Recommendation 1

(paragraph 1.38)

HMIC recommend that the force reviews the steps taken to introduce briefing procedures within the force and:

a) ensures that where officers are required to travel to briefings then the briefing is worthwhile and improves the quality of service provided by these officers during that tour of duty; and

b) amends the format of the briefings in order to give priority to the co-ordinated operational tasking of officers.

Recommendation 2

(paragraph 2.7)

HMIC recommends that the force produces a current Policing Plan without further delay and introduces a planning structure or mechanism with timescales and deadlines to ensure more timeous publication of future plans and associated reports.

Recommendation 3

(paragraph 2.23)

HMIC recommends that the force initiates a formal project management model to address the current change agenda, with clear lines of leadership, accountability, monitoring and evaluation.

Recommendation 4

(paragraph 3.32)

HMIC recommends that the force should prepare a budget plan for the next three years based on a working assumption that its share of national expenditure will be proportionate to previous years in order to inform its strategies in respect of recruitment and other expenditure. The budget plan and its operational and staffing consequences should be reported to the Joint Police Board.

Recommendation 5

(paragraph 5.23)

HMIC recommends that the force implements an effective sickness management policy including the setting of achievable targets to reduce the current levels of sickness absence within the force.

Recommendation 6

(paragraph 5.27)

HMIC recommends that the force carries out a formal evaluation of the costs and benefits of its substance misuse policy, in particular the voluntary drug screening programme in order that the value of the policy can be kept under review.

Recommendation 7

(paragraph 6.39)

HMIC recommends that the force reviews the role of the Traffic Department in relation to crime and the targeting of offenders and incorporates crime related objectives into the departmental objectives.

Recommendation 8

(paragraph 6.56)

HMIC repeats the recommendation that the resourcing of the Forensic Science Laboratory be reviewed with a view to addressing the current workload of staff and backlog of cases involving serious crime.

Recommendation 9

(paragraph 6.59)

HMIC recommends that the practice of retaining drugs productions within the Forensic Science Laboratory be reviewed with immediate effect as part of a wider review of all procedures relating to the retention, storage, security and destruction of controlled drugs by the force.

Recommendation 10

(paragraph 6.65)

HMIC recommends that the force undertakes a review of its prisoner handling procedures and urgently addresses the need for guidelines in this area to include all aspects of its care, welfare, security and rights of people who are arrested or detained in police custody within the force area.

Recommendation 11

(paragraph 7.17)

HMIC recommends that the force undertakes a fundamental review of its handling of complaints against the police and in particular:

i) introduces new policy and guidance documents without further delay;

ii) introduces a reliable computer system which can produce and analyse relevant management information to identify the nature and potential causes of complaints;

iii) puts in place a robust mechanism for focusing management attention on areas of potential difficulty, in order that remedial action can be agreed and outcomes measured.