Domestic abuse is an important priority: police can and will do more

National Police Chiefs’ Council Chair, Chief Constable Sara Thornton said:

“Domestic abuse is a complex and abhorrent crime with no easy solutions. It’s important that officers take time to understand what is really going on, listen to victims and look for signs of coercion or control.

“Last year, HMIC found that the police had significantly improved their response to domestic abuse - treating it as an 'important priority' and achieving better support for victims. More people are coming forward to report offending and new guidance, training and toolkits have been developed by the College of Policing.

“There are still areas for improvement and we are working actively with other agencies to protect the public from harm, focusing on those who are most vulnerable.  This requires a culture shift away from reactive policing that targets acquisitive crime and measures success by crime statistics and conviction rates.

“It does take time and will require the same commitment from our partners in health, education and social services.”

Further information:

Full speech by the Home Secretary

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/home-secretarys-police-federation-2016-speech

Police Federation Conference 2016 live feed

http://www.polfed.glasgows.co.uk/

HMIC ‘Increasingly everyone’s business’ report

https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmic/publications/increasingly-everyones-business-a-progress-report-on-the-police-response-to-domestic-abuse/

NPCC response to HMIC ‘Increasingly everyone’s business’ report

http://news.npcc.police.uk/releases/hmic-report-on-domestic-abuse-shows-we-listen-to-criticism-and-take-action-to-improve-our-service-to-the-public