The Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) has questioned the need for a review which saw the force's ability to protect vulnerable people rated poorly.

The Force Management Statement gives ratings to several areas of the West Midlands police force, including investigations and wellbeing.

But, speaking at today's Strategic Policing and Crime Board, PCC David Jamieson said that the review 'hasn’t revealed anything ministers haven’t already ignored in my campaign for increased funding'.

West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson.
West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson.

HMIC (Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services) demanded earlier this year that all forces provide an annual Force Management Statement, a self-assessment of the force prepared by the Chief Constable.

West Midlands Police provided its first report on June 15 this year, using a traffic light-style system to grade each of the force's responsibilities.

The report, which cost approximately £80,000 to prepare and was worked on by 18 staff members, graded each of the force's responsibilities in the following way:

  • Responding to the public – Amber
  • Prevention and deterrence – Green
  • Investigations – Amber
  • Protecting vulnerable people – Red
  • Managing offenders – Green
  • Managing serious and organised crime – Green
  • Major events – Green
  • Wellbeing – Green
  • IT& Digital and Information management – Green
  • Force wide functions – Green with the exception of intelligence
    assessed as Amber
  • Finance – Green
  • Collaborations – Green

Only one area was given a red in the report, relating to protecting vulnerable people.

The report notes that 'a very young population, highly diverse communities and significant levels of deprivation mean crimes relating to vulnerability ranging from domestic abuse, child abuse to FGM and modern slavery are heavily represented', adding 'the force is funded per capita below the national average'.

"The assessment is demand for services will increase significantly. The capacity of partners across the West Midlands in the areas that support this work has been significantly reduced through austerity. This rise will stretch capacity inside and outside policing.

"The force cannot be certain it will be able to match future policing need in the area of vulnerability without success in reducing demand, changes to service levels, creating imbalance within the force operating model or significant investment."

Speaking at the meeting, Chief Constable Dave Thompson said that 'there’s nothing in here [the report] that hugely surprised me', with Jo Clews, Chief Superintendent of the force, adding: "If you were to speak to individual heads of department, there was nothing particularly groundbreaking there in terms of what was identified.”

Mr Jamieson went one step further in his criticism of the report saying the money could have been better spent elsewhere.

"HMIC, with the support of government have ordered every force to produce these documents," he said.

"West Midlands Police’s full Force Management Statement stretches to hundreds of pages. Eighteen West Midlands officers and staff were taken from other duties to produce the document, costing at least £80,000.

"Those resources could have been much better deployed keeping our streets safe. The documents reveals what was already widely known, that demand is huge, resources scarce and there are particular struggles with vulnerabilities.

"There is little that is new or surprising, this process hasn’t revealed anything ministers haven’t already ignored in my campaign for increased funding, or has not already been highlighted by HMIC."