Calls to improve Police performance

Date published: 18/08/2008

Calls have been made for an action plan after Greater Manchester Police Authority (GMPA) members raised “serious concerns” about force performance.

Senior officers from Greater Manchester Police agreed they too were “disappointed” with information contained in a report presented to the full police authority on Friday (August 15).

They reassured that “green shoots” of success were starting to show and that they wanted to be “on top of target as soon as possible”.

The report showed that only four out of 17 targets were met in the first quarter of 2008/2009.

Domestic burglary, serious acquisitive crime and serious violent crime were among the categories where performance was “unacceptable.”

Speaking at the meeting, GMPA chairman Paul Murphy, said: “This is about dealing with the issues that are having an impact on the lives of people in Greater Manchester.

“I don’t want to detract from the great work that’s taking place. Dealing with firearms is an area where there’s remarkable performance.

“But I need to have confidence and we ask that an action plan is brought to this Authority on September 5. We’ve got our eye on this and we are determined to get it right with you.”

High-ranking officers told Authority members that a programme of measures is already in place to address the issues identified in the report.

Acting Deputy Chief Constable Ian Seabridge said: “Delivering an action plan really is something that is meeting with what we are already doing. We are more than happy to produce an action plan.”

In addition to the action plan, the authority’s Scrutiny Committee will also look at a number of issues in the report in more detail at its next meeting later this month (26 August). This work will focus on looking at the finer details of detection figures.

Mr Seabridge said: “I’d welcome that scrutiny and opportunity to communicate. There are offences which are simply undetectable although we may know who the offender is.”

Cllr Murphy added: “We need to be able to understand some of that detail if we are to reassure the people of Greater Manchester that crime is falling, which it is.”

Targets currently being met by the force include robbery reduction, cash in transit robberies and robberies of financial institutions.

In addition, an independent report by HMIC recently ranked GMP as one of the best in the country when dealing with major crime.

The force was one of only four found to “exceed the standard” expected of them in managing major crime, which is the highest rating available.