HMIC criticises South Yorkshire in its latest report

HM INSPECTORATE of Constabulary has noted “serious concerns” about the performance of South Yorkshire Police, the body’s latest PEEL report has found.

Problems with the force’s ability to prevent crime and deal with anti-social behaviour were highlighted, and its understanding of the workforce’s “capability and capacity” came under fire in its third PEEL (police effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy) assessment.

Michael Cunningham, HM Inspector of Constabulary, said: “The changes the force made last year to the way it provides neighbourhood policing weakened its ability to tackle the threats facing the people of South Yorkshire effectively. Staff are regularly taken away from preventative neighbourhood work to cover more reactive duties.”

He said that the Hillsborough inquests, continued calls for a public inquiry into the police response to the miners’ strike at Orgreave and the implications from the Rotherham inquiry had created “significant challenges” for the force.

South Yorkshire Police was assessed as “requiring improvement” across the three key areas; effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy.

Mr Cunningham added: “I am reassured that the force generally allocates crimes to investigators with the appropriate training and experience, and investigations of less complex crime are of an acceptable quality. However, it needs to be more consistent in how it supervises investigations, and there is a significant backlog of digital evidence to be examined.”

However, there was praise for the force’s ability to tackle serious and organised crime.

Mr Cunningham added: “The force has good processes for gathering intelligence and mapping organised crime groups, and it prioritises and tackles organised crime effectively. It also has effective measures for deterring people from becoming involved in organised criminality.”