Police too overworked to investigate crime properly, report finds

Overworked police lack the resources, time and experience to investigate crimes properly, with victims too often being failed, leading to an erosion in trust in law enforcement to deliver justice, an official report has found.

- Vikram Dodd

The report by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMIC) says that positive outcomes - when police identify a suspect and they face justice - has crashed from 25% in England and Wales a decade ago to 11% in 2024.

Positive outcomes can mean a charge, summons to appear in court, community resolution or referral to a diversion scheme.

There is a huge variation across England and Wales, with the best forces gaining positive outcomes in 20% of allegations they record, the worst 7%. In Northern Ireland, investment in investigative skills has resulted in a rate of more than 30%.

In too many cases police are "overwhelmed" when it comes to the most frequent or "volume" crimes such as assault, burglary, car theft and shoplifting.

The report finds police could do better with what they have got, and the inspectorate repeats a constant criticism that forces too often do not know the level of demand of volume crime they should prepare to face.