Rise in domestic abuse cases ‘overwhelms police’

POLICE officers in England and Wales are on the verge of being “overwhelmed” by “staggering” increases in reports of domestic abuse.

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary said recorded cases rose 31% between 2013 and 2015.

It said this had led to “excessive” workloads and affected the quality and speed of investigations in some forces.

Domestic abuse related crimes recorded by police rose from 269,700 in the year to August 2013, to 353,100 in the year to March 2015.

The report – Increasingly everyone’s business: A progress report on the police response to domestic abuse – says the rise could be partly due to better recording by police, as well as forces “actively encouraging” victims to come forward.

More training and support is needed to ensure that officers can deal with domestic abuse cases in the most appropriate and sensitive ways, said the Police Federation of England and Wales.

Karen Stephens, lead on domestic abuse for the Federation, said: “One of the key things that is needed is more, and better, training opportunities for our members, so that they can feel confident in dealing with cases, and victims, or domestic abuse.

“Since the original HMIC report and recommendations came out, the Police Federation has welcomed changes which can better prepare front-line officers in how to deal with these sensitive situations. We will continue to work with partners to ensure that adequate and appropriate continued training is available for officers.”

National Police Chiefs’ Council for Domestic Abuse, Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Louisa Rolfe said: There’s still more to do both in terms of our service to victims of domestic abuse and our wider response to vulnerable people.

“We are adapting so that our focus is on working proactively with other agencies to protect the public from harm, with particular focus on those who are most vulnerable.

“This requires a cultural shift away from largely reactive policing that targets acquisitive crime with success measured by crime statistics and conviction rates. It does take time and does require the same commitment from our partners in health, education and social services.”