This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Lothian and Borders Police
24/01/2005
Lothian and Borders Police has made good progress in a
number of areas of its work according to a first review
inspection report published today by Her Majesty's
Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC).
However, work remains ongoing in several areas and HMIC
will continue to monitor progress.
Today's report found that since the 2003 primary
inspection, 12 out of 22 recommendations and five out of 17
areas for future review have been fully discharged by the
force, including clarification of senior management roles,
improvements to strategic planning and performance
management, an enhanced role for special constables and
better use of the mounted and dog sections.
However, some policies found to be deficient or
requiring revision during the primary inspection had not
been updated, for example the force's crime strategy and
the community safety strategy, and diversity training for
front line officers had not begun.
As part of the review, HMIC also examined other areas of
the force's work, including race relations, community
planning, the financial arrangements for its capital
programme, preparation for the Freedom of Information Act
(FOI), police use of firearms, and the force's approach to
people with learning disabilities.
The report acknowledges the force's partnership approach
to service delivery and problem solving, progress in
managing force property in compliance with the Disability
Discrimination Act, a progressive approach to readiness for
the introduction of FOI and a detection rate for
housebreaking and car crime significantly above the
national average through the use of specialist
housebreaking and car crime teams.
In relation to Operation Capital - the project to create
a single territorial division covering Edinburgh City -
HMIC found that while much remained to be done,
implementation of the recommendations from the force's own
review would lead to significant improvements.
The report also notes the efforts to address the
difficulties encountered by the force after the
introduction of the new communications centre and the
resulting improvements in its performance.
Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary Andrew
Brown said:
"Lothian and Borders Police has embarked on an ambitious
programme of change. Much of the work remains outstanding,
including further work to fully discharge the
recommendations of our last primary inspection.
"However, positive steps have been made in a number of
areas and there is clear evidence of progress in addressing
the outstanding recommendations contained in that
report.
"Our next review inspection is scheduled for 2006/2007
when we will revisit the recommendations and areas for
review still to be fully implemented, to ensure the force
continues to strive to improve its level of service to
local communities."