Police chiefs praised as force achieves ‘Outstanding’ rating

Durham Constabulary has been rated as ‘outstanding’ by Government inspectors for a fourth year in a row.
Deputy Chief Constable Jo Farrell.Deputy Chief Constable Jo Farrell.
Deputy Chief Constable Jo Farrell.

In the annual Peel report, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services graded Durham as outstanding for effectiveness, outstanding for efficiency and good for legitimacy.

It means the force has achieved the highest possible overall rating for four successive years.

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Deputy Chief Constable Jo Farrell said: “We are delighted that Durham Constabulary has once again been graded as outstanding in this year’s Peel inspections, but more importantly we’re pleased that we are not alone in achieving the highest rating.

“The safety of everyone in the UK relies on the police across the country doing an outstanding job and if more forces can provide an outstandingly effective service, then that will make everyone in the country safer and further protect people in County Durham and Darlington.”

Among the key areas praised by inspectors were the force’s work to look after victims of crime and the standard of Durham Constabulary’s criminal investigations. Inspectors also highlighted Durham’s outstanding planning for the future; the work of its ‘professional and forward-thinking’ IT team and highlighted the work the force had carried out ‘to understand what the public want and how expectations are changing.’

Ron Hogg, Police, Crime and Victims’ Commissioner for County Durham and Darlington said: “It’s a real tribute to the hard work of all the police officers and staff of the force, and to the excellent leadership at the top of the organisation.”