Herts Police '˜Good' at fighting crime, says nationwide report

The annual report saw all 43 forces assessed, with Herts one of 25 rated as Good. Only one force - Durham - received the highest rating of ‘Outstanding’, while none got the lowest grade of ‘Inadequate’.

Herts Police also received Good ratings in the four main areas which were focused on.

The grade was given for ‘How effective is the force at preventing crime and anti-social behaviour, and keeping people safe?’, ‘How effective is the force at investigating crime and managing offenders?’, ‘How effective is the force at protecting from harm those who are vulnerable, and supporting victims?’, and ‘How effective is the force at tackling serious and organised crime, including its arrangements for fulfilling its national policing responsibilities?’.

Her Majesty’s Inspector Zoë Billingham said: “The force is strongly committed to crime prevention and keeping its communities safe.

“A good example is Operation Manhunt, where PCSOs visit elderly people in areas where there have been distraction burglaries giving crime prevention advice and putting in place safeguarding measures – like cameras – to provide reassurance and to help secure evidence.”

She added: “Hertfordshire Constabulary’s approach to investigating crime and managing offenders is also good. Although there are some inconsistencies in the quality of the force’s initial investigations, the quality of the subsequent investigations is good.”