Select Committee on Welsh Affairs Written Evidence

4. Written evidence from South Wales Police

1.  EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

  1.1  South Wales Police, with 3,313 police officers and 1,715 police staff, is by far the largest of the four Welsh police forces. The force area includes 42% of the population of Wales and the cities of Cardiff and Swansea, which have a combined population in excess of the total population of Dyfed Powys.

  1.2  The Home Office accepts that socio-economic, demographic and geographical factors should be taken into account when comparing the performance of police forces and Basic Command Units. For comparative purposes, South Wales Police has been grouped with the police forces of Avon and Somerset, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Lancashire, Humberside, Durham and Gwent.

  1.3  The scale and complexity of incidents and events routinely dealt with by South Wales Police make it unique within Wales. Cardiff, as the Welsh capital and one of the fastest growing cosmopolitan cities in Europe brings challenges comparable to those faced by the major metropolitan areas of England and frequently requires additional policing resources from across the force eg 901 police officers were required for the 2004 FA Cup Final. On average, South Wales Police deals with 52% of Welsh 999 calls, 40% of immediate response incidents, 14 murder enquiries and 28 suspicious deaths a year.

  1.4  Strategic assessments have shown that the risk to South Wales from organised crime is significant and as a consequence the Chief Constable has committed substantial resources to combating criminality operating at both regional and national level. These resources are not only benefiting the communities of South Wales but also those in our neighbouring force areas. It is also the case that a high proportion of South Wales Police resources are required to combat organised and serious crime which in turn reduces numbers available for local policing.

Chapter 3 National Policing Plan

  1.5  Both force and Community Safety Partnership plans take account of targets set out in the National Policing Plan and priorities identified through local consultation.

  1.6  Early national targets had the effect of focusing police activity on a narrow range of crimes, sometimes at the expense of local priorities. The development of the Police Performance Assessment Framework is positive and seeks to take account of a wider range of policing functions. The challenge to Chief Constables is to ensure that strategies are not directed at a narrow range of activities that do not incorporate customer focus, community engagement and public reassurance.

  1.7  Both police forces and community safety partnerships produce three year strategies whilst funding is based on a 12 month cycle. Short term funding and annual targets encourage gains that can be easily measured rather than more long terms strategies needed to address complex problems with deep rooted social and economic causes.

Chapter 4 Use and Availability of Resources

  1.8  The policing style of the force is community and partnership based, intelligence led and focused on problem solving.

  1.9  The force has seven Basic Command Units (BCU) each coterminous with a unitary authority boundary and commanded by a police officer of chief superintendent or superintendent rank who has considerable flexibility for the delivery of local policing. As well as a BCU's own resources, additional support is available from a number of specialist departments.

  1.10  The number of police officers has increased significantly in recent years as a result of the government's Crime Fighting Fund, funding provided by the Police Authority and successful bids for funds made available by the Home Office and Welsh Assembly Government for specific initiatives. The increase in police numbers has been accompanied by a civilianisation programme which resulted in 121 police officers being returned to operational posts during 2003-04.

  1.11  Over the next three years the Chief Constable plans to widen the extended policing family by recruiting an additional 100 Police Specials, 200 volunteers and 300 accredited persons. The force has recently made a bid to the Home Office for an additional 120 Police Community Support Officers.

  1.12  The force is currently piloting a 12 hour shift pattern for response officers which is aimed at better matching officer availability with demand. The force has also significantly reduced police officer sickness in recent years.

  1.13  A number of factors continue to impact on officer availability not least of which is the exponential growth in demand for resources combined with the increasing complexity of policing.

  1.14  Improving availability and accessibility to police services is a key aim of the force Crime and Reassurance strategy. The force has made considerable efforts to improve its call handling service and recent results indicate good progress is being made.

  1.15  Nearly half of the force's 114 operational police buildings are more than 50 years old and many are no longer fit for purpose or in the right location. The force is working with partners to provide a policing presence in areas where there are none eg the many rapidly expanding out of town retail developments. In addition, a project is underway that will allow the public access to stations which are not currently open on a 24 hour basis. Inside they will be able to use technology to either make contact with a police officer or obtain information direct from a database. The force is also looking to make use of kiosk technology to give the public greater access to police services.

  1.16  The four Welsh police forces are involved in regional collaboration initiatives which are aimed at increasing operational capability, improving efficiency and reducing costs.

Chapter 5 Performance and Comparison with other forces

  1.17  Last year, in the South Wales Police area, overall crime fell by 4.4%, a reduction of 6,259 victims. During the first five months of this financial year, crime has fallen by 9% (5,218 fewer victims).

  1.18  In comparison with its most similar family of forces, for the period to the end of July 2004 (latest figures available), South Wales Police had the third lowest level of recorded crime and the second highest detection rate.

  1.19  In terms of the Police Performance Assessment Framework, which is based on comparisons with the Most Similar Forces group and incorporates a wider range of police work, the force bettered the family average in four out of the six measured domains.

Chapter 6 Local Government and National Assembly for Wales Strategies

  1.20  Devolved government resulted in many statutory community safety partners coming under the responsibility of the National Assembly for Wales. As a result, a close interface has developed between the police and devolved services.

  1.21  South Wales Police is committed to community regeneration and to the National Assembly's "Community First" programme. Seventy two police officers in 14 teams have been deployed to seven Community First areas. The officers operate closely with both statutory and non statutory partners and have been instrumental in producing community action plans which are aimed at solving both crime and anti social behaviour. They are regarded as a resounding success by the communities they serve and the Chief Constable is looking at ways to increase the number of teams to 25 during 2004-05 and 35 during 2005-06.

  1.22  A strategic assessment in 2001 identified that the Southern Wales area was being targeted by organised crime gangs dealing in drugs. In response the three southern Welsh forces, with financial support from the Home Office and Welsh Assembly Government, created a joint task force known as Tarian. It is based on an intelligence led approach that targets criminals operating at a regional/national level. As well as robust enforcement, a large emphasis has been placed on tackling causal factors through partnership working eg education, treatment and support for communities.

  1.23  The force Crime and Reassurance strategy is embedded in partnership working. The BCU commander is a key member of the local Community Safety Partnership and initiatives to tackle both crime and anti-social behaviour are based on a partnership approach.

Chapter 7 Strategies to Address Crime and Anti Social Behaviour

  1.24  It is fully recognised that performance indicators that show falling levels of crime will not lead to increased public reassurance unless accompanied by tangible improvements that result in people feeling safer. The South Wales Police Crime and Reassurance Strategy is the overarching strategy adopted by the force and takes account of priorities identified in the strategic and annual plans. A process known as Compstat has been introduced to drive progress towards both force and local priorities.

  1.25  In June 2004, an Anti-social Behaviour Framework was agreed by community safety partners across the force area. The framework is based on a graduated approach that ensures that individuals are made aware of the consequences of their behaviour. It has the flexibility to by pass stages depending on the severity of a case. It has proven effective in raising parental awareness of a child's behaviour outside the home and in the majority of cases first stage interventions have resolved problems. In some cases additional partnership based interventions, involving social services and education departments as well as the police, have been required and have also proved successful. In the most severe cases anti social behaviour orders have been utilised and in one area of Cardiff a curfew and dispersal order has been introduced.

  1.26  A definition of anti-social behaviour would enable a national performance monitoring regime to be introduced that would enable progress to be measured and meaningful comparisons between areas made. The lack of a nationally agreed definition has meant that alternative measures have been sought. The worst example has seen numbers of anti-social behaviour orders being taken as an indicator of success. It could equally be argued that an anti-social behaviour order represents a failure because earlier interventions did not resolve a problem.

2.  INTRODUCTION

  2.1  South Wales Police is by far the largest of the four Welsh police forces with an establishment of 3,313 police officers and 1,715 police staff. It is the 11th largest police force in Wales and England, only exceeded in size by the five forces covering metropolitan districts and some of those in its most similar family group.

  2.2  The force area covers 10% of Wales, the former counties of South, Mid and West Glamorgan, and 1.3 million people, 42% of the Welsh population. The area includes the two largest cities in Wales, Cardiff and Swansea, with a combined population larger than that of Dyfed Powys, and equivalent to 96% of the population of Gwent and 80% of North Wales.

  2.3  The scale and complexity of incidents routinely dealt with by South Wales Police make it unique within Wales. For example, Cardiff as the capital of Wales and one of the fastest growing cosmopolitan cities in Europe brings comparable challenges to those faced by the major metropolitan cities of England. The presence of the National Assembly for Wales has required a dedicated policing unit responsible for its security. In the year ending 31 March 2004, 544 separate events were held in the city centre alone. Some of these events required a significant policing presence eg during 2004, 197 police officers were required for Wales v Italy (rugby), 273 for Wales v Ireland (football) and 901 for the FA Cup Final (Manchester United V Millwall. This latter commitment involved a number of police officers close to the total strength of the Dyfed Powys and Gwent forces). The city centre's licensed premises have capacity for 60,000 people and routinely attract 40,000 young people on a Friday and Saturday evening. The student population of Cardiff is 37,000, a population larger than many towns in mid Wales.

  2.4  On an all Wales basis, during 2003-04, South Wales Police dealt with 52% of 999 calls and 40% of immediate response incidents. Over the past four years the force has dealt with an average of 14 murder enquiries and 28 suspicious deaths.

  2.5  Former dependence on the coal and heavy industry has left a legacy of social deprivation that affects many communities. Indeed, 44 of the 100 most deprived communities in Wales (and indeed Europe) are to be found in the force area. In addition to the wide range of social and economic problems associated with deprivation, many young people living in these areas have become drug abusers and victims of the associated criminality linked to drug addiction.

  2.6  The Home Office recognises that socio-economic and demographic characteristics as well as geographical coverage can have a profound effect on policing performance. As a result, police forces and Basic Command Units (BCU's) have been grouped on the basis of similar characteristics. (The groups are known as "most similar forces" and "most similar basic command units"). In doing so, the Home Office considers that any variation in performance could result from other factors such as the efficiency or working practices of policing.

  2.7  The most similar forces used to compare the performance of South Wales Police are Avon and Somerset, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Lancashire, Humberside, Durham and Gwent.

  2.8  The seven Basic Command Unit's making up South Wales Police have also been grouped with comparable BCU's. For example, Cardiff and Swansea are grouped with Sunderland, Newcastle, Hillingdon, Luton, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Middlesborough and Bristol. Bridgend and the Vale of Glamorgan are included in the same family and are compared with areas such as Rotherham, Barnsley, Warrington, Wigan, Doncaster and Pontypool. Rhondda Cynon Taff, Neath Port Talbot and Merthyr Tydfil are also included in the same family and are compared with parts of Manchester, Lancashire, Rochdale, Hartlepool, Humberside, Newport and Caerphilly. BCU's from Dyfed Powys and North Wales are not included alongside those of South Wales Police.

  2.9  The South Wales Police area is of major strategic importance to southern Wales. The good road network (particularly the M4 corridor and A465 Heads of the Valley road) and rail links together with the sizeable market, present the force with an ever present risk that organised crime gangs from England and Europe will infiltrate the region. Evidence indicates that target hardening measures resulting from the Street Crime Initiative, which only applied to a small number of large cities in England, is resulting in organised crime seeking new markets and areas they consider to be vulnerable.

  2.10  The relative proximity to Bristol, and other cities such as London, Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham, which have levels of gun crime and drug related violence not seen in the cities of South Wales, is an ever present reminder of the seriousness of the threat from organised crime. As a consequence, the Chief Constable has committed significant resources to regional and national operations. At national level, 30 experienced detectives are currently seconded to the National Crime Squad, five to the National Criminal Intelligence Service and two to the Immigration Service. In addition, South Wales Police supplies 63% of the police officers seconded to the Regional Task Force, the Regional Asset Recovery Team and the Regional Intelligence Cell.

  2.11  The significant commitment to combating criminality operating at regional and national level not only benefits the communities of the South Wales Police force area but also those in our neighbouring forces. The need for covert resources to be deployed and operations undertaken on a large scale does however reduce the number of officers available for duties at a local level.

  2.12  The following chapters follow the terms of reference set out by the committee.

Pen Picture of the Chief Constable

  2.13  Barbara Wilding joined the States Police in Jersey as a cadet in 1967 and became a police constable in 1970. In 1971, she transferred to the Metropolitan Police where she predominantly served as an operational detective throughout London and on specialist units in New Scotland Yard. She became an Assistant Chief Constable in Kent Constabulary in 1994, with responsibility for Personnel, and in 1997 took command of Crime Operations, Intelligence, Major Investigations and European Liaison. In 1998 she transferred to the Metropolitan Police as Deputy Assistant Commissioner and served in various roles, including the command of security and protection of ministers, the Royal family, Special Branch, Heathrow and the specialist firearms unit.

  2.14  Miss Wilding was appointed Chief Constable of South Wales Police on 1 January 2004.

  2.15  The South Wales Police Chief Constable job description recognises the complexity of policing demands and requires the post holder to have experience of policing at both force and national level. Miss Wilding is vice chair of the ACPO Terrorism and Allied Matters Committee, chair of the Counter Terrorism Technologies and Tactics Working Group for Deadly and Determined Attacks (suicide terrorism), chair of the Police Dogs Strategic Committee and chair of the Association of Chief Police Officers' Women's Forum. She is a member of the Association of Chief Police Officers' Conflict Management Committee.

3.  NATIONAL POLICING PLAN

Introduction

  3.1  The National Policing Plan resulted from the Police Reform Act 2002 and sets out the government's framework and context for policing. It sets national priorities for the police service and the indicators against which performances will be judged over a rolling three-year period.

  3.2  The National Policing Plan has the propensity to over ride local priorities. In recent years nationally set targets have contributed to policing activity being focused on a relatively small number of areas relating to only a few aspects of policing eg autocrime, violent crime and burglary. Whilst these were issues that affected many communities, local police activity was often prioritised with national targets in mind and sometimes at the expense of more local concerns. Strategies and tactics that gave easily measured performance outcomes became increasingly important due to the need to improve performance as indicated through league tables which compared forces and Basic Command Units (BCU's). Examples of tensions created by focusing on crime management at the expense of concerns identified as more pressing by local communities have arisen in areas subjected to anti-social behaviour. A requirement to meet national targets has sometimes skewed policing resources away from the lower level public nuisance issues.

  3.3  In recent years funding for the police service has also been subject of increased central control. There are three elements to police funding, a Home Office grant, a Department of Transport Local Government and Regions (DTLR) grant and council tax. In 2003-04 the Home Office retained 36% of the national increase in police funding. The funds were retained for use by the Police Standards Unit. It resulted in short term funding being directed at particular issues of national concern. For example, £68 million was directed to ten forces to combat street robbery. None of the Welsh forces was involved in this initiative. The replacement of core funding by short term funding directed towards specific projects again carries with it the danger that centralist policies will be taken forward regardless of issues identified locally as more pressing to local communities.

  3.4  By the time of publication of the second National Policing Plan 2004-07, at both national and force level, quantitative performance in terms of lower crime and higher detections had improved but this had not been accompanied by corresponding levels of public satisfaction with police performance.

  3.5  The challenge for Chief Constables is to ensure that strategies are not directed at a narrow range of activities that do not incorporate customer focus, community engagement and public reassurance.

National Policing Plan 2004-07

  3.6  The National Policing Plan provides a strategic overview against which each police Force and Authority must prepare a local three-year rolling Strategy Plan and an Annual Policing Plan which take account of local priorities established through local consultation.

  3.7  In addition, each Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) is required to provide a three-year strategy which states how local priorities will be delivered, which agency will take the lead and in relation to particular elements of the plan, which other agencies will be involved in delivery and the resources that will be available.

  3.8  The Home Secretary's key priorities for 2004-07 are:

1.  Providing a citizen focused service to the public, especially victims and witnesses, which responds to the needs of individuals and communities and inspires confidence in the police particularly amongst minority ethnic communities.

2.  Tackling anti-social behaviour disorder.

3.  Continuing to reduce burglary, vehicle crime, robbery and drug related crime in line with the Government's Public Service Agreement targets.

4.  Combating serious and organised crime, both across and within force boundaries.

5.  Narrowing the justice gap by increasing the number of offenders brought to justice.

  3.9  In order to better monitor performance against a wider range of factors the Policing Performance Assessment Framework (PPAF) has been developed. The PPAF is based on a number of domains centred on citizen focus and organisational capability (see chapter 5).

Integration of National and Local Policing Plans

  3.10  The below diagram illustrates the linkages between local and national plans. The outer limbs of the diagram "views and consultation" and "policing with community" are key elements and are based on consultation undertaken by the Police Authority with local communities. In addition views of the public are ascertained throughout the year through a variety of public surveys undertaken independently by market research companies.

  3.11  At local level, BCU plans are developed through consultation with Crime and Disorder Reduction partners and communities and identify priorities at a local level. Each BCU is sub divided into sectors and each sector has its own plan which is based on policing priorities affecting local communities. These plans can have a significant impact on relations with local communities as there is an expectation that local issues will be prioritised. Failure to do so carries a risk of public scepticism and disengagement from future consultation. The propensity for Government to engage in micro management through setting national targets and utilising league tables to compare performance at both force and BCU level creates tensions over which issues should be prioritised.

  3.12  At force level, the annual Best Value Policing and Performance Plan, which sets out policing priorities for the coming year, is developed in consultation with the Police Authority. During the course of the previous year the Police Authority undertakes a series of consultative meetings which are aimed at identifying community safety issues across the force area. Findings are combined with priorities contained within the BCU plans and are considered alongside the National Policing Plan, Community Safety Partnership plans, National Criminal Justice Board plans, the Police Reform agenda and available funding. The last element is crucial in determining the range of activities and resources that can be allocated by the force in support of targets that are included within the plan.

  3.13  The force operational Priorities for 2004-05 are:

—  Confront anti-social behaviour.

—  Tackle organised crime.

—  Work with partners to increase the number of offenders brought to justice.

—  Fight the use and sale of class A drugs in Wales.

—  Detect more domestic burglaries and vehicle crime.

  It must be stressed however that the above priorities sit alongside the complex continuum of policing. Incidents classed as emergencies can re-order priorities on an hourly and daily basis eg murder investigations, fatal road traffic accidents etc.

  The force organisational priorities for 2004-05 are:

—  To provide strong leadership within the community and the force.

—  To work in partnership with local authorities, the Crown Prosecution Service and other agencies to provide the best service.

—  To use our consultation programme to give our communities a strong voice in what we do.

—  To be dynamic and flexible in our policing approach, through our structured change programme.

Three Strategy Plan

  3.14  The three-year Strategy Plan sets out the medium term aims for policing in South Wales. It is a rolling plan, which is updated annually in accordance with Home Office Guidance and local priorities. The strategic priorities are continually reviewed through the production of six-monthly strategic assessments.

  3.15  The Strategic Plan 2003-05 gives the vision of the force, "To deliver Professional Policing that helps build safer communities"—through leadership, community involvement, partnership working and change management.

Community Safety Partnerships (known as Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships in England)

  3.16  Community Safety Partnerships are required to produce a three year plan. These are based on a comprehensive consultation process or audit of people living in the unitary authority area and are aimed at identifying community concerns. The local BCU commander is a key member of the partnership and takes account of findings in developing the BCU plan. In light of the level of consultation with the same communities it is not surprising that priorities within BCU plans and Community Safety Plans are similar. The main difference is that Community Safety Plans normally include a broader range of issues and targets to be addressed by lead partner agencies.

  3.17  It is of concern that funding for Community Safety Partnership plans is based on a 12 month cycle whilst the plan is based on a three year cycle. This can result in short-termism in that short term funding encourages gains that can be easily measured rather than the more long term strategies and investment needed to address complex problems with deep rooted socio-economic causes. Preventative action requires sustained investment in both funding and resources. In many deprived areas, public confidence and community engagement has been undermined by initiatives that promise much but are not followed through. As a consequence problems continue and the short term investment results in few gains. In some cases it can even be counterproductive in raising hopes that are not fulfilled.

Conclusion

  3.18  It is fully recognised that if policing is to become truly citizen focused it must make the strategic shift toward providing customer satisfaction through a balanced approach that places equal importance on community engagement and operational performance etc.

4.  USE AND AVAILABILITY OF RESOURCES

Introduction

  4.1  Effective management of finite resources in the face of ever increasing demands and expectation is essential to a service that the public has become used to calling upon as the service of first and last resort.

  4.2  The dilemma faced by many BCU commanders has been how best to allocate resources in order to meet the fairly narrow range of national targets against which success or failure is judged, in the face of growing evidence that public confidence is not directly linked to quantitative results. Time after time local consultation reveals a call for more uniformed police officers, a call that is often based on a perception that an increased uniform presence will improve the safety, security and stability of their areas.

  4.3  The reality is that, despite an increase in police officer numbers, the complexity of demands and tasks required of the police means that resources are fully committed in tackling on-going problems and opportunities to "walk the beat" in the style of 20 years ago are very limited.

  4.4  This section aims to outline the structure adopted for operational policing, how the force has increased operational resources and factors that impact on availability.

Personnel—Use

  4.5  Within the South Wales Police area, operational policing is delivered via seven territorial Basic Command Units (BCU) supported by specialist teams of officers which have force wide responsibility.

  4.6  Each BCU is coterminus with a Unitary Authority boundary and is commanded by a divisional commander of Chief Superintendent or Superintendent rank.

  4.7  The police officer establishment of each BCU is reviewed regularly and is based on formulae that takes account of factors such as, crime and incident levels, population, road mileage, level of deprivation, officer workload etc and is as follows:

BCU		Establishment
A	Merthyr Tydfil	131
B	Rhondda Cynon Taff	376
C	Cardiff	704
E	Vale of Glamorgan	209
F	Bridgend	229
G	Neath Port Talbot	225
H	Swansea	457

  4.8  A BCU commander has considerable flexibility for the delivery of local policing within a corporately agreed strategy and in partnership with Community Safety Partners. To this end, following consultation at a local level, each division produces its own policing plan as outlined in the previous chapter.

  4.9  The policing style of a South Wales Police BCU is community and partnership based and focused on problem solving. In line with this ethos, each BCU has been sub divided into sectors each commanded by a police officer of inspector rank who is responsible and accountable to the BCU commander for local delivery of a quality policing service. Each sector is supported by response officers who operate over a 24 hour period and community beat officers whose tours of duty are planned around community needs.

  4.10  The community beat officer (CBO) is an integral element of the force's problem oriented style of policing. Each ward throughout the force area has its own dedicated CBO. An integral part of the role is to co-ordinate partnership activity to solve problems affecting communities. The CBO is an integral part of the community and the focal point for contact and consultation on local issues and day to day concerns. The Chief Constable has recently approved an enhanced role for the CBO who will take on a greater responsibility and have increased status. They will have a wider range of police resources available for service delivery including police specials, Police Community Support Officers (PCSO's), accredited persons and volunteers. The enhanced role will see the CBO become a specialist resource and encourage a career path that is based in community policing. The intention is to give them a much higher profile and to make them wider known within the communities they serve. Abstractions of these officers for other duties will be confined to exceptional operational issues and for training purposes and will be kept to an absolute minimum.

  4.11  BCU's are supported by a number of operational departments which have forcewide responsibility. Officers within these departments have undergone additional training and posses a range of skill and expertise in their area of specialism which it would not be possible to provide on a generic basis.

  4.12  Operationally, the main support departments are:

—  Crime Support Department, comprising

—  Volume Crime Department

    —  Provides operational support as well as advice and guidance on investigative practices and processes. Forensic support is provided through the Scientific Support Unit

—  Serious and Organised Crime Team

    —  Provides support for serious and organised crime eg the Fraud and Financial Investigation Unit, A High Tech Crime Unit and Special Branch

—  Major Crime Investigation

    —  Provides senior investigating officers and specialist investigators for Major Crime Investigations including homicide , kidnap, extortion, serious and series crime, legacy and Major Crime Case Management Unit

—  Public Protection Bureau

    —  Provides specialist support in respect of domestic violence, sex and dangerous offenders, child protection and vulnerable witnesses, criminal records Bureau Vetting Unit

—  Central Authorities Bureau

    —  Technical Support Unit, Witness Protection

—  Community Safety Department, comprising

—  Crime Reduction Unit

—  Minorities Support Unit

    —  Provides specialist advice and resources on matters relating to the policing of diverse communities

—  Drug prevention

—  Operational Support Division

—  Roads Policing

—  Armed Response Vehicles

—  Automatic Number Plate Recognition team

—  Police Dogs

—  Mounted section

—  Underwater Search Unit

—  Air Support

—  Airport policing team

—  Emergency Planning

  4.13  The policing style of only a few years ago was largely based on reactive investigation after an event and an unsophisticated relatively ad hoc method of patrol. The approach was inefficient and did not make best use of resources. The current style of policing is based around the National Intelligence Model (NIM). The National Intelligence Model is a framework that puts intelligence at the heart of everything that is done to reduce crime, disorder and road casualties. The model is based on the evaluation of intelligence to identify individuals and areas that require police attention. It enables directed patrol so that officers can target criminals and areas that are suffering from crime and anti-social behaviour with the aim of delivering an appropriate policing response at the right time and in the right place. The National Intelligence Model is at the heart of operational policing in South Wales.

  4.14  Chapters 4 and 5 include examples of how operational officers are being deployed to combat and prevent crime and anti-social behaviour.

Personnel—Availability

  4.15  In recent years, the number of police officers available for front line duties has increased significantly. This has resulted from the government's Crime Fighting Fund, funding provided by the Police Authority and successful bidding for funds made available by the Home Office and Welsh Assembly Government for specific purposes. As a consequence the overall establishment of South Wales Police currently stands at 3,313 officers, the highest police officer establishment since the creation of the force in 1969.

  4.16  The force has also followed a policy of increasing numbers of officers of constable rank by reducing numbers of supervisors. The table below illustrates the growth in numbers of police officers over the past 10 years. It also illustrates how officers of managerial/supervisory rank have been reduced.

	1994 (1)	2004	Variance
Chief Constable	1	1	—
Deputy Chief Constable	1	1	—
Assistant Chief Constable	3	3	—
Ch Supt/Supt	55	29	-26
Chief Inspectors	57	48	-9
Inspectors	180	162	-18
Sergeants	529	467	-62
Constables	2,342	2,602	+260
Total	3,163	3,313 (2)	+150
(1)   in 1996 local government changes led to the Rhymney Valley transferring to Gwent. This resulted in 174 police officers transferring from South Wales to Gwent. The 1994 establishment includes these 174 officers. (one Supt, one Chief Inspector, seven inspectors, 26 sergeants and 139 constables). The actual growth excluding the area covered by the Rhymney Valley is 324 officers.
(2)   This figure includes 79 posts funded for specific purposes by the Home Office and Welsh Assembly government.

  4.17  During 2002, the force undertook a review of police officers in non operational posts and introduced a civilianisation programme funded by the Police Authority that has resulted in police officers being released to operational duties from functions that can be undertaken by civilian members of staff. During 2003-04, 121 police officers were returned to operational duties. Of these, 94 police officers were returned to uniform duties and 27 to plain clothed duties. (see Appendix A). The recent recruitment of large numbers of police officers has meant that the proportion of officers with under two years service is relatively high. For example, at the end of July 2004, 21% of constables in Rhondda Cynon Taff BCU and 27% of the Vale of Glamorgan BCU had under two years service and were still in their probationary period when abstraction rates for training are particularly high. The civilianisation programme has also proved of benefit in returning experienced officers to operational duties to support less experienced colleagues.

  4.18  The force currently employs 1,736 members of police staff, an increase of 433 since 1999. This growth partly reflects the policy that police officers should primarily be allocated to roles commensurate with their training and powers. It also reflects the need for specialist support from crime and incident analysts, human resource advisers and statisticians required to undertake the complex monitoring of performance issues.

  4.19  Police Staff are highly valued for the wide ranging contribution they make in support of operational policing. Roles such as those undertaken by control room staff, scenes of crime personnel, tape summarisers and traffic wardens provide direct support whilst others such as crime analysts and statisticians provide sophisticated intelligence packages which enable police resources to be better targeted at key areas and individuals.

  4.20  The introduction of Police Community Support Officers (PCSO's) has been warmly received in the communities they serve. PCSO's undertake patrols on foot and focus on neighbourhood problems such as anti-social behaviour. Sixty-three PCSOs were appointed in 2003 including five posts which were funded in partnership with Rhondda Cynon Taff Borough Council. A partnership bid for a further five posts was approved by the Home Office earlier this year (Swansea University, Royal Glamorgan Hospital—RCT, Prince Charles Hospital—Merthyr Tydfil, Princess of Wales Hospital—Bridgend and Brackla Community Council—Bridgend). The force has recently submitted a bid to the Home Office for an additional 120 PCSO's and intends to bid for as many of the proposed 20,000 national PCSO expansion as possible.

  4.21  The force currently has 227 Police Specials (formerly known as Special Constables) all of whom are operational and are attached to Basic Command Units. They undertake duties as part of a local policing team and provide valuable support to regular officers. Until recently, opportunities to increase numbers of police specials have been restricted by a national requirement for a minimum standard of fitness required of operational officers. This effectively barred many people who could have provided valuable support in a wide range on non operational tasks. The Disability Discrimination Act will remove the minimum fitness requirement and enable the force to recruit police specials who may not have A1 fitness but who could undertake non operational work eg crime prevention duties, scenes of crime duties etc.

  4.22  The Chief Constable is also urging the business community to encourage members of their staff to become police specials who would be used to patrol primarily business areas such as retail parks under police supervision. An All Wales Seminar was held on 28 September 2004 involving members of the business community to this end.

  4.23  The Chief Constable is also seeking to widen the Extended Police Family by encouraging sections of the community, who might not wish to undertake a uniformed role to assist the force in a voluntary capacity. Such volunteers would be utilised to improve customer focus by maintaining contact via telephone with victims and witnesses and updating them on the progress of investigations.

  4.24  Over the next three years the Chief Constable intends to recruit over 200 volunteers, an additional 100 Police Specials and over 300 accredited persons. In addition the force intends to further develop Neighbourhood Watch and Victim Support Schemes and enhance support to communities, victims and witnesses.

  4.25  South Wales is a multi-cultural area that is becoming more diverse each year. It is fully recognised that the staff profile of the force must reflect the make up of the communities it serves. South Wales Police has met its "Breaking Through" targets for 2004-05 and is committed to increasing numbers of minority ethnic staff through a wide range of positive action initiatives. At the end of August 2004, 50 police officers, 22 police staff and eight police specials were from minority ethnic backgrounds. In addition, the number of female police officers has grown significantly and now makes up 20% of police strength compared with only 9% in April 1994.

  4.26  Whilst overall numbers of police officers have increased the force has also sought to maximise operational availability.

  4.27  Historically, operational officers have worked a "continental" shift pattern based on three tours of duty, 0600-1400hrs, 1400-2200hrs and 2200-0600 hrs, with some variations. These tours of duty are relatively inflexible in that the same number of officers per shift will be on duty over a 24 hour period regardless of demand. In order to better match resource with demand a 12 hour staggered shift pattern was introduced as a pilot on 12 April 2004. It involves officers coming on duty at staggered intervals throughout the day in accordance with local need.

  4.28  The force has also made a concerted effort to increase availability through reducing sickness absence. In 2000-01, South Wales Police had an average sickness rate per police officer of 16.1 days, the highest of any force in Wales and England. Such a rate was impacting on service delivery. As a result of improved health and welfare provision, sickness absence has improved considerably and by 31 March 2004 the average sickness per officer was 10.2 days. Since 1 April progress has continued to be made and during the first six months of the new financial year police officer sickness fell by 13% compared with the previous year.

Factors Impacting on Availability

  4.29  Whilst the force has made significant progress in increasing numbers of personnel it should be noted that a range of factors can impact on their availability for local patrol .

  4.30  A major factor impacting on availability stems from the range and complexity of incidents requiring South Wales Police attendance eg over the past four years:

—  The total number of incidents attended by South Wales Police increased by 18% from 580,354 to 607,608

—  999 calls increased by 18% from 233,642 to 276,411

—  arrests increased by 4% from 48,195 to 50112

—  drug seizures increased by 35% from 3,225 to 4,348

—  incidents of domestic violence increased by 93% from 7,782 to 14,986 (this latter increase can partly be attributed to an increased focus on public protection and the creation of domestic violence coordinator posts in each division who have worked to increase victim confidence and have encouraged the reporting of incidents).

  4.31  In 2001 a Home Office Research Study concluded that 43% of a police officer's time was spent in a police station and that at any one time over 50% of operational officers are in a police station.

  4.32  Within force a project led by the Deputy Chief Constable has been directed at reducing bureaucracy and particularly unnecessary duplication. The project has made some progress but it remains the case that a police officer is accountable to both the legal system and for the safety of the public and much of the paperwork is directed to this end.

  4.33  During the year 2000, a Best Value Review of custody handling identified that the average time spent per officer dealing with an arrested person was six hours. Contributing factors included:

—  Reception by custody sergeant—19 mins.

—  Average time taken for solicitor to arrive at custody suite—1 hr 11 min.

—  Average time taken for an appropriate adult to arrive was 3 hrs 7 mins.

—  Average duration of interview 27 mins.

—  Average duration process and charge 34 mins.

  As South Wales Police officers arrest over 50,000 people per year, the time spent dealing with prisoners can have a significant impact on availability.

  4.34  The Best Value Review resulted in a number of measures being introduced to reduce the amount of time officers spend at a custody suite. These have included the appointment of full time specialist custody officers who seek to expedite the attendance of solicitors and appropriate adults. Jailer duties have been out-sourced to an external contractor. The civilian jailers have taken over process duties previously undertaken by the arresting officer (fingerprinting, DNA swabbing etc) thereby saving an average of 34 minutes. The extension of the fixed penalty notices scheme is also reducing time spent by officers in custody suites.

  4.35  The Airwaves communication system is being rolled out across the force area during 2004-05. The system incorporates both radio and telephone functions and will enable operational police officers to spend more time on patrol. For example, the need to return to a police station to make telephone enquiries will be drastically reduced.

  4.36  South Wales Police also faces many demands which are specific to the force area. For example, the growth of Cardiff as both Capital and a venue for major social, sporting and economic events has made significant demands on police resources. In particular, the relocation of football matches from Wembley to the Millennium Stadium, including at least four cup finals and three divisional play offs a year has required special arrangements. Unlike Wembley, the Millennium Stadium is located within a bustling city centre with tens of thousands of shoppers which adds to the complexity of the policing operation. These matches are in addition to the regular International rugby fixtures and football fixtures involving Cardiff City.

  4.37  A risk assessment process is undertaken for all events and determines levels of policing required. As highlighted in the introduction to this report, this year, 197 police officers were required for the Wales v Italy rugby international , 273 officers were required for Wales v N. Ireland international football match and 901 officers for the FA Cup Final, Manchester United v Millwall.

  4.38  For major events, police officers from across the force area are required. Prior to 2003, to minimise the impact on local policing caused by abstracting officers from their normal duties, force policy had been to utilise officers who would normally be on a rest day on a paid overtime basis. However, in 2003 as part of the police reform process, the police service was required to reduce police officer overtime by 15% over 3 years. As a consequence, the force is now having to require some police officers to work on their scheduled off duty days in order to have sufficient resources to police large scale events, including some matches involving Cardiff City. The knock on effect is that under Police Regulations these officers have to be given an alternative rest day and this can only be allocated from a period when they would normally be on duty. This reduces the number of operational officers available for local policing.

OTHER RESOURCES

  4.39  Improving availability and accessibility to police services is a key aim of the force Crime and Reassurance Strategy (see Chapter 5).

Call Handling

  4.40  The growth in mobile phone ownership has contributed to a significant increase in the number of calls being received by the force. For example, over the past four years 999 calls increased by 18% from 233,642 to 276,411. Telephone calls to the main switchboard currently average over 450,000 per quarter.

  4.41  To meet increased demand, and in recognition of the fact that most people make contact with the police by telephone, the force has put in place systems to improve call handling.

  4.42  Response to 999 calls remains a priority and currently the force target of answering 85% within 10 seconds is being met. The force is also meeting its targets for calls received at the switchboard with latest figures showing that 86% of calls being answered within 20 seconds.

  4.43  The force has received criticism for delays between the call being answered at the switchboard and the caller being connected to the requested individual/department. The force addressed this issue in 2003 through the creation of Information Management Units (IMU's). The IMU's are staffed by personnel who aim to deal with all calls seeking information. The units are based in the three area control rooms and are "virtually connected" so that a caller will automatically be transferred to an operator who is free regardless of where they are based. This is a critical area for the force and performance is being closely monitored. Figures for the last quarter showed that IMU's surpassed their target which is to answer 85% of calls. Calls that are not answered are re directed by the switchboard.

Estates

  4.44  The South Wales Police estate is very large and has 114 operational police stations. Many of these are old and were built to serve communities which are much less mobile than those of today (46% were built prior to 1959 and 87% are over 30 years old). As a result some of our police stations are not where we would place them if we were building today or in locations where we would not now build a station. Many of them are not fit for purpose.

  4.45  The force is looking at areas where a presence is needed, such as the many rapidly expanding shopping outlets which see tens of thousands of people each week, and is working with the business community to provide police offices in these areas. In Swansea new police offices have opened on the Tesco and Asda sites at the Enterprise Park and in Fforestfach. Similarly, at the very large McCarthur Glen retail outlet adjacent to the M4 near Bridgend, a partnership arrangement with Sainsbury's has resulted in the provision of a police office which has allowed two police officers and a PCSO being deployed to the area. Others will follow across the force. The force also utilises purpose built mobile police stations. In short we are looking to base our police officers where people gather in large numbers rather than expect them to come to police stations which may be many miles away.

  4.46  The force is also looking at introducing new technology in the form of unmanned stations and kiosks that will enable the public to access services via telecommunication systems. This will mean that instead of members of the public finding a non-24 hour station closed, they will be able to enter part of it, in a similar way that some banks now operate. Inside they will be secure and will be able to access a range of services and information and speak with a police operator via a video conferencing link. In addition we are looking at kiosks, similar in size to a telephone box, that the public can use to contact us via the internet. These are relatively inexpensive and it is the Chief Constable's vision that over time, the force in partnership with other agencies will have reached a position where a kiosk will be located within ten minutes travel distance of where people are.

Regional Collaboration

  4.47  The four Welsh Police Forces have undertaken a number of initiatives to develop collaborative working across the region. A 3-stage approach has been taken:

(a)  Identification of the potential areas for collaboration

(b)  Scoping of these areas

(c)  Definition of firm proposals for making collaboration a reality.

  4.48  A Collaboration Programme Board is in place with the Deputy Chief Constable of South Wales Police the programme manager. At a meeting in April 2004, eight key areas for collaboration were selected to start the programme based on strategic and organisational capability:

(i)  Strategic Capability:

—  Cross Border capabilities

—  Major and Serious Crime

—  Firearms

—  Covert Policing

—  Crime Information/Crime Recording

(ii)  Organisation Capability:

—  Human Resource Services

—  Finance

—  Information Management.

  4.49  The above initiatives will result in increased operational capability, improved efficiency and reduced costs. In addition, the four Welsh forces are part of an all Wales Joint Emergency Services Group which is looking at opportunities for greater collaboration between the emergency services.

5.  PERFORMANCE AND COMPARISONS WITH OTHER FORCES

Introduction

  5.1  There are 43 police forces in Wales and England and, as highlighted in the introduction to this report, they vary in police officer numbers, geographical coverage and socio-economic and demographic characteristics. In summary, forces operate in very different environments. South Wales Police covers 10% of Wales in terms of area but includes 42% of the population and has levels of deprivation, serious incidents and major events that are not experienced to the same level in the more rural areas of Wales.

  5.2  The Home Office accepts that it would be misleading to compare policing performance on a general basis. As a result the Home Office has drawn up a list of forces that are most similar in terms of a range of socio and economic factors such as population density, unemployment, etc. In doing so it is considered that any variation in performance between areas that are similar in character could result in other factors such as the efficiency or working practices of policing.

  5.3  The following police areas have been identified as the "most similar" to South Wales. It is against this group that the Home Office judges the performance of South Wales Police.

—  Avon and Somerset

—  Durham

—  Gwent

—  Humberside

—  Lancashire

—  South Yorkshire

—  West Yorkshire

  5.4  In a similar fashion, Basic Command Units have been grouped into most similar groups for comparative performance purposes as highlighted in the introduction to this report.

  5.5  In April 2002, a new National Crime Recording Standard was introduced in Wales and England with the aim of promoting greater consistency between police forces in the recording of crime. The new system allowed for crimes to be reported without any form of corroborative evidence and resulted in an increase in recorded crime levels and a fall in detections for some crime groups. The change in recording standard has meant that comparisons pre and post April 2002 are no longer valid.

Crime Management Performance

Overall Crime

  5.6  For the year ending 31st March 2004, in the South Wales Police area, compared with 2002-03, overall crime had been reduced by 4.4%, (6,259 fewer victims), dwelling house burglary had been reduced by 9.7%, (785 fewer victims) and vehicle crime by 11% (3,341 fewer victims). In terms of the three recorded crime targets, the force bettered its auto crime and burglary targets but did not achieve its target for violent crime which increased by 3.8%. However, the trend for violent crime was downwards having been up by 10.6% at the half year stage.

  5.7  During the first five months of the current financial year, the South Wales Police area has seen a 9% fall in overall crime compared with the previous year. This resulted in 5,218 fewer victims. The trend this year has been extremely positive and during August 2004, the force witnessed the lowest recorded crime levels since April 2002.

  5.8  During the same period the force detection rate for overall crime increased by 0.2% to stand at 28.6%. South Wales Police was one of only two forces within its family of "Most Similar Forces" to achieve an increase. The force was ranked third best with a detection rate nearly 6% higher than the "most similar force" (MSF) average.

  5.9  The below chart shows monthly recorded crime totals in South Wales since 2002. It can be seen that there has been a substantial decrease over the past year in total recorded crime and that the current trend is a downward one.

  5.10  In line with the National Policing Plan, and the force Annual Plan and Strategic Plans the key target crimes are domestic burglary, vehicle crime and auto crime. Performance against these crime is as follows:

Domestic Burglary

  5.11  During 2004-05, domestic burglaries have been reduced by 18.5% compared with the same period last year, a reduction of 604 fewer victims.

  5.12  During the same period the detection rate increased by 0.5% to 18.6%. This placed the force third best in its most similar family group.

Vehicle Crime

  5.13  During 2004-05, autocrime has been reduced by 13.3%, a reduction of 1,454 victims.

  5.14  During the same period the detection rate fell by 2.6% to 11%. However, the force has the second best detection rate for vehicle crime within the family.

Violent Crime

  5.15  During 2004-05, violent crime has been reduced by 8.3% a reduction of 810 victims.

  5.16  During the same period the detection fell by 0.2% to 64%.

Comparison with Other Forces

  5.17  The following statistics show South Wales Police comparative performance for the target crimes prioritised within the Annual Policing Plan. Comparisons are with the most similar family grouping. These figures are the latest available and cover the period to the end of July 2004.

(i)  Recorded Crime per 1,000 population

  The following chart shows the South Wales Police area had the third lowest levels of recorded crime per 1,000 population.

(ii)  Recorded domestic burglary per 1,000 households

  The following chart shows the South Wales Police area had the third lowest levels of recorded crime for dwelling house burglary per 1,000 population

(iii)  Vehicle crime per 1,000 population

  The following chart shows the South Wales Police area had the fifth lowest levels of vehicle crime per 1,000 population

(iv)  Violent crime per 1,000 population

  The following chart shows the South Wales Police area had the third lowest levels of violent crime per 1,000 population

Detected crime

  5.18  The following chart shows the South Wales Police area had the second highest detection rate for recorded crime per 1,000 population.

  5.19  Detected domestic burglary

  The chart shows that South Wales Police had the third best performance.

  5.20  Detected vehicle crime

  The chart shows that South Wales Police had the third best performance.

  5.21  Detected violent crime

  The chart shows that South Wales Police had the second best performance.

Police Performance Assessment Framework

  5.22  The previous charts have compared performance in terms of crime management. Until recently this was the main criteria used to compare force and BCU performance.

  5.23  The Police Performance Assessment Framework (PPAF) arose from an acknowledgement that police activity incorporates a huge range of functions and that comparisons based on crime management alone are misleading. The PPAF is again based on comparisons with the Most Similar Forces Group but incorporates a much wider range of work undertaken by the police. The assessment is based on measurements which are grouped into six domains:

  Domain A; Citizen focus

—  Level of public satisfaction with the police as measured by the British Crime Survey.

  Domain 1 Reducing Crime

—  Number of burglaries per 1,000 households as measured by recorded crime.

—  Number of robberies per 1,000 resident population as measured by recorded crime.

—  Number of vehicle crimes per 1,000 resident population as measured by recorded crime.

  Domain 2 : Investigating Crime

—  Progress on detections and convictions.

  Domain 3 : Promoting Public safety

—  Level of fear of crime.

—  Level of feeling of public safety.

  Domain 4 : Providing Assistance

—  The percentage of police officer time spent on frontline policing.

  Domain b : Resource Usage

—  Number of working days lost through sickness.

  5.24  Performance monitors have been devised as a visual representation of a force's performance against the six domains. Scores are plotted as points along the axis of the monitor. A solid line is used to show the performance of the force. The average performance of the most similar forces is represented by a shaded area. Comparison with the shaded area indicates whether a force is performing well. A good performance is indicated by the bold line of the force being outside the shaded area.

  5.25  Performance results for 2003-04 were published by the Home Office during September 2004. The monitor diagram for South Wales Police is shown at the end of this section (Appendix A).

  5.26  The monitor shows that, South Wales Police performance exceeded the most similar force average in four of the six domains ie:

—  Citizen focus.

—  Reducing crime.

—  Investigating crime.

—  Promoting public safety.

  In relation to the two other domains:

—  Resource usage:

—  the force was ranked sixth with an average of 10.2 days lost per year to sickness for police officers compared with a MSF average of 9.4 days and 12.9 police staff days lost to sickness compared with a MSF average of 11.3 days. The force is showing an improved performance this year for sickness management.

—  Providing assistance:

—  the force was again ranked sixth with 61% of police officer time spent on front line duties compared with a MSF average of 63%. This is again an area which the force is seeking to improve on this year.

Conclusion

  5.27  In summary, South Wales Police is performing well in comparison with its most similar forces and, most importantly, is continuing to show improving performance.

  5.28  Reasons for the improving performance include a strong focus on operational delivery and a robust monitoring system. This is developed further in the next chapter.

  5.29  Strong quantitative results must be matched with a quality delivery. This is fully recognised and "Customer focus" is central to the philosophy of the force.

6.  LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF WALES STRATEGIES

Introduction

  6.1  Historically, policing in Wales and England has been based on a tripartite relationship involving the Chief Constable, Police Authority and Home Secretary. The Police Reform Act 2002 provided significant new powers to the Home Secretary via a stronger Inspectorate of Constabulary and the Police Standards Unit. The National Assembly for Wales was not mentioned in the Act.

  6.2  The establishment of the National Assembly for Wales created a position where executive powers remained with the Home Office but responsibility for police funding was split between the Assembly, local government and the Home Office.

  6.3  For the police, national policy flows from dialogue between the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), the Home Office and the Police Standards Unit. In Wales, the four Welsh Chief Constables work closely through the Wales Region ACPO. Whilst the Assembly has no formal role, the Chief Constables of the Welsh forces meet regularly with senior Assembly Ministers and administrators. In addition, the forces have a liaison officer of superintendent rank based at the Assembly tasked to represent forces and to develop better working between police forces and the Assembly.

  6.4  Although the National Assembly for Wales has no direct responsibility for policing, the establishment of devolved government in Wales has resulted in many statutory crime and disorder partners coming under the National Assembly for Wales. In practice this results in a close interface between the devolved and non-devolved services.

  6.5  In summary, the Assembly has the ability to influence the thinking of the four forces and the police service has the ability to influence the Assembly. There are no better examples than the work being taken forward in relation to regenerating communities and tackling drug misuse.

(i)  Regenerating Communities

  6.6  The Welsh Assembly Government's focus on regenerating disadvantaged communities ties in with a key strategic goal for South Wales Police. Wales, as with some other parts of the UK, has many areas which experience disproportionate levels of crime and anti-social behaviour. Factors such as social isolation, community disorganisation and family conflict add further pressures that render people more likely to become victims of crime. The lack of social skills, literacy and numeracy witnessed in these areas also increases the likelihood of young people becoming involved in offending.

  6.7  Whilst responsibility for developing and implementing the overall strategic direction on neighbourhood renewal lies with the Welsh Assembly Government, the police service shares that responsibility. Although our principal focus will be on crime reduction and reassurance, we also recognise a shared responsibility for supporting health, education, housing and other key partners who follow agendas which are cross cutting. Sustained success in achieving a secure stable environment that promotes both social and economic growth is heavily dependent upon identifying how the many parts of the jigsaw fit together and establishing firm and supportive relationships at local level, and with the Assembly.

Community's First Dedicated Police Teams

  6.8  The National Assembly for Wales "Communities First" programme sets out a long-term vision to regenerate the most disadvantaged communities within Wales. The programme is based on 100 communities identified as being the most deprived and which were included in the regeneration programme. Forty four of these communities are located within the South Wales Police area.

  6.9  South Wales Police is the only Welsh police force that has made a substantial commitment to the Assembly's programme in a tangible way. This has been through the creation of 14 teams involving 72 police officers, mainly financed by the crime fighting fund. The teams comprise a Sergeant and four Constables with at least two teams located in each of the seven BCU's. The initiative has named these teams as the "Communities First Dedicated Policing Teams" and has been undertaken in two phases. Phase 1 started in April 2002 when 35 police officers were assigned. Phase 2 was fully implemented in May 2004 and brought the force's commitment to 72 police officers. It is the Chief Constable's intention to create further Community First teams but this to a large extent will be dependent on future growth in resources.

  6.10  Prior to setting up the teams, consultation took place between the BCU Commanders and the respective crime and disorder partners from each Unitary Authority. This partnership approach was aimed at identifying the areas which would most benefit from this form of policing. As a result, it was decided that to be effective, each team would be dedicated to a particular community and they would police accordingly. The selected communities were as follows:

  6.11  A division—Gurnos/Dowlais/Penydarren/Bedlinog

  B division—Tylorstown/Pontgwaith/Moutain Ash/Rhydyfelen

  C division—Ely/Caerau/Splott/Butetown

  E division—Gibbonsdown/Casteland

  F division—Caerau (Maesteg)/Bettws

  G division—Upper Afan Valley/Pelenna/Sandfields

  H division—Portmead/Blaenymaes/Graigfelin

  6.12  The officers forming part of these teams have been selected for their skills, experience and community knowledge and are responsible for working closely with partners in tackling crime and disorder issues. Importantly, these officers were provided as an addition to the BCU's establishment and this allowed them to be effectively "ring fenced". They are only used outside their communities in extreme situations.

  6.13  The Community First officers are visible, familiar, accessible and community focused and have been able to deliver a policing style that can deal with the diverse issues that are identified within each area. They operate closely with the relevant statutory/non-statutory partners, local authority Community First co-ordinators and selected community members and are instrumental in producing "community action plans". These plans identify the problems within the community and are working together as partners, under the guidelines of the Assembly's Communities First guidance document, putting in place remedial actions to improve quality of life.

  6.14  The force is currently involved in an initiative with the University of Glamorgan which will see police officers from Community First areas and members of local communities learning together how better to achieve sustainable improvements within their communities. The initiative as well as identifying national good practice will also improve and strengthen community contact with the police.

  6.15  The crime and disorder problems are tackled using intelligence led, community based and problem oriented policing methods and by producing short, medium and long term actions with the partners.

  6.16  The following is a quote from a Communities First Co-ordinator who, in his own words, was an active trade union representative and experienced `overzealous' policing of industrial disputes and picket lines.

"The style of policing currently being experienced bears no resemblance to those previous episodes and I am happy to be able to look upon the five police officers who form the Communities First Team as friends.

Lest there be any misunderstanding, it should be recognised from the start that the Police Team spends a great deal of time on `traditional' policing ie the arrest and conviction of criminals and lawbreakers. Crime such as burglary, car theft, theft from cars and drug dealing have been very significantly reduced. The sight of `bobbies' on the beat is now commonplace and residents are beginning to develop a good relationship with the officers.

When the village suffered the double murder of a mother and baby a few months ago and the alleged murderer had not at the time been apprehended, many residents remarked that it was comforting and made them feel safer to have `their own bobbies' to talk to.

The added ingredient brought to policing by the Communities First Police Team is a belief in community policing and an identity with the people and the area they police. Examples of how this approach manifests itself are given below:

—  The Team's Sergeant is on the Partnership's Steering Group and regularly attends meetings.

—  The idea of building a bike park on the outskirts of the village was suggested by the police who when worked with the Partnership to try to make it a reality. Members of the Police Team attended planning meetings and joined in on a visit to a bike park in Bristol to explore the possibilities. Unfortunately, the plans will come to naught as the Council has sold the land for private development. However, discussions are now taking place in the hope that something can be done there.

—  The Communities First Development Team, after liaison with the local secondary school, ran an Environment Day in the Welfare Hall for pupils from the school. Two of the Police Team called in to lend support and help to create an enjoyable atmosphere.

—  South Wales Police held their annual open day at Bridgend in July and the Police Team organised free transport for local children and young people and accompanied them to and from the venue.

—  Every weekday evening, the Welfare Hall opens the snooker and pool tables to local children and the police regularly drop in to play a few frames and chat with the kids.

—  The Police Team found the funds to donate £500 worth of play equipment to the Meithrin (nursery).

—  The Partnership aims to open a play area for older children, with youth shelters in the village and the Police Team has supported this from the start, getting fully involved in the planning process and even helping to visit every resident in the area to canvass their opinion.

The Police Team are doing a fantastic job and are building a relationship with local residents that is a pleasure to see. They have even succeeded in winning over one very sceptical and hitherto disbelieving trade unionist."

  An evaluation of the impact Communities First policing teams are having is currently being undertaken. What is already clear is that public satisfaction rates are higher in areas where the teams are located as are satisfaction rates from people who have had contact with the police.

(ii)  Strategies to tackle Substance Misuse

  6.17  In 2001, a strategic assessment of the Southern Wales region by the National Criminal Intelligence Service highlighted the scale of drug misuse.

—  8,750 problematic users (an increase of 14% on 2001):

—  responsible for 54% of all acquisitive crime (4% above UK average);

—  three quarters of crack and heroin users claimed to be committing crime to feed their habit; and

—  75% of persistent offenders had misused drugs.

—  32,000 recreational users.

—  Total drug related deaths 274 (year 2000) In the summer of 2001, 11 drug related deaths were reported in one of the divisions at South Wales Police in a two-month period.

—  Total annual retail value of heroin £53 million.

—  Potential amount of heroin bought from proceeds of crime (48 per cent) £25 million.

—  Estimated total amount of drugs required to meet demand in Southern Wales:

—  1.25 tonnes of heroin;

—  0.75 tonnes of crack cocaine;

—  0.5 tonnes of cocaine; and

—  three million ecstasy tablets.

—  Deprived communities were most under threat.

  6.18  It was evident that the Southern Wales area was being targeted by drug dealers and organised crime groups as their next lucrative market. The analysis highlighted that the Welsh Substance Misuse Strategy introduced by the National Assembly was not sufficiently robust for the worsening position.

  6.19  From the outset a decision was taken to shape the strategic response around the structure of the Welsh Substance Misuse Strategy. A joint paper was prepared by the Chief Constables of the three southern Wales forces outlining police concerns and proposals to introduce a regional intelligence effort to combat the influx of drugs. A cohesive and coherent approach to drugs trafficking, drug treatment and harm reduction and education were put together and presented to the Police Standards Unit, Home Office Ministers, Assembly Ministers and local MP's and AM's. A bid for funding to support the proposed Regional Intelligence Office and an Operations Unit was made to central government and to the Assembly. The Assembly, though having no duty to fund police activity examined its powers and agreed to assist over a three year period with funding for civilian staff and support equipment. The Home Office agreed to provide funding on a matched funding basis on a 2:1 basis by the three forces. At the request of the Assembly Government's Finance Minister, police involvement in schools was examined by the forces and in December 2002 a proposal to introduce an all Wales approach to schools was agreed by Wales ACPO. The result has been that the National Assembly, supported by the four Chief Constables and with the involvement of the Home Office through the Crime Reduction Director is driving forward a comprehensive drugs strategy involving police, health, education, local authorities and others.

  6.20  The joint task force created to tackle the Class A drug problem was known as Tarian and since its inception has been joined by North Wales Police. The enlarged task force is now known as Tarian plus. It is based on an intelligence led approach that targets criminals operating on a regional/national level.

  6.21  The four Chief Constables have given their full support to a robust approach to both enforcement and prevention and a large emphasis is being given to tackling causal factors and education, treatment, and supporting communities.

Education

  6.22  Initial assessment showed that the range of drugs education available ranged from very good to very little. There was a great deal of commitment from individual teachers, but few were properly trained and lacked the support that was needed to make a difference. The Welsh Assembly has committed £1.3 million each year to pay for 30 extra police constables across Wales to support school teachers and to establish an all Wales police/School Substance Misuse Programme and a high standard of substance misuse education across the whole of Wales. In addition, a teacher has been seconded to the initiative to act as an expert adviser and a liaison point with educationalists. It is considered an excellent example of partnership working.

Supporting Families and Communities

  6.23  Tarian+ has encouraged and supported the work of local communities which are working to combat drug misuse in their own communities. Families Awareness Drug Support (FADS) provides a good example and is made up of a group of parents in the Cynon Valley, who have formed a self help group. The group was started by mothers, whose children were drug users and has worked closely in partnership with local police.

Treatment

  6.24  Previously the treatment services made available depended heavily on location. There was a reported shortage of treatment places, and in some areas users had to wait many months for treatment services. The Welsh Assembly Government has set aside additional funding over the next three years to improve treatment services in recognition that many prolific offenders are drug abusers.

Enforcement

  6.25  The sophisticated regional approach includes the National Crime Intelligence Service, the Regional Task Force (RTF), and the Regional Asset Recovery Team, together with a host of other supporting agencies such as Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, the National Crime Squad, the Crown Prosecution Service, Inland Revenue, the Asset Recovery Agency, and the UK Immigration Service. (There are 49 staff within the RTF made up of officers from the South Wales, Dyfed Powys and Gwent forces). Since its inception Regional Task Force operations have resulted in :

—  105 Arrests.

—  5.1 kilos Heroin seized.

—  2.9kilos Cocaine seized.

—  17,000 Ecstasy tablets seized.

—  £132K Cash seizures.

Police Service Funding

  6.26  Concerns over funding arrangements for policing in Wales were outlined at Chapter 1. Funding for the police service in general is based on a mix of central and local monies from the Home Office, DTLR grant and Council Tax. Police Authorities may raise council taxes via local precepts. Currently, the central government departmental grants comprise 78% of individual Police Authority funding and Council tax 22%.

  6.27  In Wales, the DTLR channels funds for policing services via the Assembly. In effect the Assembly may choose not to use all the funds allocated for policing or police forces and in doing so disadvantage Welsh forces compared to those in England.

  6.28  Proposed changes to the way the police service is funded indicate that in future greater use will be made of Council Tax to raise revenue. For the Welsh forces this presents a dilemma as the Assembly Government retains the right to control or cap Council Tax levels. There is therefore a degree of uncertainty over the long term funding of police services in Wales.

Conclusion

  6.29  It is the view of the Chief Constable that a closer relationship with the National Assembly for Wales is both desirable and inevitable. The Assembly government is concerned with an agenda that is particular to Wales and strategies and priorities that impact on Welsh communities. The police service has an integral part to play in the social and economic growth of Wales and is committed to working in partnership towards common agendas. Uncertainty over future funding is of concern.

Local Government

  6.30  Prior to 1998, partnership working across the South Wales Police area existed on a relatively ad hoc basis. The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 transformed partnership working by placing a statutory duty on selected agencies to work in partnership to tackle crime and disorder issues. Primary amongst these agencies were the police, local authorities, probation and health services and the fire service. The impetus of the Act has focussed attention on co-operation and collaboration. There are seven Community Partnerships in South Wales (also known as Crime and Disorder Partnerships or CDRP's in England) each being coterminus with a BCU boundary.

Overarching Leadership Group (OLG)

  6.31  The establishment of seven Community Safety Partnerships in the South Wales Police area created a need for a collective strategic approach involving all the key partners at chief executive level. As a result, the Overarching Leadership Group was established with membership made up of the Chief Constable, the Chief Executives of the seven Unitary Authorities, the Chief Probation Officer, and senior representatives of health authorities. Membership of the group has since been expanded to include the Crime Reduction Director for Wales, the Chief Fire Officer, and senior representatives of the Prison Service, NACRO, the Youth Justice Board and the Church in Wales.

  6.32  The Overarching Leadership Group has maintained a strategic overview of crime trends and shared community safety needs and has provided leadership and direction in all aspects of public safety. The work is greatly assisted by the fact that representation is at chief executive level. The OLG has shown itself to be an effective mechanism for joint planning and policy making and has resulted in tangible outcomes including an information sharing protocol that all members signed up to.

Community Safety Partnerships

  6.33  As outlined in Chapter 3 (para 3.16) Community Safety Partnerships are required to produce three year plans which identify priorities. The first plan covered 1999-2002 and the current one will end in March 2005. Before publication of plans there is a statutory requirement for Community Safety Partnerships to undertake an audit of crime and disorder that are of concern to communities. The majority of partnerships are currently undertaking the Audit process.

  6.34  In addition, responsibility for drug strategies passed in 2002-03 to Community Safety Partnerships. In 2003-04 the partnerships were required to draw up substance misuse plans and appoint co-ordinators. Forces are currently briefing BCU Commanders and are requiring that the Commanders ensure that the plans reflect an agreed all Wales standard.

  6.35  Whilst all Community Safety Partnerships are unique many are structured along broadly similar lines. The following is a broad overview of the Community Safety Partnership operating in Rhondda Cynon Taff.

Rhondda Cynon Taff Community Safety Partnership

  6.36  Strategic Leadership is provided by the Strategic Leadership Group which is made up of the Chief Executive of the Local Authority, the police BCU Commander (Chief Superintendent) and senior officers of the statutory partners, health, fire, probation as well as voluntary groups.

  The current three year strategic plan is based around six key areas:

  1.  property crime;

  2.  violent crime;

  3.  substance misuse;

  4.  young people;

  5.  public reassurance; and

  6.  road safety.

  A second tier group—the Implementation and Monitoring Group is accountable to the Strategic Leadership Group for delivery of targets. To this end a partnership lead has been appointed for each of the main areas. A quarterly report is submitted to the Strategic Leadership Group showing progress against targets.

  6.37  Funding of the partnership originates from a number of sources eg the Wales Safer Communities Fund, the Building Safer Communities Fund, the BCU Fund, ad hoc funding secured through a bidding process eg Fire Service Arson fund and Funding from the Welsh Assembly Government for specific community safety initiatives and again from a bidding process. All of the funding is short term and has to be spent within the financial year it is allocated. This inevitably means that strategies are developed around short term objectives linked to available funding.

  6.38  The following are examples of initiatives and projects being taken forward by Community Safety Partnerships.

Examples of Communty Safety Partnership working

  Cardiff Community Safety Partnership

Summer Social Cohesion Initiative

  A joint project (Government funded) involving the police and local authority focused on projects aimed at diverting young people away from anti social behaviour such as SPLASH and Crucial Crew. Sector inspectors were also given budgets during the late summer to target anti social behaviour "hot spots".

Home Office—Innovative Fund

  A joint crime reduction project involving the police local authority and the Universities of Cardiff to reduce the likelihood of students becoming victims of crime. In recognition of the very large student population in the city, the Cardiff BCU has based one community beat officer at the university and given three officers part time student community roles.

Small retailers in deprived areas

  A Cardiff Community Safety Partnership managed fund that identifies premises, which have been subject to crime and disorder. Police crime reduction and architectural liaison officers and relevant local authority personnel work to identify vulnerable premises where security can be improved.

Partnership Training

  A joint initiative between the police and local authority to raise awareness of statutory and non statutory partners of their responsibilities and obligations under Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.

Steering group against hooliganism

  A joint protocol between the police, local authority and Cardiff City Football Club to improve the overall management of football matches and identify means by which associated crime and disorder incidents can be reduced.

Safer Cardiff

  Safer Cardiff is a limited company and registered charity. Its management board includes representatives of police, local authority and non-statutory groups and implements various community projects city-wide eg Home Safe, Child Safe Young Person Cafes, Homelessness and Re-start Projects.

Child Safe

  A multi agency initiative to ensure the safety of young children in the city centre, who may become separated from their parent or guardian. Partners include major city retailers, the city centre management team, local authority, Chamber of Commerce and police.

Abandoned Vehicles

  A project based on a joint protocol between the local authority, police and fire service to remove abandoned and dangerous vehicles.

Restart Youth Bus

  A youth crime reduction initiative that provides a fully equipped bus that attends areas in which there is little youth support. Partners include the community safety partnership, Safer Cardiff, the local authority and police. It recently received a National Award.

Stray Horses

  A Local Initiative between local authority, police, RSPCA and gypsy travellers in which horses can be given a microchip to assist in identification of horses.

TAPPs (Targeted Area Priority Plan)

  A partnership regeneration project operating within a Communities First area. Involving the local authority, police, fire service and residents.

Human Trafficking and Child Prostitution Training

  Cardiff Community Safety Partnership in conjunction with Centrex (Bramshill) contributed and sponsored the first, national, multi agency training on Human Trafficking and Child Prostitution. Attended by senior representatives of police, social services, housing, immigration service and other relevant organisations. Further training and research for 2004 has been supported by the Cardiff Community Safety Partnership.

Vale of Glamorgan Community Safety Partnership

Romilly Park in Barry

  A problem solving approach to a large scale youth annoyance problem in a local public area. The project recently won the force Problem Oriented Policing prize. This partnership initiative resulted in:

—  A reduction in all incidents reported in the park and surrounding areas.

—  Theft from motor vehicles fell by 91%.

—  Reports of youth annoyances fell by 72%.

—  Offences of drunkenness fell by 74%.

—  Offences of criminal damage dropped by 68%.

—  Reports of incidents of annoyance caused by vehicles fell by 52%.

—  The total number of incidents including miscellaneous incidents fell by 63%.

  A questionnaire completed by residents confirmed that quality of life in the area had improved and overall fear of crime had been hugely reduced.

Graffiti project "Streetcare"

  A partnership approach with the local authority to remove any racist, homophobic or obscene graffiti within 24 hours. All other graffiti will be removed within five days of notification. A Streetcare reporting form is available in relation to a number of public reassurance issues which include, graffiti, damage, flytipping, abandoned vehicles, defective street lighting, road surface problems etc. Shops that sell spray paint have been visited to stress the need to be vigilant to whom they sell spray cans.

Bridgend Community Safety Partnership

Wildmill Initiative

  The Wildmill area of Bridgend, is a social housing estate of approximately 1000 dwellings, which includes blocks of flats, maisonettes, detached and semi-detached houses; estimates of the population of the area vary but are put at approximately 2,500 people. The estate covers a relatively small geographical area, with high social deprivation, with higher than average levels of criminality and youth annoyance.

  Research commissioned by "Youthworks" Wildmill, (part of a National youth works programme, operating through local groundworks trusts) showed that the youth of the area believed there was little for them to do and that illegal use of and trafficking in controlled drugs played a significant part in developing a feeling of deprivation within the estate. Wildmill itself has, in comparison with the rest of the Bridgend County Borough, a higher proportion of single parents, many of whom are young mothers. It has become clear that this section of the population had become an easy target for drug traffickers, the selling of stolen goods and many were on the fringes of prostitution.

  In 2003, a decision was made to give a greater commitment to the policing of the Wildmill estate. A Problem Orientated Policing (POP) approach began in conjunction with others within the Bridgend Community Safety Partnership.

  Having defined the problem and set objectives, a targeted response was set. This was in relation to both law enforcement and in improving the surroundings of the area and the use of "distraction tactics" such as the development of the "Youthworks" centre, to reduce the youth annoyance problem.

—  CCTV cameras were installed throughout the estate;

—  the police presence was significantly increased. In June 2003, every special constable within the Bridgend BCU was seconded onto the Wildmill project. In total 17 Special Constables committed themselves to additional patrol time and over a six month period from June to December 2003, over 500-hours additional patrolling was carried out.

  The previous establishment of one community beat officer, was doubled and those officers were resourced in such a way that, (abstractions permitting) a Wildmill CBO would be on duty every day. Both officers were involved in highlighting the problems and targets within their area, by developing a profile of Wildmill which included identification of every resident who was known or suspected to be actively engaged in criminal activity.

—  The Youthworks programme was developed and continued to grow in both credibility and standing within the community.

—  The activities run by the "Youthworks" programme includes sports, computer sessions, art and craft sessions, photography/video projects and health related projects. In the summer of 2003, ten young people went on a camping trip and the programme has also included Duke of Edinburgh Award sessions.

—  A "Groundworks" project was invited into the estate, to help develop the environment by involving the youth of the area.

  Figures provided on the effects of the programme, suggest that from January to September 2003, 123 young people became involved in 432 sessions, totalling over 1,000 hours and over 5,800 attendances.

—  A robust and pro-active approach was taken, to targeting known criminals operating within the estate and also those criminals resident within the area, but who were committing crime elsewhere.

—  In September 2003, three PCSOs were placed to work alongside a community beat officer, so that they could gain experience in working with the community and gain knowledge of the problems encountered in the area. Each PCSO began working closely with various groups in the area, ensuring closer liaison is maintained between the police and the Wildmill community and with almost immediate effect, incidents of youth annoyance began to fall.

—  The Wildmill community has sponsored the purchase of mobile phones for each PCSO, so that the residents group can maintain close contact with each officer.

  The following graph indicates the make-up of crimes for the Wildmill area for 2003:

Swansea Community Safety Partnership

Ty Saff Anti-Burglary Initiative

  The Ty Saff initiative was established in June 2003 and has developed with the assistance of South Wales Police, the City and County of Swansea and West Wales Fire Brigade. The agency has been designed to react quickly to victims of burglary by directing "target hardening" resources where they are required most. In addition to fitting improved security devices (eg doors, locks and lighting), the initiative also aims to reassure victims and empower them with the confidence and crime prevention knowledge to prevent the occurrence of repeat offences. The main aims and objectives of the initiative are to reduce the incidences of domestic burglary and violence, provide reassurance and reduce the fear of crime, reduce incidences of repeat victimisation and promote feelings of safety and well being in the community.

  Although the initiative was primarily established to help and support individual victims, it also takes into account wider community safety issues, including whole street surveys and garden maintenance, reducing the threat of future burglaries and also to promote reassurance. By achieving charitable status, the project has been able to attract several sources of funding which has enabled target hardening to be carried out.

Local Beach initiatives

  Over the last 12 months there has been a noticeable increase in the number of theft offences occurring at beach car parks in Swansea. To tackle this issue, the community safety department has undertaken a number of crime prevention initiatives. The team has recently provided a locker system to some of the beaches as a security measure. A large amount of the crimes being committed at these locations involved the theft of vehicles and also property from within vehicles. It was established that persons were leaving their car keys hidden on their vehicle, as there was no other means of storing them. The new system enables the secure storing of property and also the reduction in crime at the beach locations. This will be evaluated over the next 12 months and, during this time, students at Swansea Institute, are designing a purpose built system for use at beach venues throughout the year.

Vehicle Arson Recovery

  This is a scheme that has been running for four years and is aimed at the recovery of abandoned and burnt-out vehicles. Over 100 vehicles have been recovered during this time, and disposed of, thus improving the environment. Prior to the inception of the Vehicle Arson Recovery Initiative in March 2000, deliberate car fires were increasing at a rate of 12% per year in the Swansea area. In reducing the numbers of vehicle arson attacks by over 35% in the past four years and taking into account the stemming of the historic 12% annual increase, the VARI has achieved the following savings in the West Glamorgan area in attending over 1,479 less car fires. *

  Savings in turnouts = £591,600

  Savings to society = £5.9M

  * Source "The Economic Cost of Arson" Home Office Publication

Secured by Design Car Parks

  The scheme demonstrates through external independent assessment, a commitment to continuous progress in the reduction of car crime through a documented car park management system. Working in partnership with the local authority, the H BCU Architect Liaison officer and City planners have successfully achieved eight "Secured By Design" (SBD) car parks. Swansea now has the most SBD accredited car park schemes of any town or city in Wales. The eight car parks equates to seventeen hundred car parking spaces being provided to the public, with high standards of security being designed into the construction.

Operation Phoenix

  Operation Phoenix is a multi agency project tackling Crime and Disorder and improving the environment, it was implemented within a designated area on the outskirts of Swansea City Centre.

  Intelligence indicated that an open street "heroin market" was operating and that this activity was the root cause of acquisitive crime, violence and anti-social behaviour. Crime records showed this area to be one of the most crime-ridden streets in Swansea. The area had become a magnet for people who caused anti-social behaviour.

  The area's appearance was one of neglect. Graffiti, fly posting and tipping were commonplace, overgrown shrubbery created natural cover for drug dealers and criminals to use to their advantage.

  At the outset of this project Police and Local Authority met and shared specific information and intelligence. A public safety survey commissioned by the partnership produced alarming results:

—  60% "Not at all safe" at night.

—  20% felt "Not at all safe" during daytime.

  After consultation, a partnership led, phased response was planned and agreed upon, each agency playing a critical role in its delivery. The phases commenced with enforcement activity and progressed through to phases of reassurance, regeneration and finally sustainability.

  Phase One deployed covert test purchase officers to disrupt the "open" heroin market.

  Phase Two saw a highly visible police and local authority enforcement assault upon issues of crime and disorder. This presence preventing the resurgence of the disrupted drug market.

  Phase Three focused upon reassurance and regeneration, a programme of improvements to the environment combined with a reassuring and engaging police presence were its hallmarks.

  Phase Four capitalised upon the "reclamation" of this public space and its sustainability, the key features being the introduction of dedicated community beat officers and long term crime reduction initiatives eg CCTV and lighting.

  The successes were swift and dramatic. The drug dealing market was smashed and the orchestrators jailed for a total of 25 years. Reported crime and incidents fell dramatically. The visual appearance significantly improved with countless issues being addressed. Public perception of safety dramatically improved and gave the community a new air of confidence.

  Recorded crime dramatically reduced across the first three months of the Operation and has remained at significantly lower levels since.

  The headline successes during the operational period include monthly reductions of up to:

—  32% in All Crime.

—  47% in Violent Crime.

—  70% in Auto Crime.

  It has been encouraging to note the continued reduction of recorded crime since the initial intensive three-month period. This reduction takes on greater significance when viewed against the BCU figures as a whole during this same period.

7.  STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS CRIME AND ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR

Introduction

  7.1  The need for people to feel safe wherever they are and wherever they live is an absolute right that all communities are entitled to. Fear of crime and anti-social behaviour is a factor that impacts on quality of life and it is fully recognised that performance indicators that show falling levels of crime will not lead to increased public reassurance unless accompanied by tangible improvements that result in people feeling safer.

  7.2  Triggers for fear are wide ranging and can be influenced by perception of crime levels, environmental factors such as abandoned vehicles, broken windows, graffiti as well as feelings of intimidation that result from people behaving in a drunken, aggressive or intimidating manner. What is clear, however, is that local problems are often interlinked and require strategies that aim to resolve causes as well as symptoms.

  7.3  The challenge for South Wales Police and its partners is not only to reduce levels of crime and anti-social behaviour but also to improve feelings of safety at a local level. This requires witnesses and victims to be treated as partners and to be kept informed of police action. This has not always been the case as traditionally the focus of police activity has been on the culprit. The consequence of acting in isolation is a loss of confidence and scepticism over the value and worth of local police.

  7.4  Good intelligence is the key to success and is at the heart of policing strategies in South Wales. A project is currently away to develop a community intelligence model that will promote the better sharing of information across the many community safety partnerships that operate in the force area and build on the information sharing protocols already in place.

CRIME AND REASSURANCE STRATEGY

  7.5  The Crime and Reassurance Strategy is the overarching strategy for tackling crime and anti-social behaviour across South Wales. The strategy has three key elements and takes account of priorities identified in the strategic and annual plans:

1.   Tackling drugs and organised crime

—  A partnership approach with the Welsh Assembly, statutory and other agencies in key social policy areas that have a direct bearing on the service through Education, Enforcement, Diversion, Active participation in community support schemes.

—  Targeting of Class A drug dealers.

—  Support of operations through the provision of a co-ordinated and intelligence led approach to drugs enforcement/misuse both locally and regionally.

—  Prevention and disruption of the formation and business of organised crime gangs into South Wales.

2.   Provide public protection and reassurance.

—  Development of strategies and action plans to prevent crime and fear of crime and includes working with the community and partnerships to design out crime by developing situational and social methods of crime prevention.

—  Working in partnership with communities, local authorities, criminal justice agencies and other partners to target problem locations and offenders in terms of both crime, anti-social behaviour and, in so doing, address the causes as well as the symptoms of crime and disorder.

—  Highest quality of service to victims and witnesses.

—  Increased visibility and access using people, IT solutions and by reviewing estates, processes and equipment.

—  A policing style which is community based and delivered primarily through specialist police officers and support staff who are accessible, visible and approachable.

—  Utilisation of the extended police family.

3  Providing a professional policing service

—  Priority in supporting personnel delivering front line services and ensure investment in them to underpin their capabilities to provide.

—  Reduction of bureaucracy by improving processes to increase efficiency and effectiveness.

—  Professionalising the investigative process.

  7.6  The Crime and Reassurance strategy is underpinned by separate strategies and tool kits and by a range of performance indicators against which progress is monitored. All are based on the principles of the National Intelligence Model and success is dependent on the quality of available intelligence. In addition a force Control Strategy which identifies intelligence, enforcement and preventative measures has been developed in relation to the following areas:

—  Serious and organised crime—class A trafficking and distribution.

—  Serious and organised crime—Gun Crime.

—  Serious and organised crime—distraction burglaries.

—  Volume crime—vehicle crime.

—  Anti-social behaviour—persistent offenders.

—  Anti-social behaviour—town centre and youth disorder.

—  Terrorism—awareness consideration and response.

  7.7  It is recognised that a strategy, no matter how well intentioned, will not lead to improvements unless driven forward with energy, enthusiasm and sustained vigour. A process known as Compstat has been introduced at both local and force level to monitor progress with the aim of supporting commanders to meet their targets. Compstat is an intrusive management tool that at force level focuses on BCU performance. It involves an initial inspection of a BCU by the force inspectorate followed by a formal meeting involving the Assistant Chief Constable (Crime and Operations) and the BCU management team. At the meeting the BCU commander is held to account for performance. Areas of weakness are identified and actions plans introduced which are monitored and subject of follow up inspections. Where necessary support departments can be allocated to assist the BCU commander. In addition to the above process a "Dynamic Compstat" meeting has been introduced which brings together all seven BCU commanders together with the crime and operations managers and is again chaired by the Assistant Chief Constable (Crime and Operations). These meetings also promote information exchange between neighbouring commanders and good practice to be shared. At BCU level, divisional commanders undertake a similar process holding their own sector inspectors accountable for performance against targets. The force is currently reviewing Compstat to ensure that all relevant areas of performance are included within the process.

  7.8  Volume crime is the term used to identify the crimes that make up the bulk of reported crime ie autocrime, burglary, violent crime and general theft. In line with the National Policing Plan the three target crimes for the force are:

  1.  Autocrime.

  2.  Dwelling house burglary.

  3.  Violent crime.

  Whilst specific strategies and tool kits have been developed for each crime group, they also recognise that criminals are opportunists and commit a range of crimes. Each strategy provides gateways for tackling and investigating other areas of criminality eg vehicles are invariably used by criminals as preferred modes of transport and for carrying stolen goods and drugs. The autocrime strategy takes account of the fact that criminals are vulnerable in vehicles as driving behaviour, licensing irregularities and use of automatic licensing plate recognition can highlight them for attention.

  7.9  In addition to day to day efforts to reduce crime, the force has introduced "Operation Arrowhead" which takes place every two to three months. It is based on the principle that greatest impact can be achieved on reducing local criminality and boosting public reassurance by the combined effort of the whole of South Wales Police, ie police officers and police staff. During 2004, four operations have resulted in 700 arrests. Each exercise includes a range of initiatives. For example, one exercise involved talks delivered to school children on the dangers of firearms; drugs awareness talks to local magistrates; domestic violence talks to a local college; a truancy operation where over 200 children were found absent from school in one day. On each exercise the Major Crime and Legacy Investigation Teams are disbanded and detectives go to divisions to assist as arrest teams, interview teams etc. Probationer constables (officers in their first two years service) along with their trainers leave the classroom and parade on division. Police staff also take part in crime prevention initiatives aimed at raising public awareness of leaving valuables in cars etc.

  7.10  Autocrime accounts for the greatest proportion of crime in the South Wales Police area as well as a significant number of deaths and injuries. Research has shown that 22% of all vehicle crime takes place in car parks and that simple crime prevention measures can lessen risks of being a victim. The force Vehicle Crime Strategy is based around prevention and enforcement and follows an intelligence led approach. This year (1 April—31 August ) auto crime has fallen by 13% with 1,454 fewer victims compared with the same period last year.

  7.11  Strategies to reduce dwelling house burglary are based on raising awareness of crime prevention techniques, targeting prolific offenders, forensic analyses and follow the principles of the National Intelligence Model. This year dwelling house burglaries have been reduced by 18% with 604 fewer victims compared with the same period last year.

  7.12  Violent crime is often portrayed by the media as a single crime type, associated with street crime and stranger violence. Unlike burglary and auto crime, for crime recording purposes, violent crime is a category that comprises over 30 different offences ranging from murder to common assault and includes public order offences. The inclusion of public order offences creates a paradox in that preventative action (eg the arrest of persons who are behaving in a disorderly manner and are about to fight) has the effect of increasing the overall category because arrests are counted as violent crimes. During 2003-04 in the South Wales Police area, 26% of violent crime, 5,944 offences resulted from positive policing action (ie arrests) and accounted for 4% of total crime for that year.

  7.13  During 2004, research into types of violent crime was undertaken within the South Wales Police force area. The research was based on a sampling exercise involving 1,724 offences. The results were as follows :

—  872 cases (equating to just over 50%) were related to domestic violence. Of these 410 were partner related (24%), 249 were ex-partner related ( 14%), 192 were family member related ( 11%), eight involved rape (0.5%) and 13 were acquaintance related (one %).

—  852 cases were not related to domestic violence. Of these, 608 were related to an acquaintance (35%), 66 were neighbour related (4%), 17 assaults were on police officer during the arrest (1%), 14 were rape related (1%).

—  In over 70% of cases the culprit was known to the victim. The research provided clear evidence that stranger violence makes up a small proportion of violent crime.

  7.14  The research also found that assaults committed by persons under the influence of drink and drugs had increased by 50% over the year. Alcohol related violence is being tackled through a range of strategies that can be best illustrated through a case study based on the city of Cardiff.

  7.15  Cardiff is one of the fastest growing cities in Europe. As well as the Welsh capital, it is a thriving social and cultural centre. It has a large full time student population which has increased 100% in the last three years to 37,000, larger than the total population of many Welsh towns. The city centre has capacity within its licensed premises for 60,000 people (which can rise to 130,000 when the Millennium stadium hosts capacity events). On an average Friday and Saturday evening up to 40,000 young people attend the bars and night clubs. The presence of large numbers of young people, many of whom are intent on consuming large quantities of alcohol, congregating in a very small part of the city creates the potential for violence and disorder and policing strategies and resources have to take account of this.

  7.16  The Targeting Alcohol related Street Crime (TASC) project was a Home Office funded, police-led, multi agency scheme launched in July 2000 with the aim of reducing alcohol-related crime and disorder in Central Cardiff and Cardiff Bay. It was based on a partnership involving the police, local authority, licensing industry, health and a range of other agencies. The project led to an active Licensees Forum at which issues concerning licensed premises were addressed. It led to the introduction of standards for licensed premises door staff and bar staff and an education awareness programme for school children. It also led to closer working arrangements with the city's accident and emergency unit which provided locations and times of assaults and enabled a more complete picture of crime patterns to be captured. The partnership approach has resulted in violence against the person being reduced by 8% this year—733 fewer victims.

  7.17  In order to increase resources operating in the city centre, particularly on a weekend and during the night, A "Cardiff After Dark" strategy was implemented. The partners are Police, Local Authority and Cardiff Bus. The scheme has resulted in additional high visibility police patrols, the provision of late night buses to assist in removing people from the city centre and to reduce risks of confrontation over taxis and road closures in the vicinity of areas with high numbers of clubs.

  7.18  The evaluation of the TASC project was undertaken independently and highlighted the importance of planning policies in slowing the expansion of licensed premises in areas that were already `saturated' and experiencing high levels of disorder. This was an area that achieved little success during the course of the initiative despite police objections at planning applications.

  7.19  The introduction to this report highlighted the emphasis being placed on combating organised and serious crime. In addition to operations conducted within force both Welsh and neighbouring English forces have wide ranging and effective cross border arrangements in place based for collaboration.

  Examples include:

—  Operation Tarian—outlined in detail in chapter 4.

—  A Regional Asset Recovery Team—has already exceeded its three year target for cash seizures having seized over £1 million. In addition £4 million in assets have been seized.

—  An all Wales Distraction Burglary Policy is in place.

—  Operation Eagle is a regional operation involving South Wales Police, Dyfed Powys Police and British Transport Police who on a bi-monthly basis pool their information and resources to target travelling criminals and provide public reassurance. The Operation has been conducted on three occasions to date. Total arrests to date number 115 for offences ranging from class A drug supply, vehicle crime and burglary.

  7.20.  The risks from terrorism require ongoing vigilance to ensure that South Wales is not seen as a soft target, particularly in light of target hardening operations in London and other major cities. Within force a Security Review Group has been set up to co-ordinate actions to ensure that risks and potential targets are identified at the earliest stage and appropriate action taken. Each BCU has a lead co-ordinator who is responsible for collating intelligence and for ensuring that front line officers are properly briefed and that appropriate actions are followed through.

STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR

  7.21  The Home Affairs Committee is currently conducting an inquiry into Anti-Social Behaviour and have received a written submission from the President of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO). The Chief Constable of South Wales Police is in agreement with and fully supports the ACPO submission.

  7.22  Traditionally, police activity has focused on preventing and detecting crime and has resulted in considerable success. This activity has been driven by national targets and local consultation. Significantly, and until recently, combating anti-social behaviour was not a national target for police forces. Indeed, there is currently no national definition of what constitutes anti-social behaviour and no national measurement framework that compares policing performance.

  7.23  In recent years there has been a realisation at national level that anti-social behaviour can have as great an impact on the quality of life of people living in an area. Indeed, it can have a greater impact. Crime tends to be targeted at individuals whilst anti-social behaviour can affect whole communities. In combination the effects can be devastating.

  7.24  National surveys have revealed the scale of the problem. Two years ago, the Home Office conducted a national survey of anti-social behaviour over the course of one day. Over 66,000 incidents were reported, with 60% resulting from the actions of young people. It has been estimated that anti-social behaviour amounts to an annual cost of around £3.4 billion a year and that one in five people have reported a high level of disorder in their area. It is also clear, as highlighted in a recent survey published by the Times newspaper, that young people are as concerned about anti-social behaviour as those in older age groups. By tackling anti-social behaviour effectively through early identification and intervention there are huge benefits and resource savings to be gained.

  7.25  Whilst combating anti-social behaviour has taken on an increased focus in recent years the problem is not new. Indeed, the police service has faced this problem on an increasing scale over a very long period. What is new is the inclusion of anti-social behaviour alongside the national requirement to reduce crime. To some extent this is reducing local tensions experienced by the police in areas where anti-social behaviour is seen as a higher priority than some of the nationally measured crimes. The latter target has sometimes led to local policing resources being focused on the measured targets.

  7.26  There is no doubt that drunken, aggressive behaviour, intimidation, vandalism and loutishness all undermine a civil society and often target the most vulnerable. Such behaviour is committed by a minority of people whose actions have a disproportionate effect. Solutions need to be aimed at those responsible in a measured, proportionate and effective way.

  7.27  Young people in particular are often associated with anti-social behaviour and there is a growing tendency to associate any group of youths who congregate in an area with nuisance. There is a risk that unless measures to tackle problems are proportionate then young people will be demonised and alienated from the police and other agencies. Evidence within South Wales, as will be shown later in this chapter, is that parental influence can have a significant impact on reducing anti-social behaviour providing that the parents are made aware of their children's behaviour. Solutions need to firstly stop problems and then make sure they don't re-occur

  7.28  Until fairly recently police actions tended to be focused on the first part of the solution. It was wasteful in resources and left complainants feeling a sense of frustration and despair. It is now recognised that tackling anti-social behaviour effectively is about recognising the impact on victims and communities as well as looking at the factors which cause such behaviour. Most importantly it is about taking early action that recognises the needs of victims and witnesses alongside measures to deal with the culprit. Early intervention is critical and within force programmes are aimed at gathering community intelligence on a partnership basis so that those who are responsible can be properly targeted. Crucial to being effective is the need to give victims and witnesses the confidence to come forward. Protection of communities, victims and witnesses is paramount.

  7.29  The Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 provided a comprehensive list of measures to tackle the problem. It provided for quick and effective responses to problems, which were previously difficult to deal with due to unclear legislative powers. Experience has shown that solutions based on problem solving interventions are most likely to be successful if they:

  1.  Address risk factors, which lead to anti-social behaviour and provide support.

  2.  Establish clear standards of acceptable behaviour within the community, ensuring that these are upheld and that victims' needs are addressed.

  3.  Make an offender aware of the impact and consequences of their behaviour, ensuring they stop and are supported towards a positive future.

  7.30  To this end, an "Anti-Social Behaviour Framework—A Partnership Approach" was developed by South Wales Police and formally launched by the Chief Constable at a Seminar attended by Welsh Assembly Government Minister Edwina Hart and representatives of Community Safety Partnerships in June 2004. The framework was based on a consultation process involving the South Wales Overarching Leadership Group, all seven Community Safety Partnerships, Divisional Commanders and other practitioners. It provides a structure across South Wales aimed at enabling the police in partnership to make best use of intelligence, resources and available interventions in a co-ordinated, structured and consistent manner.

  7.31  The framework sets out minimum standards that are required to effectively tackle both cause and effect of anti-social behaviour eg it requires an anti-social behaviour coordinator to be present in each BCU, along with a partnership office and a joint anti-social behaviour co-ordinating group. As a result, each BCU has a police anti-social coordinator sitting alongside a local authority co-ordinating in a joint partnership office.

  7.32  Levels of interventions across the force area for the period 1 January 2003 to 1 September 2004 are shown in the table below. The adoption of the framework since June 2004 has resulted in a more consistent approach being taken across the force area.

	A	B	C	E	F	G	H
1st stage letters		347	411	247	878	59	1,198
2nd stage letters		47	78	31	61	131	159
3rd stage		5	23				15
ABC	2	7	8	1	11	15	31
ASBO's	17	10	24	3	2	10	3

  7.33  The framework in based on a graduated flexible approach that treats each case on its own merit. It draws on lessons learned by the police service in the 1970s and 80s when enforcement action failed to address crime levels which were increasing at an exponential rate. The graduated response is aimed at ensuring that people are aware that their behaviour is causing a public nuisance and has the flexibility to by pass stages if the severity of the case warrants it. It has proved particularly effective in raising parental awareness of their child's behaviour outside the home.

  7.34  In general terms, the graduated response operates as follows. Step one involves a warning letter being sent requiring the person to stop the behaviour. If the problem persists, step two would include a follow-up letter and a home visit by members of the partnership and a police officer. This visit would aim to identify and address any aggravating problems, such as difficulties within the family or at school, which might underlie the behaviour. If a third referral is received and the individual has not engaged with the process a case conference is called drawing together all the agencies and the individual to try to find a way forward. This would result either in an Acceptable Behaviour Contract (ABC) being drawn up or an application for an Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO). (The ABC is a contract that identifies the behaviour that is required to be addressed and how this will be achieved. It is a formal document that is signed by the parties involved. Whilst it is not legally binding it provides additional evidence should there be a need to apply for an ASBO).

  7.35  The following case studies illustrate how the framework operates in practice.

Case Study One

  June 2004. Involved a girl aged 14 repeatedly drinking alcohol in the grounds of a crematorium and behaving in a disorderly manner. A complaint received from a resident close by. The area and complainant was visited by a police officer and an anti-social behaviour report submitted. This resulted in a letter being sent to the individual's home. Local police officers and trading standards officers were also advised that licensed premises in this area were selling alcohol to under age persons resulting in appropriate action being taken. The parents acknowledged receipt of letter and being unaware of their daughter's behaviour thanked Safer Swansea Partnership for intervening. There was no repeat of this problem.

Case Study Two

  May 2003. A girl aged 15 was reported for persistent bad behaviour and aggression towards staff at a retail outlet. This resulted in a first warning letter. In October 2003 the bad behaviour resumed and the girl was again reported to the police. This resulted in a home visit from the Sector Inspector and representative of the Youth Offender Team (YOT). A risk assessment of future behaviour was undertaken and concerns were identified in relation to her home life. This resulted in additional support being provided to the family by both the Education Department and an officer from Social Services. There was no repeat of the behavioural problems.

Case Study Three

  January 2004. A girl was reported for causing alarm and distress to a member of the public by using obscene language towards them. A case conference was called with the following agencies in attendance—ASBRC, Police, Youth Offending Team, and Education. It was decided that an Acceptable Behaviour Contract would be drawn up. A police officer and YOT worker undertook a home visit and obtained agreement over the Acceptable Behaviour Contract with the girl and her mother who both signed the contract. In February 2004, a review of the ABC was undertaken and revealed that whilst it had not breached, the behaviour of the girl merited further attention. Further intervention resulted. As a consequence her behaviour improved markedly and she has also made better progress in school.

Case Study Four

  April 2003. Involved a 13 year old boy who had been excluded from school due to his behaviour and who came to the notice of the police through a number of complaints from the public over his conduct towards staff and customers of local shops. The individual was subject of an advisory letter and visit from the local sector. Due to his continuing poor behaviour he was subject of an Acceptable Behaviour Contract and signed this in the presence of his mother. As a result his behaviour improved for a period of three months. However, following further problems including damage to neighbour's property and further nuisance at the shopping precinct he was made the subject of an anti-social behaviour order which was applied for by the police Anti-Social Behaviour Co-ordinator and granted by Cardiff Magistrates Court for a period of three years.

Case Study Five

  January 2004. Involved activities of local youths subjecting residents of an estate in Cardiff to intense anti-social behaviour. Residents were faced with a steady decline in the visual impact of the estate resulting from graffiti and physical damage to property including paving stones, telephone lines and electricity boxes. Youths in groups of 10-35 were often involved and as well as anti-social behaviour were also engaged in criminal activities. Local policing initiatives focused on a problem solving approach including diversionary activities as well as enforcement. Several trips were arranged but met with a poor response. High visibility patrols were introduced, overt and covert CCTV utilised and other crime prevention measures introduced. Despite all efforts the behaviour of the local youths did not improve. As a consequence and in order to restore stability and security to the community, Section 30 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 was applied to the area on 17 August for a period of three months. Under the order a curfew has been introduced in the following terms, "If between the hours of 9 pm and 6 am a police constable in uniform finds a person in any public place in the designated area, whom he has reasonable grounds to believe is under the age of 16 years, and is not under the control of a parent or responsible person aged 18 or over, the constable may remove the person to their place of residence or other appropriate address, unless he/she has reasonable grounds for believing that if that is done the young person would be likely to suffer significant harm." In addition ASBO's are being applied for in respect of certain individuals.

  At the time of writing, the Section 30 Order has been in effect for over a month and has already had a positive effect. The number of complaints of anti-social behaviour have dropped from an average of 1.5 a day to nil. The Dispersal Order has proven effective and as a result it has not been found necessary to introduce the curfew element. The BCU commander is hopeful that the Section 30 Order will be withdrawn ahead of its expiry date. To that an end an exit strategy is currently being developed by the partnership with the aim of ensuring that the progress made is maintained over the long term.

  7.36  The following are examples of other initiatives that have been undertaken or are in the process of being developed in order to reduce anti-social behaviour.

(i)  Closure of Crack House

  Utilising S1 of ASB Act 2003 to close a property in Swansea following investigations regarding drug abuse.

(ii)  Operation Blakey

  This involved Police Officers and Police Community Support Officers travelling on the First Cymru buses in the Penlan, Blaenymaes and Gorseinon areas during the month of March 2004, in order to reduce the number of incidents of nuisance and anti-social behaviour. The initial reaction from the public and the bus company seems to be very positive, with fewer annoyance incidents being reported. The operation is currently being evaluated which will provide more specific information with a view to extending the scheme to other parts of the City as and when the need arises.

(iii)  Vehicle Arson Recovery

  This is a scheme that has been running for four years and is aimed at the recovery of abandoned and burnt-out vehicles. Over 100 vehicles have been recovered during this time, and disposed of, thus improving the environment. Prior to the inception of the Vehicle Arson Recovery Initiative (VARI) in March 2000, deliberate car fires were increasing at a rate of 12% per year in the Swansea area. In reducing the numbers of vehicle arson attacks by over 35% in the past four years and taking into account the stemming of the historic 12% annual increase, the VARI has achieved the following savings in the West Glamorgan area in attending over 1,479 less car fires. Savings in turnouts = £591,600, Savings to society = £5.9M.( Source `The Economic Cost of Arson' Home Office Publication). In addition the ability to remove illegal and abandoned vehicles, which have long been trigger factors for crime, has been improved through the Partnership appointing two individuals to deal with the removal of vehicles.

  (iv)  Swansea City Centre Christmas Operation 2003

  This is a seasonal operation, which ran for six weeks from the middle of November to the end of December 2003, and involved a wide range of police resources. Its main function was to offer public reassurance with a greater uniformed presence on the streets and to take positive action in respect of anti-social behaviour and criminal conduct. The operation had a constructive effect in the area with 141 arrests for a wide variety of offences and a vast amount of intelligence was gathered. The emphasis on public safety and reassurance has also been a main feature of the continuing efforts of partnership agencies to build on the success of the city centre being the first in Wales to receive a Home Office approved Safer Shopping Award. By targeting known criminals and issuing Exclusion Orders on the most persistent shoplifters has demonstrated that Swansea will not tolerate this type of behaviour. As part of the Christmas operation, an emergency triage centre was introduced in the city centre. It was staffed by medical personnel and police to treat people with minor injuries on site, thus reducing the number of people who would otherwise have gone to the Accident and Emergency Department at Morriston Hospital. This proved to be very successful and was welcomed by all concerned and it is something that we will be looking to repeat in the future.

  7.37  The force is also involved in working with young people to encourage the positive contributions they can make to society. The Prince's Trust Volunteers Scheme provides a good example. The South Wales Police Princess Trust Volunteers franchise was established in 1998 and since then has administered over 100 team programmes. The Trust targets young people who are considered disadvantaged and the South Wales Police franchise attracts a high proportion of young offenders. An evaluation of the scheme has that 66% of persons whom enter the scheme with a conviction do not go on to reoffend and that 43% progress from the scheme into work, education, training or voluntary work.

  7.38  Whilst significant progress is being made in reducing anti-social behaviour increased effectiveness could be achieved through the following:

(i)  There is a need for a national definition of what constitutes anti-social behaviour. This would promote a better understanding amongst partner agencies and the role that each agency can play in combating it.

(ii)  A clear definition would enable a performance monitoring regime to be introduced that would allow for meaningful comparisons to be made. Unfortunately, the current lack of a nationally agreed definition means that alternative measures are sought. The worst example is the use of the anti-social behaviour order as an indicator of success. As explained earlier in this section, an anti-social behaviour order is only one part in a tactical range of options. It could equally be argued that an anti-social behaviour order represents a failure in that intervention has not resolved the problem at an earlier stage.

(iii)  Any performance regime must include partner agencies and defined common minimum standards of working. It should seek to reward integrated working across agencies.

(iv)  There needs to be universal recognition that anti-social behaviour can only be tackled effectively by joint action "across the piece". This means for instance, cross cutting government action from the top to direct and facilitate joint activity down to a local fully integrated strategy.

(v)  There must be more effective management of the night- time economy that recognises the social responsibility of the licensing industry. This requires more effective integration and enforcement of licensing. Residents views must be given a high priority in determining whether a licence is granted or renewed. Saturation of any area must be a ground for refusal of a licensing application. Police and the local authority must have stronger powers to close licensed premises temporarily.

(vi)  Policing the night-time economy creates a huge demand on police resources. ACPO supports the "polluter pays " policy and the view that licensed premises should be responsible for the costs associated with crime and disorder problems resulting from the night-time economy.

8.  CONCLUSION

  8.1  This paper has been prepared to assist the Welsh Affairs Select Committee in its inquiry into the police service, crime and anti-social behaviour.

Barbara Wilding QPM

Chief Constable, South Wales Police

8 October 2004

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Prepared 23 March 2005