PCC Response -Progress to introduce a national operating model for rape and other serious sexual offences investigations
17 October 2024
Dear Home Secretary
I acknowledge that the His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) team published on the 22 August 2024 – An inspection report on progress to introduce a national operating model for rape and other serious sexual offences investigations in early adopter police forces.
I welcome the report as it mirrors my own sentiment that victims should be at the heart of the system, particularly when tackling violence against women and children. This is reflected in my Police and Crime Plan, as indeed are the recommendations in the HMICFRS report.
This is not just about changing policy, but changing a culture that has allowed this violence to persist in silence. We are in a national emergency where women and children are falling victim far too often to crimes of violence and abuse.
I have asked for and received briefings from the Chief Constable on Bedfordshire Police’s response to each of the recommendations. The Soteria Transformation Plan was presented to Bedfordshire Executive Team on the 20 February 2024. Whilst I believe Bedfordshire is making good progress on VAWC generally, and these recommendations specifically, I am establishing a mission board to drive this agenda.
This mission board will bring together senior police officers, other local public sector partner organisations and voluntary and community organisations, specifically women’s groups and those who advocate on behalf of children. The board will meet on a regular basis to review progress and enable me to hold the Chief Constable to account for high and improving performance in the important area of VAWC and to address the recommendations identified in the inspectorate’s report.
I am also, at my regular Performance and Governance accountability meetings with the Chief Constable, reviewing performance in this area of policing, and a spotlight meeting was held on Op Soteria this summer. The Chief Constable reported a positive trend in investigation outcomes but recognises that further work needs to be done to enhance this position. The further work is both for policing but also has requirements from our wider public service providers within Bedfordshire. I will be receiving a further report at the January 2025 Performance and Governance Board but in the interim will be discussing this in my interim meetings with the Chief Constable.
Bedfordshire Police has made some good progress on VAWC, and will continue over the next few months, to focus on:
- the delivery plan over the next twelve months, moving to the six Soteria pillars, adopted within the Vulnerability and Exploitation Board.
- Soteria transformational plan with a completion date in early 2025 once the actions from the transformational plan have been considered and delivered.
- focusing on High Risk / High Harm Perpetrators.
- seeking further funding opportunities. It has been recognised through the Police and Race Action Plan that there are key areas of the community who are affected by VAWG and underreporting occurs. Support in this area to continue to fund key supporters of VAWG such as EBONISTA Project and NINE RED Presents has seen a rise in community confidence following the most recent VAWG conference held at Bedfordshire Police.
- Piloting key workstreams across VAWG i.e. The Impact on the use of Victim Personal Statements throughout the journey of a Rape report.
- Understanding high performing / Soteria adopted forces though feedback from the National Centre.
- Concentrating on Resource and Retention through the Detective recruitment and retention portfolio for key vulnerability areas, such as Emerald (domestic abuse team), RASSO and Child Protection teams.
I have raised performance monitoring questions of the Chief Constable and the specific performance data for the above crime types between 01/07/23 – 30/06/24 is shown below.
- 11,109 VAWG crimes were recorded, an average of 926 crimes per month (This was an increase of 254 on the previous year 22/23)
- In the same period, 6375 MVAWG offences were recorded, an average of 531 per month.
- VAWG crimes had a positive outcome rate of 7.28% and MVAWG the rate was 11.18% for the 12m period.
- In the 12m period there were 809 VAWG offences with a positive outcome (outcomes: 1-4, 6-8, see appendix 1 for detail).
The top 3 VAWG crime groups in Bedfordshire are listed below:
- Violence with Injury – totalled 282 (34.9%) of the 809 outcomes.
- Stalking and Harassment – totalled 210 (26.0%) of the 809 outcomes.
- Violence without Injury – totalled 109 (13.5%) of the 809 outcomes.
I am aware that Bedfordshire Police have formulated and submitted their responses to each of the recommendations within the report which they have shared with me. The operational response from Bedfordshire Police is appended.
Yours Sincerely
John Tizard
Police and Crime Commissioner
Appendix I
Recommendation 1 - As soon as possible, and no later than 30 November 2024, the Home Office should complete its urgent review of the detective constable role. And it should share the findings of this review with the National Police Chiefs’ Council. The review should include specific recommendations that make sure all forces have the investigators they need, including those who specialise in investigating rape and other serious sexual offences. In its review, the Home Office should focus on making this career path more attractive by offering better support, promotion opportunities and rewards.
Action planned/actions taken locally:
- Priority posting requirement for the Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO) / Domestic Abuse (DA) team through People and Postings Meeting.
- Strategic lead appointed and strategy embedded for Attraction and Retention led by a Detective Superintendent (DSU) within Crime and Public Protection Unit (PPU).
- Targeted variable payment attraction/recognition proposed.
- Wellbeing plan devised. Discussions with East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) for Rape and SSO with a business case being compiled around HAPSTAR by project manager for SOTERIA.
- Training and Development (TADS) now form part of the Operation Soteria working group to provide suitable training updates and projection.
- Officers to be suitably trained before posting into specialist units.
- Preference postings during student rotations, ensuring those with interest are in the right place.
- Buddy system to support/mentor all new detectives in place.
Recommendation 2 - By 31 January 2025, the Soteria Joint Unit should work with the College of Policing, the Crown Prosecution Service and the police to approve and publish a new investigation management document. The document should avoid unnecessary detail and focus on the specific advice police need from prosecutors in rape and other serious sexual offences cases.
Action planned/actions taken locally:
- This is a national action, and whilst all forces will have an input it will ultimately be for agreement between National Soteria Unit (NSU), College of Policing (COP) and CPS (Crown Prosecution Service).
- Officers are aware of the National Operating Model (NOM) product. This is not an Information Management Document (IMD) per crime type by an overarching guidance document. This will soon be updated by the Joint Soteria Unit. Beds Soteria working group aware.
- Regional lead attends Bedfordshire Soteria Working Group chaired by Head of Crime and PPU. Support provided around conversations between local force and CPS.
- Bedfordshire have revised the threshold for Early Advice (EA) submissions. Agreement in place with CPS. Bedfordshire Police have reduced the number of inappropriate EA submissions. Focus remains on level of action plans with a dedicated Detective Inspector reviewing all plans aiding effective submission timings.
- Trial readiness meetings for Rape and SSO cases in place.
Recommendation 3 - By 31 January 2025, all forces should make sure personnel working on rape and other serious sexual offences receive College of Policing approved training on the investigation of word-on-word cases.
Action planned/actions taken locally:
- Local dip sampling of cases initiated by Detective Chief Superintendent (DCS) Brown to ensure that compliance is met as per the CPS guidance prior to SOTERIA Deep Drive: Many RASSO cases will feature limited or no corroborative evidence. It is essential that prosecutors do not introduce a requirement for corroboration in their review process or identify the ‘one versus one’ feature of the case as a negative in their assessment of the evidence. One person's word can be sufficient to provide a realistic prospect of conviction.
- Where it is one person’s word against another’s then a jury will look to other factors to help decide whether the prosecution has proved its case. The review should disregard factors that are irrelevant or based on myths or stereotypes. Bedfordshire Police should expect juries to be properly directed about any matters that might give rise to misconceived assumptions (e.g. delayed complaints).
- Domestic Abuse matters is provided to every officer who goes through initial training.
- Bedfordshire Police has seen frequent training cascaded over the last 12 – 18 months. A review of roll out is needed with new officers in training. A timetable is planned.
- Rape and serious sexual offences investigative skills development programme (RISDP) - Bedfordshire have 152 trained / completed the programme and 21 who are showing as in progress. This is significant progress for Bedfordshire.
- This is across main investigative areas spanning across the organisation specifically those who have a footprint on Rape and SSO investigations.
- A review of initial responder training also needs to take place with all front-line officers receiving inputs on initial contact for victims of Rape and SSO. Numbers to be confirmed. Action given through Soteria Working Group.
- Continuing professional development (CPD) will be delivered locally by trained officers / DI within RASSO.
- Review of supervisor training and implementation at an earlier stage will assist in ensuring this point is met.
- In line with SOTERIA all officers working within the SSO investigations will be sufficiently trained.
Recommendation 4 - By 31 January 2025, the Soteria Joint Unit should work with the College of Policing, the National Police Chiefs’ Council, the Victims’ Commissioner and police forces to:
- define what a repeat rape and other serious sexual offences suspect is; and
- create new guidance for forces on managing repeat rape and other serious sexual offences suspects, including the benefits of using the potentially dangerous persons and multi-agency tasking and co-ordination processes.
Action planned/actions taken locally:
- The Joint Unit are working with academics to circulate one definition nationally. Not yet circulated to Police Services.
- Analysis of data is routinely conducted to identify repeat suspects from reported offences and precursor offences.
- Daily Scanning documents for Rape and Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) are provided and reviewed by local supervisors through a Daily Management Meeting (DMM) process. This includes repeat suspects and the trajectory of predictive predatory behaviour. This enables cohort identification and civil orders opportunities.
- Governance is clear. Male Violence against Women and Girls (MVAWG) Silver / DA Silver feeds into MVAWG gold. A monthly analytical product is provided which identifies, themes, trends, perpetrators and repeat victims.
Recommendation 5 - By 31 July 2025, chief constables should make sure their forces use the new definition of repeat rape and other serious sexual offences suspects to identify and manage them.
Action planned/actions taken locally:
- This will be implemented once the definition is confirmed in recommendation 4.
Recommendation 6 - By 31 January 2025, the Soteria Joint Unit and the College of Policing should work with forces to help them understand the National Operating Model’s disruption toolkit. This should help the police to manage repeat rape and other serious sexual offences suspects effectively.
Action planned/actions taken locally:
- Being delivered through NOM products – Analysis of how many staff have attended this is being collated.
- RASSO have a built-in dedicated analyst and Chief Information Officer (CIO) providing better intelligence checks and opportunities. Training and CPD is built in to align with Investigatory Powers Commissioners Office (IPCO) recommendations. Recognised as best practice. Recent cases have shown evidence of how effective this is.
- Built in meetings with the Offender Management Unit (OMU) which has upskilled RASSO officers to better understanding of disruption tactics with a better undemanding of orders and interventions.
- Introduction of the suspect check template.
- RASSO leaders are sending a weekly email highlighting 3 NOM products which will be completed by December 2024.
Recommendation 7 - By 31 January 2025, all chief constables should make sure their forces prioritise identifying and disrupting rape and other serious sexual offences (RASSO) suspects. This includes making sure that:
- forces track, manage and respond effectively to breaches of bail and protection orders in RASSO cases; and
- all relevant personnel complete National Operating Model training on using criminal and civil orders to tackle RASSO.
Action planned/actions taken locally:
- Daily scanning gets picked up by the individual DCI’s and DIs for the relevant teams. Escalation and discuss through localised DMM’s into the FDMM are in place. Top 10 High Risk VAWG perps will be discussed at MVAWG Silver. Escalations or concerns are flagged through the FTTCG (Force Tactical Tasking Group)
- CPD is being delivered around the use of civil orders which will increase the use of such orders and improve preventative tactics. This is particularly important for a broader, wider organisational response to applying orders and interventions.
Recommendation 8 - By 30 November 2025, the College of Policing and the Soteria Joint Unit should commission independent academic research to evaluate how well forces use criminal and civil orders in rape and other serious sexual offences cases. This should focus on officers’ knowledge of protection orders and the application process and use of relevant orders, restrictions and breaches. Based on their findings, the College and the Joint Unit should give guidance to forces on the most effective way to use these powers.
Action planned/actions taken locally:
- This forms part of the business plan for next year within SOTERIA which Soteria working group aware. Locally Bedfordshire are adopting within the local training products and will review again against the Bedfordshire Police criteria.
- Internet Child Abuse Investigation Team ICAIT team – 100% of case that are submitted to the CPS for charging decisions are accompanied by a draft Sexual Harm Prevention Orders (SHPO) and Office in Charge (OIC) statement outlining the terms sought.
- Sexual Risk Orders (SRO) are applied for in certain cases via Legal services team. Circumstances of where they are utilised is where there is insufficient evidence to prosecute to a criminal burden of proof, but Bedfordshire Police can demonstrate on the balance of probabilities that a suspect poses a risk to a child and / or where the suspect is bailed for protracted enquiries and bail conditions alone are not considered sufficient to manage the suspected risk.
- 555 active SHPO’s in place (414 within the community / 114 in custody) excluding Registered Sex Offenders (RSO’s) abroad. 10 active SROs in place.
- A significant rise in Clare’s Law applications has taken place over the last quarter (300%). Additionally, Bedfordshire Police have seen a rise in the use of Domestic Violence Protection Notice (DVPN’s)/ Domestic Violence Protection Orders (DVPO’s) and Stalking Protections Orders (SPO’s) with training being delivered across the force. Officers are utilising the WEPROTECT app.
- The adoption of the Emerald (DA) Proactive team is enabling wider support for order and intervention actioned arrests alongside tackling High Risk Perpetrators on a daily basis.
- Bedfordshire Police are trying to improve the number of civil orders that are successfully applied for.
- Orders are captured on our crime system and flagged accordingly. Audits show this is taking place.
- Through MVAWG Gold – Action has been set in order to fully understand how proactive and community teams can proactively police orders and interventions more robustly.
Recommendation 9 - By 31 January 2025, chief constables should make sure their forces have good processes in place for applying to retain DNA and fingerprints to improve their use of section 63G of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.
Action planned/actions taken locally:
- Policy has been reviewed and agreed that the RASSO DCI will review all applications on a case-by-case basis. Head of Scientific Services aware of this process.
- Process in place for those who attend on a voluntary basis and those not charged which his reviewed by the DCI head of RASSO.
- Bedfordshire Police have a process and policy which refers to the Information Commissioners Office.
Recommendation 10 - By 30 April 2025, the Home Office and Ministry of Justice should adapt funding arrangements to make sure there is enough support for all rape and other serious sexual offences (RASSO) victims. This should include:
- providing extra funding for RASSO support services;
- placing funding for RASSO support services on a long-term footing to make sure there is consistent specialist support available; and
- working with the relevant police and crime commissioner’s office to make sure national grant funding aligns with funding given via local commissioning arrangements.
Action planned/actions taken locally:
- National issue – Bedfordshire Police Lead has met with the PCC’s office. Review has and continues to be conducted of services with an evidence base required to ensure longevity of funding and how this can be commissioned.
Recommendation 11 - By 31 March 2025, all chief constables should make sure that, as part of adopting the National Operating Model, their forces:
- develop a rape and other serious sexual offences problem profile;
- include the National Operating Model flight deck within their strategic performance monitoring; and
- adopt any key performance indicators that are agreed and published by the Soteria Joint Unit.
Action planned/actions taken locally:
- Awareness from Soteria regional practice manager that the Joint Unit are putting on a National Learning Network (NLN) event for problem profiles with an academic with Beds attending to understand this more and tracked through the Soteria Working Group (SWG).
- Rape problem profile has been agreed with recommendations tracked through Soteria Working Group to show progress.
- NOM flight deck is being reviewed by the Head of PPU.
- KPI’s yet to be agreed, awaiting a circulation from the Operation Soteria Joint Unit.
Recommendation 12 - By 31 January 2025, the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s Digital, Data and Technology Coordination Committee should work with chief constables and the National Law Enforcement Data Programme to reduce data error rates. This should focus on errors on the Police National Computer and Police National Database.
Action planned/actions taken locally:
- Detective Superintendent Data Quality Lead for Crime in place.
- Data Quality Improvement plans in place locally.
- Data Quality issues raised to the relevant governance boards which are currently in place.
Recommendation 13 - By 30 June 2025, the National Police Chiefs’ Council should report on its work to simplify its public protection portfolios. It should focus on improving practice quickly and consistently across policing.
Action planned/actions taken locally:
This action sits with the NPCC to respond.
- DCS for PPU and Crime sits on the Professionalising Public Protection working group chaired by the College of Policing.
Additional points to raise for us locally re improving practice:
- There is a condensed/blended 2-week Specialist sexual assault investigators development programme (SSAIDP) course planned early autumn managed under the NOM for Op Soteria.
- A number of officers have been booked on to this as a Train the Trainer course.
- We are improving CPD and planning the delivery of NOM products which won't simplify but will ensure a consistent approach to public protection.
- Full review of skills at SSAIDP and Specialist child abuse investigators: development programme (SCAIDP) level are reviewed through Investigation Standards Delivery Board (ISDB).
Recommendation 14 - By 30 September 2024, the Home Office should work with the National Police Chiefs’ Council to provide funding for the Soteria Joint Unit that lasts beyond March 2025.
Action planned/actions taken locally:
This is a Home Office recommendation not a Police specific recommendation.
Bedfordshire Police have agreed to form part of the JSIG (Joint Rape Improvement Group) chaired by Chief Constable Sarah Crew. Emma Pitts is looking to select someone suitable who will then provide an update through the Beds Soteria Working Group.