the recording requirements for stalking and harassment.

Temporary Chief Constable John Robins said “This report reflects the efforts that we have made to get this right and it demonstrates the ethical crime recording practices by our officers and staff.

“This should reassure our local communities that if they are a victim of crime and report it to West Yorkshire Police, they will have their crime recorded appropriately.

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“By having accurate crime statistics, the Force can truly understand demand and vulnerability. This enables us to deploy and prioritise our resources effectively and efficiently.

“When our crime statistics are published, the public of West Yorkshire can be confident that they are the most accurate they have ever been. However other Forces have not been graded so highly at getting crime recording right, so careful consideration should be taken when comparing Forces, as it will not always be like with like.

“We are not complacent and recognise that improvements still need to be made in some areas and we are determined to continue ensuring the quality of our data is of the highest standard.”