Recommendations - Gloucestershire Constabulary, March 2025

The IOPC recommends that Gloucestershire Constabulary should ensure the following in respect of force control room operations:

• A standard operating procedure (SOP) is in place to ensure correct allocation of incidents.
• Staff are trained in line with the SOP to ensure that incidents are correctly allocated to the appropriate team to ensure operational ownership and avoidance of delay.
• Performance to be monitored and recorded.

This recommendation has arisen following an independent investigation into a longstanding neighbour dispute which sadly resulted in murder. During the investigation, it was identified that there was an incident that was allocated to the incorrect policing team, which led to a delay in processing the incident. As a result, further training should be put in place to prevent future delays and improve practice.

Accepted

Gloucestershire Constabulary accepts this recommendation. We have a standard operating procedure (SOP) within the Force Control Room (FCR) to ensure correct allocation of incidents. Our staff are trained in line with this SOP and performance is appropriately monitored and this is recorded.

We have adopted the national ‘Right Care, Right Person’ approach, which is also imbedded in our 2025 Gloucestershire Rapid Improvement Plan. Maintaining appropriate call answering times remains a priority for the Constabulary and as such is part of our 2025 Gloucestershire Rapid Improvement Plan.

Detail

We have an updated and improved approach to assessing threat, harm and risk using the THRIVE+ model, in which all FCR and public facing officers and staff have been trained.

We have an updated and improved incident grading policy which provides appropriate guidance on when officers should be deployed, and any specialist teams that may be required.

All staff have been trained in the grading policy, and all have workbooks which they are required to maintain to ensure they participate in continuous professional development. The workbooks are monitored by line managers.

Performance and compliance with both THRIVE+ and the incident grading policy is monitored through first line supervisors who can audit calls in live time and conduct monthly dip-sample audits to review decision making. Second line managers offer a further review and point of escalation.

Further to this, a FCR coordinator audits the compliance against the use of THRIVE+ templates each month and keeps a record of these audits, highlighting to line managers where they are performance improvement opportunities.

Right Care, Right Person is a collective commitment across services such as policing, health and social care to reduce unwarranted police attendance at incidents where other agencies are best placed to offer help and support to meet their needs.

Embedding this approach within the Constabulary has enabled us to align resources more effectively in line with our core policing values, for example:

• Investigation, prevention and detection of a crime that is occurring or has occurred.
• Protect people where there is a real and immediate risk to life.
• Protect people where there is a real and immediate risk of serious harm.
• Protect a child subject to a real and immediate risk of significant harm.
• Comply with statutory duties such as those under the Mental Health Act 1983.

The IOPC recommends that Gloucestershire Constabulary should create a standard operating procedure which outlines how response officers and the Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) work together in circumstances when a deployment occurs to an incident which is in the context of an ongoing NPT investigation. This should include:

• The responsibility of each team, including decision making during instances that overlap each team.
• How information is shared between response officers and the NPT during ongoing NPT investigations.
• At the point of handover between response and NPT officers, any outstanding actions are clearly identified along with responsibility for who is required to complete that action.
• Whether the existing shift patterns provide sufficient capacity for the team to perform their function in a manner aligned with public perception.
• A review of procedures concerning the allocation of officers in serious incidents, particularly when the incident falls outside of the OICs working hours, to ensure either NPT or officers from other teams take responsibility and action in the intervening period prior to the OIC returning to work.

This recommendation has arisen following an independent investigation into a longstanding neighbour dispute which sadly resulted in murder. During the investigation, it was identified that the individual responsibilities of both the NPT and Local Policing Team (LPT), where there is LPT involvement during the course of a NPT investigation, were unclear. As a result, a standard operating procedure should be put in place to establish the responsibilities of each team and to improve practice.

Accepted

Please see the below response which covers both Recommendations 2 and 3. 

Gloucestershire Constabulary accepts this recommendation.

At present there is no written policy or SOP encapsulating the joint working of Response and NPT, it is however due to be completed by end of September 2025.

Whilst the written policy remains in development, we have already actively improved operating procedures in the form of:

• Daily tactical briefings chaired by the Chief Inspector for the relevant policing area, where priority cases are discussed across all areas of local policing. This ensures relevant information is shared between teams and allocation and responsibility for onward investigation is clear for incidents over the previous 24 hours. This includes consideration as to officer availability based on shift patterns and working hours.
• Strategic daily management meetings chaired by Duty Gold, which provides a point of escalation and additional supervision, for example if there was an identified resourcing or capacity concern.

Detail

There are a number of improved processes including:

• NPT monthly “On My Patch” meetings, which feed into the Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB) ‘Connectivity’ briefings – both meetings involve local policing supervisors and local statutory partners. This ensures priority cases are shared between NPT, Response and FIB at an operational and tactical level and any actions are distributed accordingly.
• Weekly Divisional Priorities meeting held between divisional Supt, CI and Inspectors allowing for weekly oversight into any significant issues or investigations across the Local Policing Area (LPA).
• A daily returns document that is completed by the NPT and shared to their wider Senior Leadership Team (SLT), is now being distributed to Response teams. This aims to ensure a shared understanding of current risk and develop joint situational awareness across all colleagues and teams.
• Improved prisoner information recording and sharing so that where there is information regarding a high risk neighbourhood dispute linked to the individual then any handover will ensure that this information is shared with the relevant NPT to ensure continuity, consistency and, if necessary, the need for any further investigations.
• By the end of September 2025, written SOPs will be further formalised to ensure a sustainable process that is understood across NPT and Response in relation to threat, harm and risk.
• A new Records Management System (RMS) has been procured and will go live in early 2026. This new RMS has a capability to record ASB occurrences linking the individuals involved and all plans, logs and other documents relevant to the case. This will enable on-going investigations to be more accessible to all members of the Constabulary, and can be updated accordingly.

• We continue to look to develop and improve processes in this area and are in the process of implementing the following by the end of 2025:

  - Localised Intelligence Development Officers (IDO) who will become embedded within NPTs.

  - NPT capacity will be increased by reducing their responsibility to support the policing of the Night Time Economy (NTE).

  - All newly promoted or transferee sergeants will have an improved induction process, ensuring they are aware of our SOPs in this area.

The IOPC recommends the following to Gloucestershire Constabulary in respect of the Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT):

• A review of NPT resource is undertaken to ensure that it is sufficient, including sufficient oversight, to meet demand in relation to ongoing neighbourhood policing matters including necessary partnership and public engagement and to ensure greater consistency of approach and prompt progression towards resolution.
• A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) should be created to ensure there is consistency of approach and progression of cases in the absence of any officers during periods of abstraction including rest days, leave, sickness or training.
• In those matters that are significant and particularly demanding, greater oversight and additional support should be allocated when necessary.

This recommendation has arisen following an independent investigation into a longstanding neighbour dispute that sadly resulted in murder. Following the investigation, it was established that due to complexity of the situation, the frequency of incidents occurring, and the unusual challenges posed by the investigating officer, it took an extended period of time to progress the investigation, and consequently charges being brought against the perpetrator.

As a result, additional support should be considered in those investigations which are deemed exceptional, to increase timeliness and ensure best practice is being followed by the utilisation of additional oversight.

Accepted

Please see the below response which covers both Recommendations 2 and 3. 

Gloucestershire Constabulary accepts this recommendation.

Significant changes have been made to our local policing operating model, which focused on improving NPT capacity and reducing occasions when officers are taken out of Neighbourhood policing duties to cover Response duties (referred to as ‘abstractions’). The amount of crime being investigated within NPTs has been reduced. The amount of abstractions from neighbourhood policing duties has also decreased. This has brought greater capacity to meet demand and increased oversight and supervision.

We continue to prioritise this area, with the next phase being the reduction of night-time economy policing responsibilities for NPT officers, reducing the abstraction of NPT officers from their core role and thereby increasing NPT capacity.

Furthermore, the new Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee will, by July 2025, provide a significant increase in NPT officers (estimated to be an increase of 23 officers).

A SOP will ensure a consistent approach to case progression, in the absence of any officers and will include a line management review of all cases and a detective review in those cases that are significant or more complex and need an investigative oversight.

Detail

Solace (a multi-agency partnership tackling ASB) was embedded in all NPT by 2023. There is a single point of contact (SPOC) within the NPT supporting Solace with oversight of all ASB related matters and training / knowledge of how to progress ancillary processes such as civil and criminal remedies / orders where relevant.

A new NPT abstraction policy has been authorised to ensure resources are effectively managed to enable officers to be present in their communities whilst balancing wider operational commitments.

A new RMS has been procured and will go live in early 2026. This will show all open tasks, crimes or occurrences allocated to an officer with supervisor access. So when an officer is abstracted a supervisor can see what outstanding actions need progressing.

A new on-boarding procedure is in place ensuring all new supervisors involved in crime investigations are aware of their responsibilities around the management of investigations and Victims’ Code of Practice (VCOP) compliance.

The IOPC recommends that Gloucestershire Constabulary should provide training to all neighbourhood policing team officers to ensure improved awareness of antisocial behaviour and the use of community protection warning letters, community protection notices and antisocial behaviour injunctions, as well as the relevant powers available to officers, and the process to achieve these measures including service and enforcement.

This recommendation has arisen following an independent investigation into a longstanding neighbour dispute which sadly resulted in murder. During the investigation, it was identified that an officer had a limited knowledge of community protection notices and antisocial behaviour injunctions, which contributed to a delay in the progression of an investigation. As a result, further training should be provided to increase awareness of these injunctions and improve practice.

Accepted

Gloucestershire Constabulary accepts this recommendation.

Within the context that many of these processes are civil processes and remedies and may be led by the Local Authority, the Constabulary has improved their training in respect of these matters.

Local training was completed with all NPTs in 2023, and an online toolkit is available to all officers.

In addition, under the new Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, national guidance is that all NPT officers and staff will complete the College of Policing Neighbourhood Policing Programme (NPP) accreditation. While this is a new requirement, we have already allocated officers and staff to attend the training.

Tackling persistent Anti-Social Behaviour remains a priority for the Constabulary and as such is part of our 2025 Gloucestershire Rapid Improvement Plan. Outputs are tracked through Force Performance Group chaired by the Deputy Chief Constable, and includes the improved use of civil orders to tackle ASB.

Detail

Training has been delivered within NPTs with the support of the local authority (Solace). This included ASB awareness, the use of civil notices, orders and injunctions.

It is our intention that all NPT officers will complete the College of Policing NPP accreditation. There is an online toolkit available to Gloucestershire Constabulary staff regarding the use of civil and criminal injunctions and orders.

The IOPC recommends that Gloucestershire Constabulary should ensure that opportunities to detect and disrupt crime should be taken without delay, and that where appropriate, substantive matters should be subject to charge at the earliest opportunity notwithstanding that other matters in development or under investigation, may also result in charges. Where necessary, further communication with the CPS to ensure that charging decisions can be expedited should be undertaken.

This recommendation has arisen following an independent investigation into a longstanding neighbour dispute which sadly resulted in murder. During the investigation, it was identified that whilst a CPS case file was being compiled for a number of offences, the offender continued to commit offences, which resulted in the murder of his neighbour. As a result, in a situation whereby multiple offences are deemed to have been committed, consideration should be given to contacting the CPS at an earlier stage when evidence is sufficient to progress one or more of those offences separately.

Accepted

Gloucestershire Constabulary accepts this recommendation.

Opportunities to detect and disrupt crime are taken without delay as a core principle of our operations. Enhancements in this delivery are consistently strived for and improvements are always made where possible. This is demonstrated in the improvements set out above, and in this document generally.

Early Advice (EA) can support early charging decisions where appropriate. It is available in all cases, however it is predominantly utilised for serious and complex crime investigations.

Criminal Justice department (CJD) and Crime Management and Investigative Standards (CMIS) have developed improved working practices and communications with CPS.

Improving charge rates for all crime, with a particular emphasis on vulnerability and volume crime, along with investigative timeliness are priorities for the Constabulary and as such is part of our 2025 Gloucestershire Rapid Improvement Plan.

Detail

Criminal Justice Department (CJD) and Crime Management and Investigative Standards (CMIS) continue to work closely with Local Policing colleagues, ensuring they understand the importance and process for seeking early charges in relevant cases, even where there are other matters under investigation.

For example:

• The CJD inputs on Local Policing training days.
• The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) now comes into police stations to give EA for domestic abuse investigations. This is working well and will be rolled out to other areas / crime types.
• EA guidance is distributed on force orders and the file building website, which all officers have access to.

CJD are progressing EA with the new RMS team to progress a prompt when investigations are 50 days old for the Officer in the Case (OIC) to update the crime to advise whether EA has been sought and if not, why it does not apply.

There is a 21 day Service Level Agreement (SLA) in place between the CPS and police for when EA is requested. It is recommended that EA be requested at the earliest possible time after initial investigation.

Gloucestershire Constabulary can liaise with South West CPS to look to expedite cases where the risk is escalating. There is a reliable 28 day charging SLA in place.

The police to CPS escalation was refreshed and publicised in February 2025.

The IOPC recommends that Gloucestershire Constabulary should ensure that their risk assessment processes are robust and detailed in circumstances where an alleged perpetrator of antisocial behaviour has been notified of pending legal actions against them. Depending on the circumstances of the case such risk assessment may include:

• The full circumstances.
• Any risk markers attached to the alleged perpetrator.
• The nature of the antisocial behaviour.
• The full scope of legal action pending and by whom.

This recommendation has arisen following an independent investigation into a longstanding neighbour dispute that sadly resulted in murder. During the investigation, it was identified that a formal risk assessment did not appear to be carried out in relation to notifying a perpetrator of legal action. As a result, the role of risk assessments in these situations should be reviewed to improve practice.

Accepted

Gloucestershire Constabulary accepts this recommendation.

Victims are routinely notified of impending legal action and a risk assessment is completed. For an alleged perpetrator of ASB, a THRIVE+ assessment and intelligence checks are completed and appropriate warning markers are created.

A full perpetrator risk assessment is in the final stages of being implemented and will be in place in early 2026 with the arrival of the new RMS.

Detail

A partner agency (Solace) working in conjunction with Gloucestershire Constabulary does complete a victim-led risk assessment, this is shared when appropriate.

A THRIVE+ assessment is completed in the control room, and incidents are re-thrived in conjunction with policy for incidents and crimes.

Intelligence checks are completed for alleged perpetrators and warning markers added to addresses.

We are currently reliant upon the implementation of our new RMS in early 2026 for risk assessments, beyond our current process, to be attached to the relevant ASB occurrence.

In addition, subject profiles can be compiled more efficiently with our new RMS, saving significant time and resource.

The IOPC recommends that Gloucestershire Constabulary should implement a new process by which requested intelligence markers are processed and become active. A presumption should exist that reported intelligence markers are required to be visible urgently, and therefore a system to enable this should be in place to implement this. Consideration should be given to highlighting relevant information, whether the intelligence marker had been reviewed by that time and ensuring that this remained in place until assessment was complete.

This recommendation has arisen following an independent investigation into a longstanding neighbour dispute that sadly resulted in murder. During the investigation, it was identified that once a threat to kill intelligence marker had been submitted, there was a delay in it becoming active. As a result, the process by which intelligence markers are processed and made active should be reviewed to improve practice.

Accepted

Gloucestershire Constabulary accepts this recommendation.

We are in the final stages of implementing a new RMS, scheduled to go live in the early part of 2026. This will significantly improve our ability to add intelligence markers and flags more efficiently.

Detail

Urgent markers can be generated by officers through an application that generates an e-mail to the FCR. This process is monitored 24/7 by FCR staff, and such requests are treated as urgent to process.

All intelligence logs are reviewed by Intelligence Analysts according to threat, harm and risk. Any logs that are urgent or high-risk are prioritised. Reviewed intelligence submissions are published by the Intelligence Evaluation Team, which works office hours.

Outside of office hours, urgent intelligence is reviewed by our Intelligence Gateway staff who work 0700-2000hrs Monday to Friday and 0700- 1500hrs on weekends.

The Constabulary already plan to increase resources within intelligence, as a result of the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee. This will provide 24/7 intelligence monitoring to enhance what is already in place. Staff will be trained to assess and publish intelligence ensuring that intelligence is applied to the system expeditiously and urgent intelligence can be developed and cascaded as a priority within the organisation.

The Management of Police Information (MoPI) group grading system details how long a record should be held on the system for and when it can be deleted when certain criteria are met. This is in line with College of Policing and national retention assessment criteria.

The IOPC recommends that Gloucestershire Constabulary should review their training in relation to stalking to ensure that:

• Training on stalking has been fully put in place.
• All Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) officers receive training on the identification of risks associated with stalking.
• All NPT officers are trained in the best practice to deal with stalking incidents.

This recommendation has arisen following an independent investigation into a longstanding neighbour dispute that sadly resulted in murder. Following the investigation, Gloucestershire Constabulary conducted a review in respect of stalking and how it could have been adopted within the circumstances of their investigation. As a result, further training has been implemented.

Accepted

Gloucestershire Constabulary accepts this recommendation.

Stalking training has been fully put into place within the Constabulary.

The College of Policing Stalking E-Learning package was made mandatory towards the end of 2024. Gloucestershire Constabulary’s stalking clinic has been identified as best practice by the College of Policing and shared nationally.

Detail

An internal communications campaign was delivered within the Constabulary in 2023 with intranet content and videos produced. This campaign sat alongside an external campaign that had huge reach across the county.

All training is documented and supported by line managers, allowing for auditing. This includes, stalking training, which is now fully embedded in the student officer training package and face-to-face training delivered to NPT officers during core days, which was delivered by the stalking clinic and Independent Stalking Advocacy Caseworker (ISAC) service in 2022 and 2023. Furthermore, there are bi-weekly stalking clinics focusing on investigative and preventative guidance for high-risk stalking investigations open to all officers. Stalking training is now fully embedded in the student officer training package.