HMIC: shortage of detectives is a national crisis

THE shortage of detectives across England and Wales is a “national crisis”, says HM Inspectorate of Constabulary.

A HMIC report released this month said victims of crime were being let down, emergency calls downgraded and investigations shelved by forces.

HM Inspector Zoe Billingham said she was “raising a red flag” to warn forces about the impact on the public of an “unconscious form of rationing of police services”.

Steve Taylor, Chairman of Essex Police Federation, said the force has already established career paths for officers wanting to become detectives, but that more needed to be done to support officers in such specialist roles.

He said: “The force has put detective career pathways in place, and is looking to highlight and support those that want to advance in detective path, so I think we might be slightly out ahead of that one.

“But as with most things, with most specialisms, recognising the ability in those that have it, supporting those with the ability or the desire to work in that field, and then making it clear and signposting what needs to be done to achieve that standard, are just three simple things that the job should be doing for any specialism.

“We’ve had a large increase in the public protection world in Essex and that has created some new teams around risk, around domestic, around child abuse and exploitation. The areas in which the detective skills are needed is such a broader area now than traditional CID.

“We’ve also got a set up where all probationers go through a Neptune attachment during which they get exposed to CID and Detective roles. It might be that that highlights in some people reasons not to do the job, before they fully understand what the job is.”