A REPORT into effective policing has found Devon and Cornwall Police requires improvement.

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary has said the force needs to be better at community engagement through neighbourhood policing

The report also criticises crime recording processes and the work the force is doing preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour,

Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez said she would be asking Chief Constable Shawn Sawyer to set out the actions already taken to address the concerns.

She said she has committed funds towards providing an additional 100 front-line police officers.

A further 50 investigation posts are being created.

However, up to 190 police community support officer jobs could go in the police’s new plan.

The chief constable and the commissioner are developing an offender management and early intervention unit that aims to improve the services available to reduce re-offending. This will start work this summer.

The HMIC report applauds the way victims of crime are supported and in particular the response to victims vulnerable to harm.

The force response to the most serious organised crimes was found to be good. 

The commissioner said she would be monitoring actions to address the shortcomings in the report. 

Ms Hernandez said as well as the 50 new police investigators which would help to speed up the investigative process, and 100 new front-line officers, the police would be looking at how it better connected with communities – which was the fundamental core of her police and crime plan. 

She said: ‘Whenever I go out to communities, it does not matter whether it is a parish council, a network meeting or a local community group, I would say there is a good relationship with local policing.

‘I am certainly getting a lot of feedback about the relationship with police community support officers and, going forward, we need to work out how we are going to continue some of those excellent relationships.

‘I am trying to create consistency in people’s views of local policing so hopefully that will start to bring together an understanding of what the police are offering and what the public expect from them.’

Deputy Chief Constable James Vaughan said: ‘The report suggests there is work to be done in terms of crime recording processes and preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour, but I am confident steps are being taken to ensure we do everything possible to maintain confidence in our communities in keeping them safe from harm.’