Nottinghamshire 'worst performing police force' in UK

Nottinghamshire Police is the worst performing force in England and Wales, according to new figures.

Inspectors found the service ranked "poor" in its handling of crime, protecting the public from serious harm and improving confidence and satisfaction.

The news came just days after a capability review found "significant weaknesses" in both the force and its governing authority. A national grade overview released by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary showed Greater Manchester and Lincolnshire also performed badly.

At the other end of the scale, Cleveland, Hertfordshire, Lancashire, Merseyside, Northumbria and Surrey ranked highly.

The figures came from a website, mypolice.org.uk, which brings together a huge compendium of information about forces across England and Wales.

The HMIC site, which will launch publicly today, aims to give people the most comprehensive overview of police performance ever.

It will tell people what risk they face of being shot, stabbed, sexually attacked, burgled or violently assaulted.

Users will be able to compare the risks people face in different areas and uncover how their force ranks.

The site also enables taxpayers to examine how much they pay for policing and whether they are getting value for money.

Denis O'Connor, HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary, said the website will be "an uncomfortable read for some" but "there is much to celebrate".

He said: "We are providing the public with information about the risk they face from crime and antisocial behaviour where they live, how good their police are at tackling these risks and how much the police cost.

"It is a one-stop-shop for most information the public want about policing such as how good they are at tackling crime. It's clear and easy to access.

"At the heart is the 'police report card'. This provides HMIC's assessment of forces in four dimensions - local crime and policing; tackling the major threats, such as terrorism and murder; cost and value; and public confidence and satisfaction.

"It's not just about numbers and grades. HMIC uses its professional expertise to assess how well forces are doing. This assessment will help residents get more involved in how their area is policed.

"It will help them decide what their local policing priorities should be and whether the tax they pay for policing seems reasonable."

Lancashire Chief Constable Steve Finnigan, the national lead on performance management, said it is in the public interest to show the complexity of policing.

He said: "Ensuring that the public we serve understand what we do and why we do it is crucial for the police service.

"The information set out today by HMIC attempts to show the breadth of activity that the police service is inspected and assessed against, across thousands of daily interactions between the police and the public.

"The nature of that demand can vary from providing a visible and responsive presence, to other activities that often place police officers in danger.

"Whatever it may be, the police service is determined to focus relentlessly on where we can improve."

Irene Curtis, of the Police Superintendents' Association, welcomed the decision to include information that goes beyond traditional performance figures.