Roads and serious crime under the lens at Police scrutiny meeting

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner continues to scrutinise the work of North Wales Police in a wide variety of ways and recently conducted a further review at the quarterly Strategic Executive Board.

At this meeting, the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) and his team meet with the Chief Officers of North Wales Police to review overall Force performance, including against the priorities in the PCC’s Police and Crime Plan. At the most recent meeting, which took place on 8 November and was chaired by the Deputy PCC Wayne Jones, the Force performance on Roads Policing and Serious and Organised Crime was examined.

The areas looked at included:

- An overview and understanding of the fatal and serious injury collisions, locations, driver ages and the work the Force has done in prevention.

- The role of Family Liaison Officers who work with families following fatal collisions.

- Education and awareness initiatives the Force is currently undertaking with the public.

- Data on enforcement of offences linked to the Fatal 5, which are five key factors that can lead to collisions, such as speeding and using a mobile phone while driving.

- The use of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) to combat crime on the roads.

The second area scrutinised was the work North Wales Police have started in response to the recent His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) report on Serious and Organised Crime (SOC). This included:

- Ensuring staff understand the importance of tackling emerging threats from SOC.

- Increasing the Force’s ability to understand emerging threats and recording good practice to improve performance.

- Training for Local Policing Teams.

- Increased focus on proactivity across North Wales.

- How the Force will work with local partners to further implement the Clear Hold Build initiative – this is a plan to build community resilience, improve confidence and trust in the police, and make an area a safer place to live.

Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales Andy Dunbobbin said: “The Strategic Executive Board enables me to examine how the Chief Constable is performing in critical areas, particularly those in my Police and Crime Plan. Road Safety is clearly one of these areas and I have continually looked at force performance in this area.

 “My office heard how the Force is concentrating on making North Wales roads safer through proactive operations to combat dangerous and careless driving, drink and drug driving along with education initiatives. Furthermore, the Force is using technology to deny criminals the use of the roads through ANPR technology, an example of which is targeting County Lines gangs.

“In respect of examining Serious and Organised Crime this was specifically to hear the response the Force is putting in place following the HMICFRS inspection report. I along with the Chief Constable was disappointed with the grading, but also recognise that since the inspection took place, the Chief has instigated a series of measures to address the issues raised. I was particularly keen to hear how the Force intends to improve the training for staff around knowledge of Serious and Organised crime, the resourcing to tackle it at local levels and the next steps for the Clear, Hold, Build initiative that the Force has previously used to good effect.

“As PCC I want to reassure the public that I will continue to scrutinise the Force response and work closely with the Chief Constable to support the ongoing work. North Wales Police is part of the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit and it was reassuring to see the HMIC graded the Unit as outstanding.”

Residents can learn more about the Strategic Executive Board and read minutes of past meetings on the OPCC website here: Scrutiny of Policing Services | Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner North Wales (northwales-pcc.gov.uk)