Work needed to improve public's confidence in police
Police 'need to do more' to keep people who complain about anti-social behaviour up to date with how it has been dealt with, according to a police chief.
An independent group established by Police and Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire, Matthew Ellis, has said that the force is not dealing effectively with 'low level' crime, which is leading to a dip in levels of public satisfaction with police work.
The Ethics, Transparency and Audit Panel said that a lack of communication with complainants has led to a 'potential lack of confidence in policing'.
It was noted that when crimes are reported via phone, there ends up being a lack of visual contact between the force and the public, which according to the panel, 'means the call-handler is unable to detect disappointment or frustration and respond appropriately'.
Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis said he agreed with the findings and asked that Staffordshire Police looked to address the issue.
He said: "The panel's report is thorough and is precisely what I hoped for when establishing this independent panel 3 years ago.
"It is the latest in a series of valuable reports about the way Staffordshire Police go about serving the public.
"At the heart of these findings is that good information provided effectively for victims of crime is crucial to their confidence in policing and satisfaction.
"When investigating complex or more serious crimes the flow of information appears to be working well.
‘It’s issues such as anti-social behaviour and low level crime where the police in Staffordshire need to do more to keep the victim or person who reported the incident properly informed.
"But it’s also that sense of customer service, rather than just providing information which is so important.
"I will expect Staffordshire Police to examine the recommendations made by ETAP and provide an action plan to address the areas they could do better’
The independent panel is currently recruiting for new panel members to help challenge aspects of policing and assist in the work to hold Staffordshire Police and the OPCC to account.
The deadline for applications is May 31 and you can find out more about ETAP and apply on the website www.staffordshire-pcc.gov.uk/eta/
