DYFED-POWYS POLICE has this week (Mar 22) received further assurance that the wholesale change across the organisation introduced over the last twelve months is making a difference, with the HMICFRS grading the force as ‘good’ in terms of how effective it is.

This is the second consecutive ‘good’ grading rating from the HMICFRS, following the 2017 legitimacy report.

On taking up the position of Chief Constable in December 2016, Mark Collins set out his three aims:

• delivering a quality service to victims of crime
• looking after those who are most vulnerable
• doing the basic things as best we can

Deputy Chief Constable Darren Davies, assigned to oversee our progress against previous HMIC actions, said:

“The publication of today’s report acknowledges the hard work of all of our staff and the sustained improvements the force has made in delivering policing across Dyfed-Powys Police.

“We have made changes at the first point of contact, through to the support available to victims. We have introduced specialist teams to tackle the shifts in demand and crime types and, are kitting our officers out with the technology they need to keep them visible, available and accountable while active in our communities.

“We have listened to our staff and communities and implemented many of their ideas, which in turn have brought about these improvements.

“We’ve come a long way in the last twelve to eighteen months, but there is still a lot more we want to do. To come from a position of ‘Requiring Improvement’ across the board hasn’t been easy, but to receive this grading today signals that the hard work of many is delivering what we and our communities want and need.”

The efforts to improve haven’t been about only the HMIC grading though – Dyfed-Powys Police is proud of its place as a service of its communities and for its communities.

The force is committed to ensuring that local policing continues to be delivered, in what is a very unique policing area, given its geography and very rural population.  But, the service must also be in a strong position to deliver on the rapidly changing nature of crime, with online and cyber enabled criminality, crime which has no boundaries, placing extraordinary demands on services nationally.

Deputy Chief Constable Davies, continued: “As well as these big structural changes, we have also made many small changes – the cumulative effect of these being significant.  What pleases me most about this is that these everyday changes are coming from our officers and staff.  We are developing a culture whereby they feel able to have a say and make recommendations for improvement.  These suggestions are based on their own experiences and vision and show a real commitment to improvement.”

Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Commissioner, Dafydd Llywelyn, told The Herald: “The service Dyfed-Powys Police gives to its communities is at the heart of everything I want to achieve as the Police and Crime Commissioner. The outcome of today’s HMIC report is testimony to the hard work of the force’s leadership team, and all its officers, staff and volunteers.  I have my own sense of the impact our changes have made, and the achievement of a second Good outcome validates that.

“Now the force has a solid foundation of good performance it is important we don’t become complacent. My ambition is to maintain this momentum of change to achieve further improvements over the next two years.

“I will continue to work closely with the Chief Officer Team, holding them to account, to make sure the force is in a position to sustain this performance, and build upon it.”