1 CHIEF CONSTABLE’S FOREWORD

This Outturn Report outlines Gwent Police’s In order to identify how we are performing we performance over the 2019/2020 financial year are in the process of building a new against our Operational Delivery Plan and the performance framework into our governance Police and Crime Commissioner’s five priorities structure. This will ensure that we are effectively as detailed within the Police and Crime Plan: monitoring progress, are maintaining ethical behaviour and that we are accountable, in Priority 1: Crime Prevention addition to identifying new crimes and trends. Priority 2: Supporting Victims Priority 3: Community Cohesion However, policing is complex and sometimes Priority 4: Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) performance cannot be determined simply by Priority 5: Efficient and Effective Service single results indicators. Our performance is Delivery. much more than this with officers and staff often going over and above their roles to In response to these priorities, and taking engage, protect and reassure the public. Many account of our local, regional and national interdependencies also exist between our responsibilities, over the last year we have performance and that of other law enforcement continued to reform the Force to build a service bodies and partners in other disciplines. We equipped not only for the present but also for cannot therefore outline here all that has been the future. We have been aware that we have done to improve our service against the PCC’s needed to maintain the pace of change in an priorities, but we have highlighted examples of often difficult and changing environment. Some the work that has been undertaken. newer crimes such as those cyber enabled, are likely to grow prolifically, traditional crimes are I am immensely proud of the work carried out by being carried out in new ways, and hidden our officers and staff over this difficult year. In crimes are rising. Many of these emerging addition to maintaining daily operational crimes have needed different expertise and an requirements the force has had had to respond informed and prompt response. We have also to complex and demanding large scale events, seen changes in our communities, emerging one of those being the Coronavirus pandemic. environmental issues, and have received national requests for assistance more This has been an unprecedented global public frequently. health emergency with a dynamic set of Demand on our services has continued to rise, challenges that has required an extraordinary therefore we have focused our efforts on national effort to fight this virus. In order to creating more efficient and effective processes support our exceptional health professionals and to build workforce capability for the future. We maximise public safety the policing response has have invested in our staff with training, been crucial. wellbeing initiatives, and continuous development to ensure that they are equipped All of our officers and staff have been asked to to identify both crime and vulnerability and are contribute in the effort to fight coronavirus and I able to respond appropriately and support those am grateful for their resilience and effort. With in need. We have strengthened our partnership circumstances changing on a daily basis and working and collaboration, we have improved much uncertainty, this period has been our skills and technologies and we have pursued exceptionally demanding with many employees those who pose the greatest threat, risk, and having taken on significant additional duties, harm to our communities. long hours, and new supporting roles. Like the

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 2

public we have not been immune, and many achieve positive outcomes for the people of staff have been sick. Gwent.

Of course, we have had multi-agency plans in place for dealing with pandemics and I am extremely grateful for the planning that has been undertaken to enable us to effectively deal with this extraordinary demand. We have coordinated our response with our partners to meet rising challenges and to support our colleagues from the National Health Service (NHS) and Public Health. We will continue to work together as a collective to protect our communities as best we can.

During the pandemic the police service has also been provided with legislative changes to help us carry out our duty to protect the public and the NHS. Our role has been to ensure that people have adhered to the government guidelines, but our approach has been to persuade people first and enforce last. We have been grateful to find that the majority of the public have worked with us and we have had thousands of positive interactions with people. I would like to personally thank members of the public who have assisted by staying home, for Pam Kelly the kindness clearly demonstrated within Chief Constable communities and for the support shown for our Gwent NHS, local authority workers and my officers and staff at Gwent Police.

We do understand that this has been a very difficult time for our communities, especially for those that have been ill, self-isolating, away from loved ones and for workers and businesses concerned about the future. We also recognise that whilst we have asked people to stay at home, for some that home isn’t a sanctuary and our officers have remained fully committed to protecting the vulnerable and bringing those responsible for crimes to justice.

As the country moves forward to recover from this pandemic the police service will face new challenges. In Gwent we will continue to provide our daily operational service whilst adapting to those changing needs. By working together with our partners and volunteers as a collective, we can continue to keep public service at the heart of all that we do and provide a first class policing response as we seek to keep our communities safe. As always, we are exceptionally grateful to the public and the many dedicated volunteers who help us to

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 3

2 Performance Overview

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 4

Victim Satisfaction:

Contacting Gwent Police:

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 5

3 Crime Prevention

PCC - “Promoting and reducing crime that Counting Rules, as from April 2018 stalking and causes the most harm in our communities harassment offences became counted within and against the most vulnerable people” this category. In 2018-19 48% of Violence without Injury crimes were stalking and In line with the central government requirement harassment-related, rising to 51% in 2019-20. to reduce crime by 20% over the life of This is reaffirmed as prior to 2018-19, Violence Parliament, Gwent Police have a crime reduction without Injury figures were half of what they are plan which will not only look to accomplish this now. but also identify more vulnerable victim crime across all crime categories. Whilst the number of low-volume, high-harm crime has remained consistent with 2018-19, For the 12 month period to June 2020, Gwent there has been an increase in Homicide and had an overall crime reduction of 5.4% Other Sexual Offences. Homicide has risen from compared to the previous 12 months (3,136 3 in 2018-19 to 6 in 2019-20 (two of these were fewer crimes), which is above both the Welsh domestic-related) and Other Sexual Offences has (3.9%) and National (4%) average. In its Most risen from 36 to 58 cases. Contrary to this, the similar Group (MSG), Gwent had the 5th (out of number of reported Rape crimes reduced in 8) largest crime reduction (in %). Nationally, 2019-20, although the proportion of historical Gwent have had the 14th highest reduction in reports was 28%, equivalent to the previous crime, with nine forces seeing an increase in financial year. crime. Based on the current crime reduction rates seen this year, crime is expected to fall by Any increases in crime can reflect a range of approximately 7,500 crimes by the end of this factors. These include continuing improvements financial year. in crime recording, victims feeling confident to report both new and historic crime, as well as In relation to Neighbourhood Crime, which genuine increases in some crime categories. We includes a combination of residential burglary, believe that the changes to recorded crime theft of and from a motor vehicle, and theft levels in Gwent are largely attributable to more from shops and stalls, for the 12 month period ethical recording practices, a greater willingness to June 2020 Gwent had a crime reduction of to report on the part of the public, and changes 6.8% compared to the 12 months to June 2019 to Home Office Counting Rules - the rules that (592 fewer crimes). Residential Burglary alone determine how many offences the police count also reduced by 5.4% over a rolling 12 month under different circumstances. Certainly, Gwent period to June 2020. This is significantly lower has seen a rise in some crime areas where than the 15.3% Welsh Force average reduction under-reporting has historically been an issue. and 15.4% National one. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and 2019-20 has been the first year that volume Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) regularly and crime offences have reduced, dropping by 0.4% independently inspect Gwent Police on its as a collective. The largest decline from the Efficiency, Effectiveness and Legitimacy. For the previous financial year has been Criminal period 2018/2019, HMICFRS found Gwent Damage and Arson, with a reduction of 844 Police’s Effectiveness to be Good. This award recorded crimes (-9.0%). However, in line with includes other forces, Violence without Injury (including • Preventing crime and tackling ASB stalking and harassment, coercive and • Investigating crime controlling behaviour) has seen the largest • Protecting vulnerable people increase in volume of crime, rising by 4.5% from • Tackling serious and organised crime 2018-19 to 2019-20. We believe that this increase is due to a change in the Home Office

PUBLIC CONFIDENCE The force will launch a Crime Prevention Public Confidence is unfortunately showing an Strategy in 2020/21 to enhance our approach to overall downwards trend. Gwent Police is problem solving and Neighbourhood Policing. committed to raising the level of public We believe that a reduction in crime can be confidence in the service that it provides and we achieved by effective and sustainable problem have therefore commissioned a series of surveys solving that includes: in this area to gain an improved understanding • Structured problem solving of the issue. We will then be able to undertake • A clear understanding of the problems appropriate action. The surveys are designed to • Effective ownership be more specific to the people of Gwent, • Appropriate and cost-effective allowing them to better express their opinions interventions at the earliest opportunity and concerns. The force also intends to launch • Evaluation of interventions and their a new Public Confidence Strategy in 2020/21. outcomes.

Gwent Confidence findings from the CSEW It is recognised that there are six key drivers of highlight the following: crime and therefore our Strategy will seek to focus its activity in these areas in its response to Year crime prevention: Year Gwent Police to to Dec (CSEW Findings) March 1. OPPORTUNITY - Identifying how we can 2019 2020 work with communities and partners to remove criminal opportunity. Community 66.3% 64.8% understanding 2. CHARACTER - Working with members of Confidence 69.3% 67.3% our communities exposed to factors that could lead to a propensity to commit crime. Fair Treatment 65.2% 62.9%

Police deal with 3. EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE community 54.5% 51.5% SYSTEM (CJS) - Bringing those that offend priorities to justice, including early intervention for Police do a good or first time entrants and the effective 50.6% 45.9% excellent job management of persistent offenders.

Police or council 52.3% 50.0% 4. PROFIT - Opportunities to profit from crime dealing with crime to be closed down. Reliable 58.3% 55.1% 5. DRUGS - Targeting the supply of drugs and Respect 87.2% 86.3% tackling organised crime behind the drugs market in Gwent. CRIME PREVENTION We have maintained our commitment to 6. ALCOHOL - Making the night time economy Neighbourhood Policing, using mixed teams of safe. police and community support officers. These teams are increasingly focussed on the The Strategy will also aim to embed crime protection of vulnerable people in our prevention principles into our officers’ daily communities, driven in part by our activity to reduce crime. However, we have implementation of the Modernising already boosted frontline numbers, improved Neighbourhood Policing Strategy. This approach intelligence, technology and engagement and requires officers and staff to have the time and have trained Neighbourhood and Response space to work in a proactive and preventative officers to use the Scanning, Analysis, Response, way to protect local neighbourhoods, safeguard and Assessment (SARA) framework, a problem- the most vulnerable, manage and divert solving model used to identify and solve repeat offenders and earn community confidence. crime and community problems.

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 7

We also analyse the nature and scale of Rural and Wildlife Crime community threats, risks, and possible harm— A large percentage of Gwent Police’s force area both 'traditional' and 'emerging'—in cooperation is rural which comes with a variety of specific with partner organisations. This leads to a crimes, wildlife and terrains to oversee. A partnership Strategic Assessment, completed dedicated Rural Crime Team with specialist skills annually, which identifies trends and risks and was launched in January 2019 to help those assists with our planning and policing response living within these areas and provide to crime, violence, vulnerability and licencing. reassurance. The team comprises of both Police Officers and Community Support Officers (CSOs) Supporting this work is our Intervention and who offer dedicated support for rural, heritage Prevention Department. The team act to and wildlife crime occurring within the Gwent prevent and reduce crime and disorder and area. improve public confidence in Gwent Police through crime prevention work in a variety of The team work closely with partner agencies forms. For example, our Harm Prevention such as Natural Resources Wales, rural Officers work alongside Neighbourhood Policing communities and neighbouring forces to Teams in both Local Policing Areas. They provide prevent, detect and investigate incidents and to specialist support to reduce the harm associated obtain and develop intelligence on crimes which with licensed premises, leading initiatives such affect those living in rural areas. as ‘Pub Watch’ to ensure that information and tactical approaches are shared with licensees. A Policing rural communities has similar demands number of Pub Watch schemes are now in place as an urban setting with anti-social behaviour, with regular meetings being held. domestic abuse and more hidden crimes such as modern slavery. The Team works closely with Harm Reduction Officers also support rural communities, businesses and partners to Neighbourhood Policing Teams with Crime increase the reporting and detection of rural Prevention Surveys and problem solving and crimes. Over the last year they have attended work on initiatives such as Operation SCEPTRE and engaged with members of the public at a (National Knife Crime). The officers may also number of county shows, and events at work with Trading Standards and utilise our Blaenavon World Heritage Site. The team have Volunteer Police Cadets to conduct Test been discussing rural issues and providing Purchase initiatives. information packs and relevant information on issues raised by the community. They have also Further, our Design Out Crime officer looks at attended livestock markets for surgeries, jointly how environmental design can influence attended markets with Dyfed Powys Police and criminal behaviour and helps neighbourhood have provided engagement with community officers work with partners to reduce crime and groups including the Cubs & Scouts and the anti-social behaviour. Women’s Institute.

Within the Department we also have a The Rural Crime Team continues to utilise FarmWatch co-ordinator who has been building Twitter for further engagement and have partnerships between ourselves and the farming increased followers from circa 500 in June 2019 community to encourage vigilance and to 995 in June 2020; an increase of nearly 50%. communication. Farmwatch goes out to 1500 They have also taken part in a number of subscribers and around 1-2 messages a week are national campaigns relating to rural and wildlife sent out. By building these relationships we have issues, including Operation Owl, the national improved intelligence, which is a vital tool in rural crime action week and drowning crime reduction. Assistance from the farming prevention week. communities has enabled us to reduce opportunities for crime and vandalism, act on The team has also launched a new Heritage suspicious incidents, enable an early warning Watch scheme, whereby a free messaging system in farming and rural areas and reduce service provides alerts and updates on the latest the fear of crime. heritage crime affecting historic sites and building.

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 8

The Rural Affairs Strategy and Wildlife Crime Over the last year we have held various Policing Strategy are a significant step forward in engagement events, including our annual Force strengthening safe and prosperous communities Open Day and we regularly travel around Gwent and safeguarding our wildlife. Across the Gwent in our mobile stations to communicate with Force area, we have thirteen Wildlife Crime those who may be far from their nearest station Prevention Officers who have all received or do not have access to social media. Our social extensive training in this field. media communications can reach over 100,000 people on Facebook and thousands on Twitter. The Rural Affairs Strategy prioritises tackling: Neighbourhood policing teams provide updates • Livestock Offences via Twitter regarding priorities they are tackling, • Fuel Theft engagement updates on local events, meeting • Equine Crime times for surgeries, operations, crime prevention • Fly Tipping advice, and appeals. • Poaching • Farm Machinery, Plant and Vehicle Theft Regular engagement also includes crime prevention advice. Monthly ‘Inspector Blogs’ The national Wildlife Crime Strategy prioritises include details on recent crime patterns and tackling: arrests, as well as crime prevention advice and • Badger Persecution issues affecting the local community. Similarly, • Bat Persecution the Intervention and Prevention team also • ‘CITES’ – The Convention on disseminate prevention advice via our International Trade in Endangered Community Messaging System which can include Species of Wild Fauna and Flora information on rogue traders, romance fraud, property fraud, and financial on-line fraud. • Fresh Water Pearl Mussels

• Raptor Persecution We also offer prevention advice through • Poaching campaigns in various media, including social

media, local press, and posters. Community Safety Hubs

To enhance closer working relationships with ‘Your Voice’ Engagement Survey key partner agencies we have created Engaging with communities and agreeing local Community Safety Hubs in each of the five local priorities is fundamental to effective authority areas. This has encouraged Neighbourhood Policing. We recently reviewed information and intelligence sharing, use of our approach to community engagement and shared assets and has reduced travel times. priority setting, with a view to ensuring that the . process is both meaningful and cost effective. Partners within the hubs are discussing community issues daily, allowing timely local ‘Your Voice’ offers the public an opportunity to resolutions. A fortnightly Community Safety tell us about the issues they would like to see Partnership Tasking meeting is held to discuss tackled in their communities. This is a short and identify more complex issues of vulnerability online survey available to members of the public and set appropriate action plans. via the Force Social media accounts, an

application on the community support officers ENGAGEMENT mobile phone and a link via the force intranet The Force has a Joint Engagement Strategy that site. The process is a two week consultation and aims to inclusively engage with all members of the results are analysed alongside other the public, including the vulnerable, victims of information sources that is available from police crime, community groups and those citizens who and partner agencies that enables us to are seldom heard. Engagement with the public determine ward priorities. Once the priorities enables us to create awareness, request for each neighbourhood ward have been assistance, and to publicise campaigns and identified all geographical Inspectors publish the operations to deter people from engaging in results online via their Blogs and update local crime. councillors by way of a newsletter. The

priorities are set for a six month period whereby officers work in partnership to address them. At

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 9

the end of this period a closure blog and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) newsletter updates the community as to We use Automatic Number Plate Recognition progress. (ANPR) technology to detect, deter and disrupt criminality at a local, force, regional, and Community Messaging: EVERBRIDGE national level, including identifying and tackling Our Community Messaging System, Everbridge travelling criminals, Organised Crime Groups, (previously Gwent Now), assists the force in and terrorists. As a vehicle passes an ANPR keeping the residents of Gwent informed about camera, it reads the registration number and the latest crime alerts, appeals for crimes and automatically checks it against records of incidents, providing the ability to request CCTV vehicles of interest. Initially, there were 28 lanes for those residents who use CCTV at of ANPR in operation but due to a Welsh home/businesses or in their vehicles, and National Transport Data System (WNTDS) circulating crime prevention advice for our funded project the system has expanded and communities. The system aims to improve the now occupies 51 sites with 89 cameras covering flow of information between the police and our 158 lanes of traffic. There are also 24 mobile communities to enhance prevention, detection ANPR cameras installed in Area Support Unit and anti-social behaviour. vehicles and Joint Firearms Unit vehicles.

It also allows for enhanced localised messaging, With additional cameras we have gained more meaning that we can direct messages to a information. The daily information has increased specific community, even down to single street dramatically, from 174,087,276 reads and level, and multiple locations and interests can be 3,591,110 hits on the system in 2015-16 to registered, not just a home address. This can 300,634,075 reads and 7,184,475 hits in 2019- assist those who want to know more about 20. This data is collected and analysed in where their children go to school, vulnerable accordance with strict data protection and family members who live elsewhere, places to proportionality principles in compliance with socialise and places of work. Subscription to the legislation including Data Protection Act 2018 system is free of charge and as of the end of and agreed with the offices of the Information April 2020, we had a total of 58,154 users force Commissioner and Surveillance Camera wide, over 10% of the population of the Gwent Commissioner so that the privacy of citizens is Police area. respected. Over the last year the Force has installed an In addition, there are protective advice pages on ANPR management server jointly with South the force website. We provide additional Wales Police and North Wales Police and we prevention information for vulnerable and have connected to the National ANPR system elderly members of the community. which links all 43 police forces and other law enforcement agencies. As of April 2020, all fixed The Gwent Police website also publicises the cameras and mobiles have also now been Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) hearings and we connected. share these on social media. ‘Caught and In Court’ informs the public as to sentencing of Data produced by the system allows the offenders who have committed crime in our correlation of vehicle registration marks with communities. Make, Model and Colour data which can be used to identify the movement of criminals to prevent DEVELOPING TECHNOLOGY imminent crime or identify and locate possible Neighbourhood Policing officers have been offenders, their associates and witnesses after issued with a personal laptop and mobile device an event. The data is therefore also a powerful under our Digital Services Division 3Fs project. intelligence and investigation tool, enabling the The new technology will allow officers to remain tracking of individuals or criminal networks, in the community for longer without the need to building maps of criminal gangs or identifying return to a police station to conduct patterns that directly suggest criminality. administrative tasks. Overall, the transformation of ANPR on a national scale will better safeguard the vulnerable and prevent and solve more crime.

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 10

Body Worn Video Over the last year we have also piloted a new We have implemented body worn video (BWV) initiative whereby four Community Support across the force, with all footage captured for an Officers lead on Youth Engagement and Early evidential purpose stored in the force’s digital Intervention. The team are called Next repository. This includes images captured by Generation Officers - NxTGen. Their role is to officers and Crime Scene Investigators. BWV acts develop and manage the Cadet Units and Mini as a preventative measure for those about to Police (Heddlu Bach) and to actively recruit into engage in crime. Officers are able to access the these units. footage during interview and provide the evidence if required to the Crown Prosecution The NxTGen team are engaging with young Service (CPS). Officers are able to access the people who are in the early stages of anti-social footage during suspect interviews and provide behaviour actions or have committed low level the evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service criminality. Programmes are continuing to be (CPS). This assists in securing charging decisions, developed, working with other key agencies to particularly in cases involving domestic abuse deliver diversionary activities such as sport or where victims may be less willing to provide music. The team will also work with local direct evidence. voluntary projects funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner. The collaborative Digital Services Division, a joint unit with South Wales Police, has brought Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE’s) handheld devices to officers across the force, “Childhood experiences, both positive and enabling them to access records and intelligence negative, have a tremendous impact on future remotely. The devices link to the force’s violence victimization and perpetration, and repository to store any images captured. lifelong health and opportunity. Adverse Childhood Experiences have been linked to CITIZENS IN POLICING • risky health behaviours, In 2018, the force adopted a three-year Citizens • chronic health conditions, in Policing (CiP) Strategy, with support from the • low life potential, and Institute of Public Safety, Crime & Justice at • early death.” Northampton University. The strategy aligns us (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to national strategies for Citizens in Policing that 2016) were launched in 2018-19 and sets out a vision to grow and enhance the contribution that Gwent Police is part of an all-Wales volunteering and community involvement brings Collaborative Programme with Public Health to policing in Gwent. Wales, Early Action Together. The programme is using evidence to create a shift away from The force has core volunteering roles, such as enforcement and towards prevention across the Special Constabulary and Police Support policing and the criminal justice system Volunteers. Other volunteers contribute through the Independent Advisory Group (IAG), Custody ACEs are traumatic or stressful experiences that Visitors, Street Pastors, Community occur before the age of 18. Importantly ACEs SpeedWatch, and Neighbourhood Watch. include harm caused by the environment and household in which children and young people The Strategic Steering Group in Gwent oversees are brought up. The evidence shows that volunteering, including sub-groups such as the children who experience these ACEs are much Special Constabulary and Police Support more likely to perform poorly in school and are Volunteers (PSV’s). Early intervention and more likely to be involved in crime. engagement with young people is central to the Those who have experienced four or more ACEs strategy and the Steering Group also oversees are fifteen times more likely to have committed schemes such as the Cadets and Mini Police violence against another person in the past (Heddlu Bach). In November 2018, we created a twelve months, sixteen times more likely to have full-time Citizens in Policing Coordinator to used crack cocaine or heroin, and twenty times oversee the development of volunteering. more likely to be incarcerated at some point in their lifetime.

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 11

The ACE’s programme aims to address the lack We have also opened a Cadet Unit within a of early intervention and prevention activity in mosque and there are future plans to open families at risk of poor outcomes. Using further units at other faith establishments and in evidence from across policing and the criminal each of the SEN schools within Gwent. justice system, it aims to move investment away A strategy and delivery plan is now in place for from enforcement and towards prevention. the Police Cadets and aims to build resilience and create ethically informed citizens, whilst Over the last year we have delivered ACE giving young people an insight to the Police training to over 1150 officers in Gwent and 360 family and partner agencies. partners. A Junior cadet programme is also being Mini Police developed to target those children aged 11-13 Gwent launched the Mini Police programme in years of age. October 2017 at three pilot schools. These schools were in areas of persistent deprivation, Harm Prevention in Schools with some of its wards consistently in the The All Wales School Liaison Core Programme bottom 10% of the Welsh Index of Multiple works towards achieving crime and disorder Deprivation. Mini Police is aimed at nine to reduction in our communities through eleven year old children and is a fun and education. The programme is a partnership interactive programme designed to engender between the Welsh Government and the four positive role models in the police service for Welsh police forces and consists of a series of children schooled in areas of high Crime Prevention inputs / lesson deliveries that unemployment and poverty. aim to: • Educate children and young people about After early success in these pilot schools, we the harm substance misuse can cause to extended the scheme and there are now their health, their families and the wider approximately 50 schools with 950 pupils across community the whole of the Gwent Police area engaging • Promote the principles of positive with the programme. citizenship through the medium of education; and, The schools chosen have a long commitment to • Achieve a reduction in the levels of crime finding community-based solutions to overcome and disorder within our young communities the impact of deprivation on their pupils, raise achievement, and realise the future aspirations Dedicated Schools Community Officers covering of pupils from diverse backgrounds. The Mini- all primary and secondary schools across the Police initiative aligns well with the current focus force deliver lessons to children between five of Welsh Government, education, and public and sixteen years of age at schools and Pupil services in Wales on addressing Adverse Referral Units across Wales. These lessons Childhood Experiences. include age-appropriate lessons to help children identify harmful behaviours, raise awareness of Volunteer Police Cadets the reality and consequences of being involved The Force currently has one cadet unit in each in crime, and how to get help. These officers also local authority area with approximately 73 devote part of their time to work with those cadets taking part in the programme, identified as having behavioural and attendance committing numerous hours volunteering in our problems, collaborating with the school pastoral communities. Over the last year we have also deputy. Officers provide advice, restorative opened a Cadet Unit within one of the Special conferencing, assist in policy development, and Education Needs schools. This unit has been liaise with parents. adapted to meet the needs of the children taking part, enabling them to be part of a unique The force works with education and social bespoke programme, where they will be working service partners to make young people aware on local community issues the young people of the risks and consequences of involvement identify. with organised crime. For example, the Education Authority attends the Local Partnership Board and Safer Gwent enabling a

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 12

two way sharing of intelligence and awareness initiatives. Any crime type can be the target of an organised crime group but typically activity is focused on Special Constabulary the more serious crimes of: The past twelve months has seen the • Drug Trafficking introduction of a Special Constabulary strategy • Human Trafficking and delivery plan, which set out the direction of • Modern Day Slavery the Special Constabulary and how they will • High Value Fraud contribute to the service delivery of the • Cyber Crime organisation. As a result, the force has now fully • Child Sexual Exploitation integrated the Special Constabulary with the • County Lines regular constabulary. In order to ensure that our response is co- ‘Specials’ serve as voluntary officers under the ordinated and effective a Gwent Serious and command of regular senior officers and have Organised Crime Strategy was also implemented their own rank structure. They make a significant to tackle and reduce the level of SOC. There are contribution to policing by performing a huge three priority areas within the Strategy: variety of roles to support regular officers. They • Illegal Drugs and County Lines carry out core day-to-day policing duties such as • Cybercrime and Financial Crime foot patrols or responding to reports of missing • Modern-Day Slavery & Human Trafficking. people, and also train to work within specialist policing teams such as roads policing, protecting Action plans within the Strategy drive activity vulnerable people or community partnership using the national 4 P’s framework of: teams. During the year to April 2020, the Special • Pursue – pursuing criminality Constabulary performed 2781 duties and • Prevent – preventing involvement volunteered 19,675 hours of their time. • Protect – supporting the public, sharing

information across partner agencies to Specials spend around four hours a week, or identify both criminality and potential more, supporting the police to tackle crime, victims, disorder and anti-social behaviour and to build • relationships with communities. Following Prepare – working with the public to reduce recruitment campaigns in recent years we now the impact of SOC. have 68 special constables in Gwent Police. Through 2019 training has been key, with 7@7 The Force is currently participating in an all- briefings distributed forcewide to outline the Wales national pilot project to reform models of new Strategy and expectations on staff in delivery for recruitment and pathways through relation to intelligence gathering. A number of the Special Constabulary. roadshows were also undertaken across the force to launch Operation Jigsaw. FOCUS ON SERIOUS AND ORGANISED Gwent Police uses a MoRILE strategic CRIME (SOC) assessment process to grade and assess Serious HMICFRS “Gwent Police is good at tackling and Organised Crime (SOC) threats and as of SOC. The force takes a proactive approach to April 2020 there were 31 mapped Organised understanding SOC threats, including newer Crime Groups in Gwent, comprising of 252 threats.” nominals. The Force’s Crime Operations Team Serious and organised crime poses a significant (FCT) investigates serious and organised crime threat to all those who live and work in Gwent. It throughout the Gwent area, assists Local exploits the most vulnerable members of our Policing Units to develop intelligence, and society and therefore remains one of our key progresses investigations that are affecting the priorities. In order to combat this threat, the local community. The Team has achieved Force rebranded its approach to Serious and significant drug seizures, made large cash and Organised Crime in 2018 with the launch of arms seizures, and assisted identification of Operation Jigsaw. All activity relating to serious stolen motor vehicles and agricultural and organised crime now comes under equipment. Operation Jigsaw.

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 13

community, an embedded UKBA Immigration Working in Partnership Officer, Trading Standards, the Prison Service, Disruption activity and prevention is only Gwent’s Missing Children’s Team, and digital possible through extensive partnership working media. and intelligence sharing. As serious and organised crime networks often reach Intelligence is fed into a centrally managed throughout the UK and occasionally into Europe Intelligence Triage Team for analysts to identify and beyond, we work collaboratively with key and understand emerging threats. This partner agencies and third sector organisations intelligence is also shared with our collaborative to tackle these issues. partners, such as the Regional Organised Crime For example, the Force has a good working Unit (ROCU), the Regional Confidential Unit, the relationship with the Regional Organised Crime All Wales Policing Group, and the Safer Gwent Unit (ROCU) which ensures that clear lines of Partnership Board. planning and intelligence sharing exist. We also work effectively with the Regional Confidential The primary criminality associated with Unit, the All Wales Policing Group and the organised crime in Gwent is drug trafficking and Government Agencies Intelligence Network supply and a bespoke Drug Threat Group has (GAIN). been set up to identify and act upon local trends, issues and intelligence and share these SOC Partnership Boards have been established findings with the Regional Drugs Threat Group. across the five Local Authorities and are represented by a cross section of statutory/non All mapped OCGs have an Organised Crime and third sector organisations, including Group Management Plan that identifies actions Fearless, St Giles Trust and Barnardos. Each under the headings of Pursue, Prevent, Protect, Board has a developed a local profile to highlight and Prepare. Gwent uses a broad range of areas of criminality, intelligence gaps, planning tactics to disrupt and dismantle OCGs, including for operational activity or where we have a crack house closures and mutual aid limited understanding of demand. The profiles investigations. Gwent has used covert assistance also enable more effective safeguarding from TARIAN, other police forces, and Border measures to be put in place when shared Force, to assist with tracking OCGs. The force objectives are progressed. “Serious and endeavours to review any tactics used in Organised Crime Partnership Groups are now investigations to encourage learning and share well established, good practice with partners. As part of the ‘Shared Teams Initiative’, there is also a regional agreement in place across the six Prevention teams operating in the area (Gwent, Dyfed The Force has increasingly focused prevention Powys Police, South Wales Police, ROCU, on our younger members of society. We are WECTU, and the National Crime Agency) to aware that some crime groups are using children provide mutual support of staff, vehicles, (under 18’s) to supply their commodities and we equipment and resources where this may be have therefore undertaken a number of required. supportive actions including referrals to Social Services, YOS, GDAS and repeat police visits to This collaborative approach allows us to better vulnerable adults to prevent drug dealers taking understand the threat from serious and hold. Children at risk of Child Criminal organised crime and to produce plans to tackle Exploitation are referred to our Operation various areas of organised criminality, such as Quartz team who work closely with the young modern-day slavery and human trafficking, people, family and partner agencies. In addition, County Lines, gang violence, and criminal Multi Agency Sexual Exploitation (MASE) exploitation offences. meetings are run in the East and West force policing areas to enable identification of Intelligence vulnerability and joined up support provision Gwent Police gathers serious and organised (see ‘Supporting Victims’). crime intelligence from many sources, including other law enforcement and partner agencies, Detailed awareness session/briefings have been Local Policing Area (LPA) officers, the held across the Force to highlight that OCGs are

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 14

also potentially committing the offence of Feedback on the campaign from young people trafficking as this involves the use of a child in and professionals has been overwhelmingly criminal exploitation. The Force commissioned a positive and as a result, Gwent has had the problem profile to identify those children at highest visitor numbers in Wales to Fearless.org most risk of being drawn into SOC and force where young people can get information, information systems are regularly analysed to signposting and give information about crime. identify and map the connections between Crimestoppers and Fearless activity will continue people who are closely associated with OCGs. to perform a key role in the force wide SOC This allows us to consider safeguarding, partnership activity to encourage reporting of diversionary options and referrals. Information intelligence, raise awareness of the threats also feeds into our Vulnerability meeting which posed and divert people away from becoming aims to analyse and understand patterns of involved in such criminality. offending in vulnerable victims. Serious and Organised Crime Co-Ordinator Reaching young people with targeted messages A Serious and Organised Crime Co-ordinator was before they enter a life of crime is therefore appointed in force in July 2018 focusing mainly paramount. For example, following a successful on Newport. The aim of the Co-Ordinator has campaign in 2019, Crimestoppers relaunched its been to educate children in schools about the Gwent SOC prevention campaign in January realities of gangs, crime and violence, educate 2020 with the support of volunteers and those working in partner organisations, provide partners. The campaign highlighted the impact new interventions for children at risk of of criminal gangs on businesses and involvement in crime and develop local communities – with digital adverts targeted partnership arrangements. around drug dealing, violence, cybercrime, and money laundering. The campaign also Over the last year activity has been split into two highlighted the exploitation of children and main areas of: young people and encouraged hard-to-engage 1. Prevention/Intervention. communities to pass on information about 2. Community Resilience. criminal gangs 100% anonymously. Serious and Organised Crime Partnership Groups In addition, to increase targeted prevention are now well established, represented by a cross activity, we have been working closely with section of statutory/non and third sector Crimestoppers’ ‘Fearless’ youth service. This organisations. Improvements in local initiative aims to improve awareness amongst partnership structures mean that key partners young people about the threats of Serious are engaged in enforcement, safeguarding and Organised Crime and encourage a safe prevention activity at the appropriate stages in a environment for young people to report crime. A police investigation. ‘Running the Lines’ film was launched in June 2019 aimed at preventing serious violence, We have also worked with partners to identify County Lines, and child exploitation. The film has those schools and individuals most ‘at risk’ been shown across Gwent as part of educational where SOC is prevalent in the local community. workshops delivered by two Fearless workers. Once identified, these young people and their 207 professionals have been trained across four families have received on-going one to one local areas, including foster carers, in addition to support using Barnardos and family support 5874 people in relation to the dangers and the workers to ensure a whole system approach is law relating to knife crime, violence, county lines adopted. and anonymous reporting. Across all schools in Newport Gwent Police In October 2019, Fearless also delivered knife commissioned St Giles Trust and Crimestoppers crime awareness workshops to approximately Cymru to deliver a Serious and Organised Crime 250 young people representing schools from all schools programme. This was delivered to all across Gwent at a youth safeguarding Key Stage 3 Year 7 and Key stage 4 year 11 conference. pupils. The programme was intended to increase the awareness of this threat and to encourage the young people to report concerns.

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 15

Developing Community Resilience have provided extensive training to staff, The Serious and Organised Crime Co-Ordinator launched various preventative media campaigns has been working with an organisation called and continue to monitor and act upon our ‘Mutual Gain’ to both understand the issues intelligence. impacting our communities and how communities can develop problem solving. For Organised Crime Disruption example, in an area in Newport we ran a ‘World As part of Operation Jigsaw, throughout 2018 Café’ where the local community were invited to and 2019 the force carried out various share issues and work together to identify operations to disrupt serious and organised solutions. Sixteen bids were created, resulting in crime and prevent drug related crime and anti- four being successful to receive £5,000 each. A social behaviour associated with drug use. partnership group will ensure the money is Examples of effective enforcement and spent in an appropriate manner and the same disruption against SOC offenders include: process will now be run in another area. • Operation Empire - 10 warrants were carried The SOC work in Newport has featured in out across residential and business positive comments by HMICFRS, a recent joint properties in Newport and Pontypool. Seven Estyn Inspection and a Violence and people were arrested and charged with Vulnerability Review. Going forward Fearless, St conspiracy to supply Class A Drugs and Giles Trust and Barnardos will continue their Possession of Criminal Property. Class A support as a force-wide response and not just Drugs, large quantities of cash and a number focused in Newport. of high performance vehicles were seized, along with designer goods with an estimated Tackling County Lines value in excess of £40000. ‘County Lines’ refers to where illegal drugs are transported from one area to another, often • Op Dynamic – The operation took place over across police and local authority boundaries 6 months with two days of large scale (although not exclusively), usually by children or warrants carried out by over 100 police vulnerable people who are coerced into it by officers and supported by partner agencies. gangs. The 'County Line' is the mobile phone line 35 people involved in the supply of Class A used to take the orders of drugs. Areas where drugs (crack cocaine and heroin) and Class B the drugs are taken to are reporting increased ecstasy were brought to justice. In total the levels of violence and weapons-related crimes as defendants were sentenced to over 80 years a result of this trend. in prison.

Gwent Police has not identified rival gang feuds • Operation Divide – 29 premises were or an Urban Street Gang network but has searched and 23 people arrested, resulting identified young people aspiring to be gang in the seizure of 51 kilos of Amphetamine, members. Some of these individuals are 89 mobile phones, designer goods and intimidating to local residents, deal drugs, electrical items, £341,000 in cash, vehicles engage in anti-social behaviour and have aimed valued at over £250,000 and property and to claim particular areas of operation. To help financial assets restrained. 14 people were manage this behaviour and protect charged as a result of this operation. In communities, where necessary we have addition, on Facebook there were 33,649 implemented a Public Space Protection Order engagements, on Twitter 4,539 (PSPO) which puts in place a ban on alcohol in engagements and on Instagram 189 public places, a ban on any person having in interactions. their possession, selling or supplying any other intoxicating substance and enables a power to • Operation Solar – Is a recent operation disperse groups of 3 or more people if they are whereby specialist method of entry and causing trouble. search trained officers, the dog section, criminal investigation teams and local As outlined above, we have worked hard with officers worked together to execute 17 partnership agencies to identify and support warrants. 15 people were arrested and those vulnerable to joining criminal gangs, we

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 16

charges for Class A drug offences have been crimes. The majority of cyber-enabled crime in made. 2019-20 has been a form of bullying and harassment (77.3%), which has risen by 16%. Our efforts to disrupt these crimes and our This is followed by exploitation which accounts visible presence in our communities has had a for 21.1%. significant impact. We have received numerous messages of thanks from the public across our However, as technology and awareness social media platforms. continues to develop at a rapid pace, and social media outlets increase, there will be an Money seized from organised crime groups is expected upward trend of offences in this area held within the PCC’s Police Community Fund over the next three to four years. Cross border Grant scheme and reinvested within the and international offenders also bring significant community each year. Local projects are invited challenges for front line staff. We are continuing to bid for a share of the Fund and the money to focus on prevention to protect victims in benefits local charities, voluntary organisations vulnerable communities and have prioritised and community groups. This also sends a strong improved education for both victims and message to those involved in this criminal offenders of cybercrime, de-stigmatising activity. offences for victims, and combatting emerging issues such as live streaming sites where Cyber and Financial Crime anonymity makes it hard for offenders to be Cybercrime is a term used to describe two identified. related criminal activities - cyber-dependent and cyber-enabled crimes. Cyber-dependent crimes Gwent Police also continues to take a leading can only be committed by using a computer, role in the All Wales Cyber Crime Meeting which computer networks, or other form of ICT. These allows for the effective sharing of current trends, acts include the spread of viruses and other intelligence and best practice. It also enables malicious software, hacking, and distributed the Force to be better able to prepare for and denial of service (DDoS) attacks (ie) the flooding tackle the threat that this presents to our of internet servers to take down network community members. infrastructure or websites. They are also crimes primarily directed against computers or network Fraud resources, although there may be secondary The main crimes identified as deception and outcomes from the attacks, such as fraud. fraud relate to buying and selling online and blackmail. Whilst these total only 21 crimes for Cyber-enabled crimes are traditional crimes that 2019-2020, they tend to have a significant are facilitated by the use of computers, impact on victims, highlighting the importance computer networks or other ICT. Unlike cyber- of our work with communities in raising dependent crimes, they can still be committed awareness and advising best practice for safety without the use of ICT. For example, fraud online. (including mass-marketing frauds, phishing, e- mails and other scams; online banking and e- Fraud Information and advice is circulated to commerce frauds); theft (including theft of members of the community via social media, personal information and identification-related campaigns and our Community Messaging data), sexual offending against children System as a prevention measure. The FIU also (including grooming, and the possession, links with: creation and/or distribution of sexual imagery); • Business Crime Wales and on-line bulling/trolling etc (misuse of Social • POET (Protecting Our Elderly Together Networking, Twitter, Facebook etc.). Partnership) Board which oversees the identification and reporting of crime and Cyber-enabled crimes have increased wellbeing of older and vulnerable citizens. exponentially in their scale and reach over • Trading Standards in relation to Doorstep recent years and this increase shows no sign of Crime and Rogue Traders. slowing. Increases have averaged 46% each year since 2014/15 as more offenders have used Operation Signature is a successful Force computer-enabled methods to aid or commit campaign to identify and support vulnerable

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 17

victims of fraud. However, it also raises • Eight Referrals from the Regional Organised awareness of the issue and encourages a variety Crime Unit where a subject has been of agencies, such as banks, to work with the identified by an undercover online officer. team to prevent the vulnerable from becoming • One referral from the UK Border Agency victims. (See also ‘Supporting Victims of Crime’). One referral from the Canadian Police identifying a subject involved in child abuse Preventative measures to support and protect for financial gain. those potentially vulnerable can include: • Assisting in vulnerable person to change Since January 2020, 116 and 121 offenders have their phone number to an ex-directory been identified and POLIT has executed 115 number investigations cumulating in search warrants and • contacting family to suggest power of safeguarding visits. attorney • re-directing mail POLIT work closely with Social Services to ensure • offering advice on call blocking devices victims and families are supported. Furthermore, • referring them to other support services POLIT actively support the families of offenders through Connect Gwent Referrals to support We also raise awareness of the issue and them through a process that can be devastating encourage preventative steps through our to a family. media and community messaging. Officers in POLIT receive training that is provided Police Online Investigation Team (POLIT) by the National Crime Agency (NCA) in the fight We have a dedicated Police Online Investigation against Child Abuse and Sexual Exploitation. Team (POLIT) whose primary task is to They have also received specialist training in investigate internet abuse and target individuals identifying child abuse online platforms, who are in possession of Indecent Images of Webinars provided by the Federal Bureau of Children (IIOC). Working alongside specialist Investigation (FBI) in specialist tools and online officers in the Digital Forensic Investigation Unit, intelligence gathering, National Intelligence the POLIT monitor two P2P systems to identify Conferences, and specialist training in the suspects and offenders using Internet Protocol categorisation of Child Abuse Imagery. (IP) addresses in the Gwent area. Once on-line offending is identified, positive action is always INTEGRATED OFFENDER MANAGEMENT (IOM) taken and any offences that are discovered are IOM is an approach that brings together criminal investigated and dealt with appropriately. justice and other agencies to deliver a local response to persistent and problematic In conjunction with the Crown Prosecution offenders. It aims to reduce crime and Service (CPS) a streamline process has been reoffending rates by providing an enhanced level developed to ensure that those arrested are of surveillance and control to those identified as brought to justice in a timely manner. being at a heightened likelihood of reoffending, Investigations include: alongside a focus on rehabilitation for those who • safeguarding children who have shared are willing to accept help. The force recognises images of themselves that it needs to be more consistent in applying • adults who have downloaded indecent the IOM principles and intends to review this images area in 20/21. • adults intent on grooming children Gwent has four schemes for monitoring Since April 2019, the POLIT team have received convicted offenders: 216 CEOP referrals from the National Crime 1. Integrated Offender Management Unit Agency. Under the CEOPS referrals they have (IOMU); also received: 2. Welsh Integrated Serious and Dangerous • A further five Suspicious Activity Report Offender Management team (WISDOM); (SARS) where a subject is suspected of 3. Youth Offender Team (YOT); having financial links to Child Sexual Abuse 4. Management of Sexual or Violent Offenders and Exploitation. (MOSOVO).

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 18

Integrated Offender Management Unit (IOMU) Management of Sexual or Violent Offenders There are IOMUs in both the East and West (MOSOVO) Local Policing Areas, collectively managing 136 HMICFRS – “The force is effectively managing offenders. They focus on the most prolific offenders who are known to be a risk to offenders, working in partnership with the vulnerable people. It has reduced the number Prison and Probation Service and other of registered sex offenders awaiting organisations who supervise or support assessment.” offenders in the community. The programmes MOSOVO is responsible for the management of use a multi-agency approach with specifically convicted offenders using the Multi Agency tailored interventions designed to respond to Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA). the risks and need of the individual. This aims to MAPPA exist to identify relevant offenders and disrupt the offender’s criminal activity and design individual Risk Management Plans to reduces re-offending. The following agencies manage the risk they pose. Three ‘Responsible and partners work closely with each other on a Authorities’ are specifically identified in MAPPA daily basis to achieve these aims: Guidance: the police, the National Probation • National Probation Service (NPS) Service, and Her Majesty’s Probation and Prison • Prison Services (both public and private) Service. • The Police services • Youth Offending Services Risk assessment of registered sex offenders • Local Authorities (e.g. Accommodation) follows the Active Risk Management System • Pathway providers e.g. Jobcentre Plus (ARMS). Much work has been undertaken over housing providers and drug and alcohol the last year and our ARMS completion rates in services in particular GDAS and GSSMS Gwent, including Probation, now currently stand • Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS). at 87%.

Pro-active staff within the IOM units respond Police are generally the lead agency for Category quickly in investigating any offences suspected 1 offenders; the National Probation Service are of being committed by IOM nominals in order the lead for Category 2 offenders. Category 1 that they can be brought to justice as soon as offenders are those who have committed a possible. sexual offence and are subject to Notification Requirements under the Sexual Offences Act Management of Sexual or Violent Offenders 2003—commonly known as the Sex Offenders Gwent Police works with a range of partner Register. Currently there are 816 offenders organisations to reduce the risks posed by under active community management with 17 offenders who are prolific, registered sex MOSOVO officers. The number of offenders in offenders, or otherwise present a high risk of prison has remained largely stable since 2015. harm. The following teams within Gwent Police are dedicated to this: The Gwent Police MOSOVO Team is responsible • Two Integrated Offender Management Units for Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) (IOMUs); applications at sentencing. We have • The Welsh Integrated Serious and established, and lead, a process for SHPO Dangerous Offender Management team applications with National Probation Service (WISDOM); partners, with joint applications through the • Three Youth Offending Teams (YOTs); and, Crown Prosecution Service and Probation pre- • The Management of Sexual or Violent sentence reports. The trend in SHPO Offenders team (MOSOVO). applications is linked to the trend in RSO numbers - where there are no convictions, there Neighbourhood teams are also aware of the sex can be no SHPO application. In 2019 there were offenders living in their Force area through use 21 convictions and 13 SHPO applications. of alerts on our IT system to quickly identify addresses connected to registered sex The MOSOVO team now produce a monthly offenders. This means that officers attending report which examines performance, recording apparently unrelated incidents at these ongoing investigations, breaches of notification addresses know about offenders and are able to requirements and safeguarding data. A bi- make better decisions. monthly blog is also released by the department

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 19

that focusses on areas it is felt require focus and all received extra training. All children now direction. receive a pamphlet that makes their rights and entitlements easy for them to understand. Youth Offending Services Wherever possible, children are detained in The Force plays a major role in Youth Offending cells away from adult detainees. It is a strong Services, working with young people aged indicator of success that the force had detained between 8 and 17 years who are either only one child after charge in the three months offending or at risk of offending and with the before our visit.” victims of their crimes. There are three Youth Offending Service teams operating across However, there continues to be a shortage of Gwent: Newport, Blaenau Gwent and Caerphilly, secure local authority accommodation and a and Monmouthshire and Torfaen. The teams are Welsh Government Task and Finish group has multi-disciplinary and based in the Local been set up to work through the issue. Authority, working in partnership with the National Probation Service (HMPPS), and WISDOM Aneurin Bevan University Health Board (ABUHB). The Wales Integrated Serious and Dangerous Offender Management (WISDOM) team is an We use restorative approaches and initiative developed through the IOM Cymru interventions to divert young people away from Board to manage the harm from high-risk crime. This is reducing first time entrants to the offenders. A partnership pilot focussing on serial criminal justice system. For example, we have domestic abuse perpetrators has been undertaken projects providing diversionary team developed in the Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent building opportunities for disengaged young areas. Key features of the programme include people. This has encouraged the development of access to psychological and health services for positive behaviour, promoted positive offender interventions, clinical supervision, and relationships, and provided positive role models training. Bespoke packages of intervention and as well as opportunities for the development of deterrence are also provided under WISDOM. key social skills. The WISDOM team comprises a dedicated police As stated previously, the Serious and Organised offender manager co-located with probation Crime Project Board in Newport, chaired by the staff. They manage a cohort of 26 offenders and Local Policing Area Chief Superintendent, has offender risks are reviewed monthly at the commissioned St Giles Trust, Barnardo’s, and MASP (Multi agency selection panel). The MASP Crimestoppers Cymru to provide an enhanced is where selection and de-selection decisions are intervention service for children identified as made. This year we have trained the WISDOM being at risk of being drawn into Serious and administrator as an analyst to enable a more Organised Crime. These organisations work detailed understanding of WISDOM, its impact, closely with the Youth Offending Team and local and its demands on police and other partners. schools to identify children requiring additional intensive support or families where early In October 2019, the Force also introduced a intervention is required before statutory forcewide diversion model based at both intervention is required (see Serious and Newport and Ystrad Mynach custody unit. The Organised Crime). scheme aims to divert both men and women away from the Criminal Justice System and into The Force has also undertaken a significant voluntary community interventions and support. amount of work to reduce the amount of under The force also continues to operate its alcohol 18-year old’s being detained in police custody. diversion course and is now working closely with During 2019-20 we were inspected by HMICFRS South Wales Police to further expand the model and feedback highlighted that significant to cover other areas such as military veterans. improvements have been made in this area. The HMICFRS stated in their report: Restorative Justice and Community Resolution “During our post inspection review we saw We have trained frontline officers in Restorative significant improvements in the way the force Justice and Community Resolution so that we deals with children who are detained. Custody can offer this choice to victims. Community officers, staff and healthcare professionals have Resolution is an effective way of dealing with

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 20

low-level crime and anti-social behaviour that 2. Terrorism and Organised Crime – using a gives victims of these crimes a say in the range of specialist tactics to prevent, deter punishment of the offender. Community and disrupt higher level threats to the resolution helps us to put the needs of the region; and, victim first and empowers victims to take instant 3. Supporting normal policing. action. There were a total of 316 Community Resolution outcomes in 2019-20. The force aims Every weekday, the unit also delivers initial and to make better use of this facility in 2020/21. continued professional development for all Firearms Officers, Specialists, Tactical Advisors The force has been driving these approaches to and Commanders. Reassessment of threat is a provide officers with a speedier and more continual process and the unit maintains and proportionate means to resolve relevant updates all firearms response plans regularly. incidents. A new community resolution/ restorative justice officer started in March 2020 There has been a steady increase in demand on to monitor community resolution usage, the JFU since the start of the collaboration, with coordinate diversion service referrals, assist with a significant rise in incidents requiring a firearms restorative justice meetings and provide response. In 2013, the average number of feedback and training to officers on how these firearms incidents each month was 45. That approaches could have been used. figure rose to 86 per month during 2017-18 and now stands at an annual average of 120 firearms SPECIALIST CAPABILITIES incidents each month in 2020. The Home Secretary’s Strategic Policing Requirement (SPR) sets out the national threats The Force has also seen increases in other areas for which the police service must maintain the such as TASER deployments, specialist tactics capability and capacity to respond. Forces must such as armed support to surveillance be prepared to respond to the threats of operations, requirements for armed assets to terrorism, serious and organised crime, child work public events, and a growing firearms sexual abuse, and cyber security incidents. The training curriculum. The JFU has met this force complies fully with its national growing demand by driving efficiency and requirements and we have continued to test and ensuring that the Unit is at optimal improve both our capacity and capability to establishment levels through a rolling succession respond to these threats locally and nationally. planning programme.

Armed Response The Regional Joint Firearms Unit (JFU) delivers a collaborative firearms response with South Wales Police and Dyfed Powys Police. There are four operational bases around the three forces and one central training facility. There are 65 authorised firearms offices based in the Eastern Hub that covers Gwent and 27 counter-terrorism specialist firearms officers across the region. Close working between the three Welsh forces means that armed officers can deploy quickly and efficiently in the region.

The Unit has close links with other regional intelligence units such as TARIAN, the Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU), and the Welsh Extremism and Counter Terrorism Unit (WECTU), and they meet regularly to assess emerging threats. The mission of the JFU is ‘Keeping the Region Safe’ under three headings of:

1. Preservation of life and public safety;

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 21

4 Supporting Victims

PCC - “Provide excellent support for victims the police service of crime, particularly focusing on those who Satisfaction of victims of burglary 92% have experienced the most serious harm” Satisfaction of victims of violent crime 83% Communication was clear 90%

Victims were dealt with sympathetically 87% HMICFRS 2018-19 “Gwent Police is good at Officers were polite 93% understanding and identifying vulnerability, Officers took the matter seriously 84% including vulnerability that might be hidden. Victims were treated fairly 88% Protecting vulnerable people is a clear Police understood what mattered to victims 88% priority for the force.” Victims felt reassured 87%

Gwent Police endeavour to ensure that victims Actions Taken Victims were satisfied with the actions 76% of crime receive a service centred on them, that taken on their behalf our service provides the support they need and Officers explained what they were going to 88% ensures that we protect those who are most do vulnerable to harm. The volume and complexity Victims were provided with a reference 74% of offences involving vulnerable victims means number that we cannot do this alone. We work closely Police gave the victim their contact details 52% with an array of partners such as Local Safeguarding Boards and Multi-Agency Risk Victims were Kept Informed: Assessment Conferences (MARAC) to ensure the Victims satisfied with being kept informed 46% high quality of service victims need. of progress Victims given the option to receive updates 49%

The Force operates a monthly Victims Board Service: which provides scrutiny over all Gwent Police Victims were happy with the service that 75% aspects of a victim’s journey, including victim they received satisfaction and Victims Code compliance. To Respondents likely to report a crime or 77% support the Board we are also continuing with a incident again in the future Victims Focus Group in which victims in Gwent are invited to attend and provide feedback. We The force recognises that it needs to do more to also have an internal victim’s working group that improve victim satisfaction in some areas and directly feeds issues into the Board and reviews the Assistant Chief Constable is leading the the Force Action Plan. response to this via our ‘Victims Board’.

To enable us to find out how satisfied victims of IDENTIFYING VULNERABLE VICTIMS AT FIRST crime are with our service we undertake surveys POINT OF CONTACT to monitor our victim support and implement learning if victims feel they have not received HMICFRS “Gwent Police is good at responding the support that they deserve. During 2019/20, to incidents involving vulnerable victims. The victim satisfaction levels have been as follows: force attends incidents involving vulnerable victims quickly enough to keep them safe.” Ease of Contact: Burglary 95% We aim to identify vulnerability from the first Violent Crime 95% time the victim calls us. This allows us to offer Vehicle Crime 88% support and prioritise service at the earliest Harassment 100% Time of Arrival at Scene: 87% opportunity. Call handlers use a question-set Treatment: based on identifying Threat, Harm, Risk, The majority of victims of crime were 85% Investigation, Vulnerability, and Engagement satisfied with the way they were treated by

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 22

(THRIVE) to prioritise services for the victim at Incidents by Response Grade and Year the first point of contact. Response 2015- 2016- 2017- 2018- 2019- Grade 16 17 18 19 20 The THRIVE question-set is automatically Emergency 43,730 44,557 43,810 46,257 45,853 generated when a new crime, anti-social behaviour or public safety and welfare log is Priority 39,685 41,471 42,851 45,609 41,120 created. Call handlers use comprehensive databases to search for anything that might At its last inspection, the HMICFRS found that assist them in understanding the full context of the Force is good at responding to incidents the situation. This can include critical markers involving vulnerable victims and there were no against addresses, any previous history, and delays in responding to priority calls. There are warning markers that can identify repeat strong arrangements to oversee all aspects of victims. For domestic abuse incidents, Call performance in the Contact Suite and it Handlers use a standalone question-set based proactively identifies and resolves problems to on national best practice and have received ensure an effective service for the public. detailed training on domestic abuse and mental health. Officers attending incidents complete a Public Protection Notice (PPN) for all cases involving Area Incident Sergeants based in First Point of vulnerable people to identify risk and enable the Contact monitor all incidents involving identified most appropriate response. The force is also threat, harm, and risk in real-time, ensuring that undertaking refresher supervisory training for our response is appropriate and in accordance every sergeant across the force to ensure that with graded response guidance. We review all focus is on use of the investigative framework cases of high-risk domestic abuse at our Daily and victims needs and wishes are central to Management Meetings. decision making.

HMICFRS “The force has processes to identify To protect vulnerable victims, officers will make repeat callers and vulnerable people when arrests when appropriate according to the Police they first contact the police. The first point of and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. contact room (force control room) systems will identify previous callers by checking Vulnerability APP phone numbers and addresses.” The Force has invested in a Vulnerability app that went live across the Force on 1st April 2019.

It is available to all officers, analysts, researchers The Timeliness team in our Crime Management and staff who work in the area of Public Unit carry our quality checks of all incidents, Protection. It focuses on the strands of looking for accurate crime recording, the use of Vulnerability such as: THRIVE criteria, and systems administration checks. • Domestic Abuse Responding to Incidents • Stalking / Harassment Responsibility for incident response is shared • Serious Sexual Offences between the First Point of Contact (FPOC) Suite • Missing Persons and the response teams working in Gwent’s East • Child Protection and West Local Policing Areas (LPAs). Gwent • Child Sexual Exploitation Police uses four grades of response to categorise • Honour Based Incident incidents: emergency, priority, scheduled, and • Forced Marriage resolution without deployment. Volumes of • Prostitution and Vice Priority and Emergency incidents have not • Vulnerable Adults changed significantly since 2015-16. • Sex Offender Management • Female Gender Mutilation • Human Trafficking (Modern Slavery)

The APP allows staff to identify occurrence volumes by strand, geography, crime type and date and time. The APP also identifies persons

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 23

linked to that strand and whether they are a Trauma Informed training is now an integral part repeat Victim or repeat Offender within a rolling of the Policing Education Qualifications 12 months. Framework (PEQF) programme for new recruits and through the EAT programme the Force has Early Action Together (EAT) recognised the need for and recruited a The Early Action Together programme is an all Vulnerability Trainer to develop and deliver a Wales collaborative programme between all Vulnerability Workforce Development Plan. This four Welsh Police Forces, Police and Crime is designed to best equip officers to tackle the Commissioners and Public Health Wales, funded often-complex needs of individuals in the ever- by the Home Office between 2018 and 2020. changing landscape of vulnerability. The Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent funded the programme for an additional year to Objective 2: Build Organisational capacity and continue delivery and implement system change capability that proactively meets changing into business as usual. The programme aims to demands. - Gwent Police has worked to deliver better outcomes for children and adults understand the demand from vulnerability and by transforming the ways in which Police how this interacts with the capacity, resources, recognise, protect and support vulnerable and systems we have that respond to it. To people earlier by applying the learning from achieve this, we have mapped the existing Public Health Wales’ Adverse Childhood responses to the 13 strands of vulnerability; Experience (ACEs) research. identifying opportunities for system change, greater alignment and efficiencies. This work Following the positive impact of the programme has led to the development of a Vulnerability the focus in 2019-2020 and beyond has been the Strategy for Gwent Police to inform how we continued evaluation of ‘what works’ from the recognise, respond to and investigate when programme, scalable delivery of initiatives and vulnerable people are involved. sustainability through the integration of the learning and impact of the work into business as We also recognise that trauma can affect our usual for Gwent Police. own workforce and the EAT programme has funded and developed ’Back up Buddy’ for The programme has four overarching objectives: Gwent Police, a digital wellbeing app and • A confident, capable workforce supported to resource for police officers, staff and their respond to vulnerability; families. In addition, we have worked with a • People getting the right support at the right clinical psychologist to implement training time from the right organisation; courses to prevent trauma and Post Traumatic • Partners able to anticipate demand; and, Stress Disorder (PTSD) of police officers. • Reduction in repeated demand associated with vulnerability. Objective 3: A 24/7 single integrated ‘front door’ for vulnerability that signposts, supports and Objective 1 Response: - A competent and safeguards encompassing ‘blue light’, welfare confident workforce able to respond more and health services. - We have developed a effectively to vulnerability. - By April 2020, Safeguarding Senior Practitioner role, co-located jointly with Barnardos Cymru, Gwent Police has in the Force Control Room. Currently this is Pilot delivered Trauma Training to over 1300 front with evaluation being delivered by external line officers, CSO’s and Supervisors in Gwent academics working with Public health Wales. It Police and over 500 partner agency staff. This aims to monitor ‘live time’ incidents and provide has embedded trauma-informed practice into advice, guidance and support to frontline police our daily business and has built upon existing officers regarding safeguarding. It also aims to skills and knowledge to enable our workforce to share information with officers to enhance respond more effectively and earlier to effective, early decision making in line with vulnerability. By July 2019, over 1300 front-line National Decision Model, have direct contact officers, CSOs, supervisors, and over 300 staff with members of the public involved in the from partner agencies attended Barnardo’s incident where appropriate, liaise with relevant ACEtime training. Social Services / EDT in response to incidents, and support the development of a framework for officers to determine whether incidents

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 24

require a safeguarding, support or signposting rates will then be used as a measure of success response. of the communication and engagement work over this year. Objective 4: A whole system response to vulnerability - Gwent Police has worked with The Victim Services Hub also includes a new partners in identified pathfinder areas to Survivor Engagement Coordinator who joined develop and implement Safeguarding Hubs. The Gwent Police in February 2020. Hubs consist of: The post is the first of its kind for a police force • Co-location of police resources with Social in Wales and was created following a care and other key partners.; recommendation from the Police and Crime • Early screening of all PPNs to identify Commissioner’s office. It aims to establish a referrals for safeguarding, signposting and sustainable survivor engagement framework support through which survivors of domestic abuse and • Early information sharing to inform sexual violence can share their lived experience. safeguarding decisions • Timely multi-agency strategy discussions We have also invested to ensure officers keep • Quality assurance of PPNs and feedback to their victims up to date and are able to identify officers those who require additional support and the • Implemented referral pathways for PPNs to type of support that they might require. early intervention and prevention services. Training, briefings, inspector and sergeant guidance, and other internal communication Across the pilot areas, in the 6 months to April have all assisted with this. 2020 over 500 individuals and families had received an offer of help from early intervention Domestic Abuse services. In the Blaenau Gwent authority area HMICFRS – “Gwent Police has made alone the re-referral rate into social care significant progress in improving its response reduced from 31% to 11%. to domestic abuse victims. It has improved training, resulting in an increase in risk Following from the success of the pilot work is assessments and using arrest and legal on-going to implement a Safeguarding Hub powers to protect victims of domestic abuse.” Model across all five of the Local Authority areas of Gwent. Domestic abuse is a priority for Gwent Police. In common with most forces, we have devoted SUPPORTING VICTIMS attention to getting our approach to domestic ‘Connect Gwent’ abuse right, in encouraging victims to come Our Victim Services Hub, ‘Connect Gwent’, forward, and in ensuring that when they do, brings together a range of agencies to enable they receive the appropriate level of support. Gwent Police to work more effectively with victims of crime. Connect Gwent supports Gwent Police has a centrally located Domestic victims for as long as they need, offering Abuse Safeguarding Team (DAST) who review specialist practical or emotional support. domestic abuse cases and safeguard victims. Each month, together with partner agencies, To ensure quality and consistent performance they review case management, the number of data is available a comprehensive Connect Domestic Violence Protection Notices (DVPN), Gwent Performance Framework has been the number of Domestic Violence Protection developed over the last year and has now been Orders (DVPO), the number of cases referred to finalised. This will enable effective monitoring Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conferences and scrutiny of the performance of the (MARAC), compliance rates for Domestic Abuse commissioned services and Connect Gwent as a Stalking and Harassment forms (DASH), and whole. repeat victimisation. Currently 89% of referrals are received from Gwent Police. Engagement and communication In 2019-20 there were 10,434 incidents involving work has been ongoing to increase the number domestic abuse. Of these incidents, 57.8% were of self-referrals and referrals from other recorded as crimes. Recorded domestic abuse agencies. This year’s agency and self-referral offences have increased significantly, from an

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 25

average of 572 in 2017-18 to 703 in 2019-20. been made to the MARAC processes over the This increase has mostly been attributed to an last year through the MARAC Steering Group improvement in reporting and recording. and a MARAC Coordinator has now been established in Gwent. The Coordinator is a joint In 2019-20, we made 2293 arrests relating to partner and Police funded post and their role is domestic abuse occurrences, a decrease of 8.1% to not only coordinate the MARACs, but to also from 2018-19. This equates to an arrest rate of hold partners and Police to account for their 27.2% which is a slight decline on 2018-19, allocated actions. As a result we have where the arrest rate totalled 29.8%. streamlined and professionalised our MARACs.

The number of DVPNs and DVPOs issued in The force has also been continuing to develop a 2019-20 has fallen by over half in comparison to staff training strategy that includes male the previous financial year. DVPNs reduced to 34 violence against women (including sexual and DVPOs to 23. The Force has recognised this violence, coercive control, consent and domestic reduction and has invested heavily in training abuse), appointing male White Ribbon and made changes to our processes to enable a ambassadors, developing a clear system for rise in applications. reporting, assessing, dealing with and reporting incidents of sexism, harassment, abuse, sexual Since the identification of risk in domestic abuse assault or violence and developing our zero- depends upon on the judgement of officers, the tolerance approach to sexist, harassing or Force has invested heavily in training. A Home abusive behaviours from staff and service users. Office match funded grant for £32,000 was secured to deliver Safelives Domestic Abuse In addition, as part of the Domestic Abuse Matters training to all of our first responders, Matters programme we have been creating a including Criminal Investigation (CID) and FCR network of 100 domestic abuse champions to staff throughout 2020. The training has been enable us to continue to provide the most delivered in 19 Forces across the U.K., with each effective service for victims. We have also put in seeing a benefit in all aspects of domestic abuse place Domestic Abuse Wellbeing Ambassadors investigations, from early recognition of risk, to within the Force who offer support to officers increases in evidence led (victim not supporting) and staff who are or have been victims of prosecutions. It is hoped that although the domestic abuse. training has been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic that it will enable us to identify and In November 2019, the Force was proud to appropriately support more victims. achieve White Ribbon Accreditation, showing its commitment to working towards ending male Funding has also enabled us to improve our violence against women. White Ribbon UK is response to victims of domestic abuse through part of the largest global initiative to end male our partnership with Women’s Aid. We have violence against women. The charity works with secured funding to 2023 and the team do the local authorities, emergency services and majority of our signposting and follow up organisations to ensure workplaces and support work. These key support workers are all communities are made safer for women, and trained as Independent Domestic Violence that they actively challenge those male cultures Advisors and are working towards Independent that lead to harassment, abuse, and violence. To Stalking Coercive Advocate (ISAC) status. They achieve White Ribbon Accreditation an provide essential assistance to the police and organisation must produce a challenging three- critical support to victims at a time when year action plan which covers raising awareness, demand on the police frontline is increasing changing culture, and specifically engaging with across all areas. men and boys.

Gwent refers all high-risk domestic abuse cases Further, in 2019, our Senior Cadets approached to a multi-agency risk assessment conference White Ribbon and embarked on a pilot (MARAC) process. The police Chairs of MARAC programme to promote awareness of male meetings are trained by the Gwent Independent violence against women. The programme Domestic Violence Advocate (IDVA) Manager, consisted of training related to Domestic Abuse, using Safelives guidance. Improvements have harassment, stalking, honour based violence and

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 26

reporting. Through this collaboration, White Case for every Domestic Abuse investigation to Ribbon and the Cadets have established a ‘Youth ensure continuity of decision-making and Advocate’ mentor role. This role is the first of its communication with the victim. kind in the United Kingdom and only the Cadets in Gwent have been formally identified. Stalking and Harassment There was a total of 7736 stalking and The Youth Advocates are linked within their harassment offences in 2019-20, increasing by schools, reaching out to young people of similar 10.9% from 2018-19. A large proportion (46.8%) ages, delivering messages on domestic abuse of stalking and harassment crimes come from between peers. The schools will work with the offence ‘Sending letters etc. with intent to Youth Advocates along with adult mentors to cause anxiety’ (Malicious Communications Act, ensure safeguarding measures are in place to 1988). This is followed by the offence ‘Protection support and assist individuals who disclose any from harassment’ (Protection from Harassment form of domestic abuse. Act, 1997) which equates to 37.1% these crimes.

As part of their Youth Advocate role, the Cadets In 2019-20, we made 847 arrests relating to also take part in roadshows, community events stalking and harassment; this is a dramatic and hosting information days, raising awareness increase from 2018-19 equating to a 99.3% rise. of what White Ribbon is and how to access More than a third (39.2%) of arrests were made support. for the offence ‘Harassment without violence’. 28.7% of arrests were due to a ‘Breach of a The Youth Advocates took their cause to the restraining order on conviction – harassment’. National Assembly Wales on the 1st of Both offences more than doubled in the number November 2019 to speak to the All Wales Police of arrests since 2018-19. Cadets Forum regarding Healthy Relationships. The Force conducts a monthly Stalking, Operation Encompass Harassment and Coercive Control meeting, As part of the Early Action Together programme, where investigations and crimes are scrutinised. the Force has rolled out Operation Encompass, In 2019 Gwent Police also appointed a Stalking, whereby a school will be informed by 9am the Harassment, and Coercive Control Continuous following day if a pupil has been a victim or Improvement Officer (SHCCIO). The SHCCIO witness of Domestic Abuse. This plays a vital role reviews all stalking and coercive control in reaching out to children and young people incidents reported to the force to provide who may be silenced and not able to ask for the officers with support and advice during help they need. The programme has now been investigations of these crimes. For vulnerable embedded across all five local authorities. victims, the SHCCIO assists the officer in charge of the case with their interview and the Gwent has a Pilot MASH project currently assessment of the victim’s needs. Victims are running. It incorporates and is co-located with signposted to partner agencies that can assist Newport Local Authority, Social Services (Adult and support them further. The SHCCIO also +Child) working in close conjunction with the provides support and advice to colleagues and ACE project and more recently Operation partners for Domestic Abuse related cases, as Encompass. well as providing support to any officer or staff member that is, or has been, a victim of In addition, the Force now surveys Domestic domestic abuse. Abuse victims to seek feedback on our approach to help improve our performance. Analysis FRAUD informs areas of good practice and areas for The force uses information received from Action improvement. The head of PPU updates officers Fraud to understand its fraud victim profile. and supervisors directly to aid learning. Action Fraud referrals are also sent to the Officers share details of support agencies with Victim’s Hub Coordinator and the force makes victims as standard practice. Connect Gwent contact with victims who have an indication of reviews referrals to provide support through vulnerability and repeat victims. We have multi-agency work with bespoke plans. Safety introduced a Financial Abuse Officer who works planning is the responsibility of the Officer in the

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 27

closely with the Financial Investigation Unit and them from falling victim to similar scams in the is based in the Victim’s Hub. future. This can include referrals to social services, expert fraud prevention advice and All Suspicious Activity Reports are proactively additional checks on future transactions. reviewed daily to identify offenders involved in acquisitive crime. They are also checked to Detective Supt Nick Wilkie: “‘The Banking identifying potential vulnerable victims of Protocol gives us a prompt means of identifying, financial exploitation who have often not protecting and safeguarding vulnerable people reported the crime. This information may then who have often been frightened into forwarding generate safeguarding action with officer their hard earned life savings to fraudsters. contact. Behind the scenes we are in constant contact with the banks to ensure they activate the Operation Signature protocol when they suspect offences may be Operation Signature was adopted by Gwent being committed.” Police in 2017 to deal with increasing growing fraud cases. As well as contacting victims Over the last year Operation Signature has also identified via Action Fraud, usually 140 -160 included Victim Support and Age Cymru to assist each month, the team contacts victims involved in safeguarding, and a Fraud Triage Department with Banking Protocols and rogue traders, and has been developed. visits and safeguards victims of Romance Fraud. By working closely with victims, the team has In August 2019, a bank outlined to the Financial identified further victims of fraud and victims of Investigation Team where banks have a money laundering scams and has broken a responsibility to their customers to ensure that substantial ring with victims located in Reading unusual transactions are monitored and refunds and the north of England. The team has also are available. Between August 2019 and March been successful in returning money to victims 2020, the team has pushed other banks to help with amounts ranging from £3k to one of £143k victims and through Operation Signature they that was diverted in a mandate fraud. have been instrumental in the return of funds to victims in Gwent totalling over £290,450. The Over £100 million worth of fraud — often largest sums returned include £180,000 to a targeting vulnerable and elderly customers — victim that had been cold called and who was has been prevented through the Banking clearly vulnerable, £30,000 for a cold call Protocol, a UK-wide scheme that enables bank relating to internet banking and four cases of branch staff to spot potential fraud victims and ‘Romance’ fraud totalling £55,800. Safeguarding request an immediate police response. The has also been extended to those under 18, scheme first launched in Gwent Police in 2019 although this does not have the same amount of and since then, 77 calls have been made with an fraud and relates mainly to Facebook / social average of £10,260 of fraud being prevented per media hacking. call. The initiative has led to the arrest of three suspected offenders. Modern Day Slavery and Human Trafficking (MSHT) The Banking Protocol was introduced to crack Modern Day Slavery Modern slavery is a down on scams in which customers are tricked complex crime and may involve multiple forms into visiting their bank in person to withdraw of exploitation. It refers to all offences money and hand it over to a criminal. Under the previously described as human trafficking, initiative bank branch staff are trained to spot slavery, forced labour, and domestic servitude. It the warning signs that suggest a customer may features as a priority in the Force Control be falling victim to such a scam. The staff Strategy and senior leaders engage with and member can then invoke the Banking Protocol, support the aims of the Independent Anti- leading police officers to send a priority Slavery Commissioner in the prevention, response to the bank to investigate the detection, investigation and prosecution of suspected fraud and arrest any suspects still on slavery offences and the identification of victims. the scene. The Banking Protocol also ensures that extra support is provided to customers In January 2018 Gwent Police established a identified through the scheme, to help prevent dedicated MSHT team to focus on all aspects of

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 28

MSHT, including educating front line officers, victims self-referring and entering the National safeguarding victims, and enforcement. A multi- Referral Mechanism. The force has also agency risk assessment conference (MARAC) identified and mapped businesses known to was also set up for Modern Day Slavery and associate with modern slavery and human agencies refer cases to the MARAC co-ordinator trafficking. We routinely visit these premises for consideration. with partner agencies to disrupt activity and decrease opportunities to exploit vulnerable Victims of modern slavery are identified and groups. referred through the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) framework, ensuring that Disruption they receive the appropriate support. The NRM The force works continuously to disrupt modern and Duty to Notify processes are understood day slavery and human trafficking and safeguard within the Force and are recorded in a victims. For example: retrievable format capable of tracking victims. • Operation Aidant – Has been running since NRM's are received by Force Intelligence staff 2017 and is the umbrella term for multiple and disseminated to the MSHT team. The MSHT Modern-Day Slavery and Human Trafficking team record, track and monitor all referrals, operations. In conjunction with the work of support investigations, ensure safeguarding is in the Modern Slavery Police Transformation place around identified victims and carry out Unit, Operation Aidant has acted as a pro-active police operations to identify further catalyst for the wider modern slavery potential victims of all forms of Modern Slavery. response. To date, across the UK, there have been over 770 arrests and over 1220 Gwent Police staff routinely publicise successful potential victims of trafficking identified engagement with the victims of MSHT in the during Aidant activity and a number of these media when examples of exploitation and intensifications have fed into Europe-wide modern slavery are encountered that highlight activity on this threat. issues that continue to present such challenges to our communities. Police forces are given an Operation Aidant schedule each year and are asked to develop The Gwent Anti-Slavery group work to a delivery a response to the targeted agenda. During plan which identifies actions locally under the March 2020 the Force concentrated on heading of Protect, Prepare, Pursue and Prevent. Adult Services Websites Referrals (ASW). The MSHT team response is centred on these actions in order to improve the anti-slavery Police operations have shown that response, and safeguard persons locally. In Organised Crime Groups (OCGs) are using 2019-20, fifty-two victims of MSHT were internet based ASWs to facilitate the identified and supported by the Modern Slavery exploitation of victims. OCGs that traffic and and Human trafficking team. exploit victims for financial gain have predominantly, although not exclusively, 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 migrated to the use of ASWs where their Offences 27 57 40 activity can be hidden amongst legitimate NRMs 36 68 36 activity. ASWs remain the most significant MS1s 8 12 16 enabler within the sexual exploitation, Intelligence 158 278 242 modern slavery and human trafficking Logs Arrests 9 6 10 threat. It was therefore essential that that Victims 25 54 52 Gwent Police took proactive steps to identify MARAC 9 38 29 exploitation. referrals • Operation Latte - November 2019 saw a Total 272 513 425 large number of departments across the force joining together with other external We have placed a strong emphasis on training agencies to investigate Modern Day Slavery. and education to maximise our ability to The Operation focused around two care safeguard vulnerable groups. This has resulted in homes across multiple counties and has

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 29

resulted in several arrests and the care month rising by 6% from 81 in 2018-19 to 86 in homes now receiving a better service. 2019-20. Again, this reflects public confidence to report these types of crimes. The proportion of Throughout 2020 various further operations will historic sexual offences has remained consistent be carried out focusing on Labour Exploitation, as with rape offences. Despite the increase of including domestic servitude, Child Trafficking, sexual offences in 2019-20, the number of Sexual Exploitation, and criminal finances linked historical reports has reduced by 15.7% from to Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking. 2018-19.

The force has also embedded a UKBA We currently operate 24/7 cover by Force (Immigration) Officer in our primary custody unit Medical Examiners (FME) for victims in our to enable the sharing of intelligence. This has led Sexual Assault Referral Centre. However, over to an increase in intelligence reports from our the last year the Force has been in discussions to immigration partners. We are now capturing work towards an All Wales Sexual Assault more intelligence and identifying more Referral Centre provision with each of the Welsh individuals than ever before. forces. We also have specialist trained Sexual Offence Liaison Officers (SOLOs) in place to However, we are aware that prosecutions respond to incidents of Rape and Serious Sexual remain low and to improve the prosecution rate offences. we are increasing our focus. In Gwent we are introducing a monthly meeting to discuss CHILD PROTECTION modern slavery and human trafficking We assess demand in Child Protection by investigations in detail. Action plans are being reviewing the number of Child Protection developed to push investigations forward and Strategy discussions held. The monthly number the MSHT team will assist with these actions to of Child Protection Strategy Discussions has drive improved performance. averaged 172 in 2019-20 which is consistent with the 2018-19 average of 170 each month. Sexual Offences Recorded rape offences dramatically increased There has also been a significant investment in in 2017-18 which correlates with the trend seen training in relation to Public Protection Notices in all crime through the improvement in (PPNs). The Early Action Together Programme recording practices. The monthly average of (EATP), whilst focusing on understanding the rape offences peaked at 48 in 2018-19, however existing systems response to vulnerable people, this reduced by 14.6% in 2019-20 to a monthly evidenced that the majority of PPN’s received average of 41 as crime figures have stabilised. ‘no further action’ (NFA) as the information provided didn’t meet the child protection Reports of historical rapes have increased at a threshold. Therefore, to ensure more families consistent rate relative to the number of overall received early intervention, the EATP worked rape reports. We define historic offences as with children services and tested two new those where the incident occurred more than 12 pathfinder projects in Blaenau Gwent and months prior to the reported date. Whilst Newport. The projects comprised of three key reported rapes have dropped in 2019-20, the elements, one of which included PPN training for proportion of historical rapes remains at 28%, officers. The training aimed to operationalise akin to 2018-19. We believe it is likely that a the ACEs training in practice; increase officers substantial part of the increase in Serious Sexual understanding of the value and purpose of the Offences results from successful media PPN; and outline the information consistently campaigns and an increase in public awareness required by social services to make safeguarding around offending. This has encouraged victims decisions. to report crimes and given them the confidence to do so. In addition to training, the EATP funded the co- location of a police resource within children Reports of other sexual offences have increased services to improve the quality of PPN’S by at a more gradual pace in comparison with rape. providing feedback to officers. They also jointly Since 2017-18 the number of sexual offences has assessed PPNs with social care to ensure that ascended slowly, with the average number per families who do not meet the child protection

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 30

threshold are referred to the Early Intervention inspired a greater awareness of child protection Team. Further, the EATP funded additional social and exploitation. As a result, we believe it is workers in each area to increase capacity within likely that the rise in demand will continue. We the Early Intervention Teams. regard this increase in police referrals as a positive trend, indicating that we are recognising Through the EATP the following officers received concerns properly. We share information with PPN training: partner agencies to ensure that all child • Between April - July 2019: To support the protection matters are addressed properly. delivery of the new pathfinder projects 73 officers in Blaenau Gwent and 124 officers Gwent Police continues to work with a single in Newport were trained. Gwent-wide Child Safeguarding Board to tackle • November 2019 - April 2020: Due to the strategic priorities and ensure that there is a improved quality of the PPNs in the multi-agency response to protecting vulnerable pathfinder area and positive feedback from people. This board sets the strategic priorities officers the training was delivered in the for all partners engaged in the safeguarding and force training day. 596 officers across all protection of children and adults across the areas in Gwent received the training. county. To meet future demand we have been reviewing, through our Safeguarding Board, the Improvements in the quality and consistency of child protection planning training package and information recorded on the PPN has resulted in guidance documents. This will improve a 50% reduction in the number of PPNs with ‘No recognition of offences against children but also Further Action’. This represents more than 400 streamline our response to cope with increased families receiving support that would not demand. previously have done so. We have also continued awareness training with Improving and maintaining the quality and our partners. In October 2019 we hosted the consistency of the PPNs continues to be a first Procedural Response to Unexpected Deaths priority. The PPN training has been embedded in Childhood (PRUDiC) multi agency awareness within the PEQF for new student officers, input which was delivered to various partner Community Support Officers and Investigators organisations. This included staff from Welsh and will now be delivered by the newly Ambulance Service Trust, Police, Health and appointed Vulnerability Trainer. Safeguarding Leads from each local authority.

The figures below outline a gradual The Force Vulnerability Meeting oversees improvement in both child and adult PPN’s: monthly audits on all 13 strands of Public Protection, ensuring a high standard of investigation. Child Safeguarding is one of these strands. A number of Child Safeguarding investigations have attracted convictions with significant prison sentences.

Gwent also has a Pilot MASH project currently running. It incorporates and is co-located with Newport Local Authority, Social Services (Adult +Child) working in close conjunction with the ACE project and more recently Operation Encompass.

Child Sexual Exploitation Children at risk of CSE are discussed at Referrals of concern received by partner agencies are discussed at the meeting and the intelligence and information shared is recorded on police and social service systems allowing an analyst to High-profile failings nationally have attracted identify themes, patterns and trends emerging. significant media attention. These incidents have

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 31

This may include the identification of serial We have therefore recently introduced a new perpetrators and the involvement of CCE toolkit to implement a consistent method of gangs/groups or premises/locations linked to identifying this risk in force, enabling us to CSE. Analysis developed as a result of this is understand which children are vulnerable to CCE brought back to subsequent meetings and action and work more effectively with partner plans for each referral developed. agencies. This is currently a pilot in the East LPA which we hope to implement across the force, Operation Quartz and from this we have identified all children at Operation Quartz is a force-wide operation to risk of CCE in the East LPA are males, in contrast protect and reassure people affected by, or at to children at risk of sexual exploitation where risk of, Child Sexual Exploitation and Child victims are predominantly females. All children Criminal Exploitation. Where children have been identified as medium and high risk have identified that they are at risk of sexual allocated social workers and early intervention exploitation they will automatically become such as youth offending and St Giles Trust referred/registered to Operation Quartz. We support workers. The children who have been have Quartz officers in both East and West scored as low risk have a dedicated Operation policing areas who work closely with the young Quartz officer. people, family and partner agencies. Missing Children A high proportion of CSE victims in Gwent are The Gwent Missing Children’s Team is a multi- females and are children are between the ages agency safeguarding team for missing children in of 12 and 17. The majority of CSE victims are Gwent. Police, Social Workers, Health, looked after children and those in care, which is Education, and third sector organisations work why our engagement with social services and together collating information about children agencies is vital. reported missing to Gwent Police to ensure that the children receive timely and appropriate Gwent Police has identified links between levels of support. The primary aim of the Gwent cybercrime and Organised Crime groups (OCG’s) Missing Children’s Team is to recognise when an involved in child sexual exploitation and the episode of a child going missing or being absent Force is actively targeting these groups through is an indicator of deeper problems in the child’s disruptions and intervention. A regional CSE Co- life and to explore these underlying issues within ordinator who is part of TARIAN assists with the wider context. identifying emerging patterns and threat and advises on disruption tactics. All children 3339 missing children reports were received by managed by Operation Quartz are subject to an the police during the reporting period, with the ongoing CSE review at multi-agency meetings Missing Children Team reviewing every single and a dedicated team of officers manages report via a daily multi- agency meeting which children who have been identified as being at facilitates the sharing of information and significant risk. Their role is to work with decision making. A total of 421 children have partners to reduce the risk to the child and to received a debrief from the independent debrief prosecute identified offenders. workers who have worked closely with the exploitation workers and analyst to identify Child Criminal Exploitation safeguarding risks. Onward referrals following a Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE) is a relatively debrief have been for advocacy, counselling, new term for policing and we have recognised mental health services, substance misuse, this as a force priority. CCE spans several crime bereavement services, preventative work and types and has links to county lines, highlighting support around gender and sexuality. The the importance of identifying these cases. For analyst has collaborated with the team and example, we have identified instances where partners to identify victims of exploitation and organised crime groups have used the power of patterns of offending. This information has been addiction to ensure the loyalty and cheap labour shared with police, social care and other of young individuals or youths have been agencies to inform safeguarding responses. tempted or pressured into becoming involved in street dealing for Organised Crime and gangs. During the reporting period, two exploitation workers and an analyst have been recruited. The

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 32

exploitation workers provide direct support to vulnerable adults and each of these sub-groups children who may be at risk of exploitation to have action plans to track progress. Following prevent them from becoming victims. They the introduction of the Social Wellbeing Act, we deliver Barnardos ‘Love Rocks’ programme to have provided further training around this to primary and secondary aged children on an increase knowledge and continued awareness. individual and group basis. The primary aged programme covers areas such as relationships, The number of occurrences involving a grooming, keeping safe and being online, with vulnerable adult in 2019-20 was 2915, equating the secondary programme concentrating on to 3.8% of all crime recorded during the financial relationships, child sexual exploitation, keeping year. This is slightly lower than 2018-19, where safe and the impact of watching porn and vulnerable adult occurrences accounted for 4.8% sexting. Since the programme started in July of all recorded crimes. 2019, they have received 74 referrals for the service and have completed the programme Adults at risk strategy discussions take place with 40 children. each month, and although these dropped by 43% from 2017-18 (85) to 2018-19 (48), there The Missing Children Team have developed has been an increase of 27% in 2019-20 to a strong relationships with residential care homes monthly average of 65. for children and Care Inspectorate Wales, prioritising new unregulated homes which We expect demand to rise in the next four years lacked the experience and knowledge around as older people will be an increasing proportion safeguarding for missing and exploitation. The of the future population. Gwent also has some team has held a quarterly residential home of the most deprived areas in the UK, factors forum and have provided training to 39 homes. likely to present risks to the vulnerable and The team have also delivered training to 387 increase the demand for services from this part people from statutory services, third sector and of the population. In addition, changes to the the night time economy. Social Wellbeing Act have led to a standardised approach in this area of safeguarding which is A review of the safeguarding arrangements in more consistent with the practice within Child Gwent has led to a decision to integrate the Protection. Rather than a local response we Missing Children team into the developing local believe there will be a consistent approach likely safeguarding hubs during the next reporting to involve more effective multi agency working period. This provides an exciting opportunity to arrangements and collaboration. embed the expertise from the Missing Children Team into safeguarding hubs responsible for all MENTAL HEALTH safeguarding concerns in a person focussed Gwent has relatively high levels in several of the rather than issue based approach. The factors that drive demand for Mental Health exploitation and independent debrief resources services, factors such as economic deprivation, will be doubled as part of these new substance misuse, and unemployment. This, and arrangements providing much greater capacity the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, is likely to for direct work with children and young people lead to an increase in demand for all Mental in Gwent. Health services over the next 3-4 years, including those provided by the police. Financial and VULNERABLE ADULTS funding challenges faced by Gwent’s Mental The Gwent-wide Safeguarding Board sets the Health Services are also likely to exacerbate this. multi-agency strategic priorities for partners in relation to the Safeguarding and protection of Together for Mental Health is the Welsh adults and children at risk across the county. The Government’s cross-governmental 10-year priorities relate to 1. Targeting interventions strategy to improve mental health and towards adults who are at risk of specific types wellbeing. Published in October 2012, the of abuse; 2. Improving the quality of care; and 3. strategy encompasses a range of actions aimed Maintaining an effective regional safeguarding at improving the mental wellbeing of people in board. There are Gwent-wide sub-groups which Wales as well as supporting those with a severe are generated from the Safeguarding Board and enduring mental illness. The strategy is which review our approach to protecting implemented through three-year delivery plans

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 33

that set out the key actions for Welsh they are directed to the most appropriate Government and stakeholder agencies. The support. The Practitioners enhance safeguarding second delivery plan, covering the period 2016- through quicker, more effective assessment of 19, aligns with the broader policy context of The people in crisis and by speeding up access to Wellbeing of Future Generations Act 2015 and appropriate support. As well to responding to the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act calls for assistance from officers, they also 2014. The final stage of the delivery plan has proactively monitor incidents for those that may now been published (2019-2022) and Gwent be mental health related and in which they can Police actively engaged in the consultation of be of assistance. There is also a Community this plan during 2019. Mental Health Practitioner situated in the Connect Gwent Victims Hub to provide a direct Over the last year the Force has taken part in a point of contact for victims with mental health national exercise to capture our health demand. issues. The below figure highlights all incidents that have been flagged with a mental health tag at Further, the Force has been keen to raise the time of reporting. However, we identified awareness of mental health through training. As during our national exercise data capture that part of this we have implemented Suicide further work needs to be undertaken if our use Prevention training. Nationally, there are in of a mental health tag as a measurement is to be excess of 6500 suicides in the UK each year. In relied upon. We have therefore developed an an attempt to reduce these figures, the Zero APP for officers to use on their Samsung devices Suicide Alliance (ZSA) was launched to formulate that will shortly be launched to enable a more a more joined up approach between accurate recording of data surrounding all organisations and emergency services. All mental health incidents. Gwent Police employees have been requested to complete an online suicide prevention package produced in conjunction with NHS Mersey Care.

Mental Health Crisis Care Concordat Gwent Police is a key partner in the Crisis Care Concordat Delivery Group. This group meets bi- monthly to ensure that the commitments of the Welsh Crisis Care Concordat are delivered effectively. The group has been instrumental in reducing section 136 detentions, ensuring that those who are detained are not taken to police cells but to appropriate places of safety, and Gwent Police also continue to work with Partner that there are pathways to assess mental health Agencies to improve the way we respond to care that all agencies can easily navigate. persons in Mental Health crisis. For example, we have engaged in a piece of work exploring S136 INVESTIGATIONS detentions to try to understand the whole HMICFRS 2018-19 PEEL Inspection (January system. Representatives from each partner 2020) found that: agency have reviewed those who have been detained under S136 to ascertain if crisis • “The force is good at investigating services could have intervened earlier and if so, crime. It has introduced a new whether this would have adverted crisis and the investigations framework to focus and S136 detention would not have been needed. prioritise investigations on crimes that This work is ongoing. cause victims the most harm. • The force trains and supervises officers In conjunction with the Office of the Police and and staff to carry out investigations, Crime Commissioner, the Force has five mental including telephone investigations. health practitioners and one supervisor in the • Victims are generally satisfied with the Gwent Police Control Room. This has had a way investigations are carried out. positive impact, identifying people known to mental health services and providing tailored advice to manage them in situ or ensure that

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 34

• The force promptly follows up 5. Staff feedback and survey results show that outstanding wanted suspects so it can they are very positive about to model; and, find and arrest them. 6. Figures for crimes recorded at FPOC have • The force ensures that safeguarding increased, on one indicative relief from 1940 before introduction, to 2586 following discussions influence how it uses pre implementation. and post charge bail and RUI to effectively protect victims.” Police Staff Investigators

The Force has worked hard to improve its HMICFRS 2018-19 report “The force is good at standard of investigation and we are pleased catching criminals and resolving that the HMIC has found that we are ‘Good’ in investigations” this area. In striving to improve our approach and to provide the best service possible to Nationally there has been a significant drop in victims we introduced a new investigation the numbers of officers applying to join Criminal framework. Within the framework is a new Investigation Departments. In Gwent, to ensure approach that prioritises investigations into we have sufficient detective capability and crimes that cause the most harm to victims. maintain our capacity to respond to, and solve, serious and complex crime cases, we have The key aims of the approach are to improve our employed fifteen new police staff investigators decision making and provide a proportionate (PSIs). The PSIs will work alongside detectives response to the crimes that will be investigated. dealing with offenders, witnesses and victims This has meant a move away from simple and will be accredited investigators under the consideration of the type of crime and helps to National Professionalising Investigations guide decisions so that we minimise the impact Programme (PIP). This means that they will be of crime on victims and communities. This trained and qualified to the same level as a approach also aims to use resources and Detective Constable, being responsible for all expertise more efficiently when investigating criminal investigations from the initial report crime. through to trial and investigating serious and

complex crimes acting as Officer in the Case With the framework, the investigation allocation from allocation to disposal. model focusses on allocating the appropriate resource to an incident based on its seriousness Our new investigators have completed their and complexity rather than on crime type. initial training and have joined their teams across the Force. It will take two years to The framework focuses attention on the quality become fully accredited and although they will of the initial information gathered by the call- have an investigatory role the PSIs will not have taker and their assessment of the vulnerability any powers of arrest. of the caller. It also promotes the appropriate prioritisation of investigations to utilise Transforming Summary Justice investigators and expertise more efficiently. Transforming Summary Justice (TSJ) has

intended to improve the timescales and the file Roll out of the framework was completed in content for cases listed at the Magistrates Court, March 2019 and its implementation has been and also how cases are dealt with in the courts. subject to rigorous quality assurance monitoring. The Force receives monthly updates on performance which measures areas such as Key findings show: vacated trials, ineffective trials, cracked trials

1. Victim satisfaction has not decreased; and guilty plea rates at the first hearing in the

2. No increase in complaints following Magistrates court. introduction;

3. There has been no impact on sickness levels; Monitoring of the TSJ requirements has become 4. The number of crimes where additional embedded into the daily processes across the tasking to complete house to house Force. This ensures that we are continually enquiries or collect CCTV was required delivering a timely quality product to the Crown dropped from 37% to 12%; Prosecution Service with the aim of achieving a

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 35

guilty plea and justice for the victim at the earliest opportunity.

Witness Care Unit The aim of the witness care unit is to provide a single point of contact for victims and witnesses for information about the progress of their cases and to minimise the stress of attending court. Witnesses are essential to successful prosecutions and we are committed to making the process as straightforward as we can. The Units are jointly staffed by our staff and the Crown Prosecution Service and provide information and support as outlined in the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime. The Unit will provide a single point of contact for victims and witnesses and a dedicated witness care officer will guide and support individuals through the criminal justice process and beyond.

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 36

5 Community Cohesion

PCC- “Increasing understanding and respect these crimes. Figures for 2019-20 have remained among communities to improve equality, in line with the previous year, with a slight safety and wellbeing” decrease of 3 crimes to 49. Again, race related crimes contributed to a large proportion of HATE CRIME online hate-related crimes at 49%. Only 1.7% of all the crime recorded in Gwent is hate-related and there has been a 7% decrease In response to online crime, including Hate in hate crimes reported in 2019-20 compared to Crime, the Force introduced a Cyber CSO. This is the previous financial year. Each hate strand has a member of police staff, with a remit that seen a decline in reported crimes, apart from covers online offending, to: disability which has increased by 15 crimes in • provide a visible presence to the online the last year. community; • be alert for and report any online hate Hate Crimes by Strand crime; and, Hate Strand 2018-19 2019-20 • provide messaging to communities as a form of ‘counter narrative’. Racial 623 551

Homophobic 210 205 The Cyber CSO provides advice to officers who are dealing with online offences and also Disability 185 200 provides prevention advice to victims and Religious 19 15 community groups in relation to online crime. All cases of online hate crime are referred to the Transphobic 24 20 Cyber CSO. Online hate crimes that are Total 1061 991 perpetrated by and against children are additionally referred to both the local Schools Consistent with previous years, race related Liaison Officers and the Missing Children Team crimes account for the majority of hate crimes to cross reference with their ‘at risk’ children. (56%). There were 623 racially motivated hate crime occurrences recorded in 2018-19, a rise of The number of hate crime victims has remained 12% from 2017-18 while in 2019-20, these constant year-on-year, with a slight decrease of crimes declined by 12%. 6.5% from 2018-19 to 2019-20. Of 991 overall hate crimes, there were 1018 victims of which Hate Committed Online 132 were repeat victims. The majority of repeat Hate Strand 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 victims have been due to race related hate Racial 11 26 24 crimes.

Homophobic 6 14 19 Hate Crime Support Officers (HCSOs) active Disability 1 6 4 across the force are allocated to offer support to Religious 0 2 0 victims as soon as possible after a hate crime is Transphobic 1 4 2 reported. HCSOs are volunteers from the force who take on the role in addition to their day-to- Total 19 52 49 day duties.

The number of crimes committed online with an The HCSOs main areas of responsibility are: element of hate increased from 19 in 2017-18 to • maintaining regular contact with their 52 in 2018-19. This increase may be partly due allocated victims; to victims feeling empowered to report hate • referring victims and witnesses to specialist incidents and the improvement in recording agencies as appropriate;

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 37

• working with local policing teams to Similarly, the Diversity and Inclusion team has establish and maintain links with hard to been similarly working with local authority reach communities; partners throughout the Covid-19 pandemic to • providing advice and guidance to support victims of all hate crimes with a investigating officers; and, particular focus on those communities who have • encouraging the reporting of hate incidents been the target of Covid related incidents and and crimes. tension.

Forty-two HCSOs have received enhanced Over previous years, the Force has noted spikes training and receive weekly victim referrals. in hate crime following political incidents and changes such as Brexit and terrorist attacks. We Each Local Policing Area has a multi-agency therefore predict that any future terror-related forum to deal with complex or high risk hate incident or threat will be followed by an increase crime cases, either in isolation or alongside in hate incidents. However, our improving ASB/repeat victim incidents. Crime and Disorder relationship with the Islamic community allows Reduction Officers (CADROs) retain local us to provide reassurance and address hate oversight of hate crimes in their area and hate incidents immediately and we are also crimes are also reviewed at the Daily supporting faith communities to secure funding Management Meeting by senior management. A to increase the safety of their premises. comprehensive online Hate Crime Toolkit has also been developed to assist officers. In January 2020, we established for the first time in the Force, an Interfaith Network (Police and The Diversity and Inclusion team carries out a Faith Together). This gathering of people of faith daily audit across recording systems to identify brought together community members from the any hate related incidents. All incidents are Christian, Muslim, Sikh, Jewish, and Bahai faiths. reviewed weekly and those which are identified The purpose of the meeting was to understand as complex and/or high-risk are flagged in line how we could help and support our with nationally agreed MAR (Multi Agency communities and how to work with our Response) principles. These were developed in communities to better understand their needs partnership with the three other Welsh Forces and concerns. Over 20 people attended the and British Transport Police. Cases are sent to initial meeting and it is our aspiration to ensure local teams for action and ongoing management. that every faith community or place of worship is represented. Partnership arrangements exist with the all- Wales Victim Support Hate Crime Project, who We also routinely monitor threats and hate can provide support to all victims of hate crime incidents relating to Far-Right extremism. Their and third-party referral mechanisms are in place use of social media and the prevalence of hate to receive reports of hate crime from Victim incidents online is an increasing demand on the Support, Umbrella Cymru (specialising in gender force. and sexual diversity), and True Vision (a police funded library of resources on hate crime that ENGAGEMENT also offers a secure online reporting facility for The force and the Police and Crime registering incidents). Commissioner have a joint engagement and communications strategy (2018–22). It sets out The Diversity and Inclusion team also works with how the force wants to communicate and Local Authority Community Cohesion and engage with communities and interested Diversity leads to ensure a joined-up approach parties. It explains key objectives for to monitoring community tensions and engagement and communication over the managing high risk or complex hate crimes. This coming years in line with the police and crime joint working has enabled the delivery of the priorities for Gwent, these objectives are: Syrian Resettlement Programme which has led • empowering local residents to make to the development of a Policesol course. This is communities safer; a four week programme designed to promote • informing communities of action taken; integration and confidence in UK policing • involving communities in shaping policing amongst asylum seekers and refugees. services; and

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 38

• consulting the public to inform strategic • Children’s Craft Clubs have been held at the decision making. local Church in Caerphilly where local officers engage with the youth of the Parish All engagement activity carried out by Gwent to build community links. Police aims to adhere to these objectives so that our communities agree that their voices are • A weekly engagement hub is held at ‘the being heard and they are being consulted, that basement’ youth facility in Blackwood and the police are accessible to everyone and that Blackwood youth club attended by Police, we have listened to, and responded to, the youth service and local young people and views of our communities. there are monthly youth LGBTQ+ engagement evenings. Throughout this document we have therefore highlighted various community engagement • Working under the Heddlu Bach scheme through the avenues of Citizens in Policing, the with primary schools, one of the projects Rural Crime Team and Intervention and was to help design books for publication to Prevention Department, the Social Media Desk encourage children to join the scheme. The etc. We cannot outline all engagement activity books also aimed to break down the barriers that has taken place across Gwent but the between the police and families who may following are further examples: have a distrust towards the police.

• Engaging with Blaenavon Over 50’s Forum to • Officers have been working using digital offer advice and reassurance relating to the media to work in an agile fashion. The perception of criminality in the area; locations identified as being suitable for vulnerable and elderly adult visits have been agile working have been those in areas of conducted on a monthly basis in Bettws and high crime or ASB and local schools. This has Rogerstone, “Young at Heart” coffee improved familiarity with officers and has mornings set up by the Community Officers improved relationships with local at Brynmawr where people who live alone communities. All Neighbourhood Policing can talk with others in the same situation to teams have been directed to attend social prevent loneliness and promote cohesion. media courses to ensure that they provide Links have also been forged with Age Cymru the public with regular updates. to share information on elderly people. Vulnerable adult lists now operate in Bettws • Officers have been trained as sports leaders and Rogerstone and CSO’s complete regular to assist in the provision of youth visits. diversionary activities.

• Community engagement days have been • Police cadets held a pumpkin carving event held in Blaenavon/Garndiffaith/Panteg/ to break down barriers in the community, a Greenmeadow with numerous agencies so Halloween Party was held at Alway police that the police and agencies were readily station, engaging with over 100 families and available to local communities for the day. a Christmas crime prevention event was conducted in the Spytty Retail park, reaching • Officers have attended published hundreds of families. Neighbourhood community meetings in order to engage and Policing Teams regularly provide updates identify issues that a community may be through Twitter and visit other public events experiencing. like summer fayres and county shows.

• CSO led meetings have been held with • Officers liaised with local primary schools to residents groups which have included make Valentines Cards which were then community initiatives such as litter picking, distributed to the elderly in the community youth clubs, coffee mornings and surgeries. in order to show support and solidarity to them. Officers have also been into local • Weekly local surgeries have been held, schools to paint rocks with school enabling local residents to meet with children. These were then hidden around officers and discuss relevant issues.

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 39

Newport for others to find and engage with addresses concerns by effectively providing on Social Media. asylum seekers and refugees with information in a constructive, learning environment. We have • Various Community Assist days have been therefore delivered Policesol courses to refugees conducted across Gwent for members of the living in Gwent, improving their understanding public in addition to community action days, of UK culture, policing and legislation with the multi-agency walkabouts resulting in aim of improving integration and community community action plans, and cyber surgeries cohesion. have been held to discuss online safety with local residents and answer queries. Our Professional Standards Unit (PSD) has also worked with the force Diversity and Inclusion • A Gwent CSO led Community Support and team to produce posters to promote the Peers Group in Monmouth has been complaints process in nine languages in addition supporting persons who are recovering from to English and Welsh. These have been alcoholism/drug addiction and with mental distributed to local support groups and health issues. organisations to be displayed in their premises, as well as being posted onto the force website. • In Monmouth a new engagement strategy The local PSD teams are in contact with aims to target key footfall sites and advocacy organisations such as the South East stakeholder groups premises Wales Racial Equality Council (SWEREC) to assist people from minorities to make complaints. • CSO’s in Abergavenny have been working Complainants are frequently visited in person in out of a local Café to encourage community order to discuss their complaint, particularly engagement with Homeless and Under where they may have learning difficulties or Privileged individuals. They have also been mental health issues. working alongside persons with Learning Difficulties. A Diverse Workforce It is important to Gwent Police that we have a EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY workforce representative of the communities we Gwent is a diverse and contrasting area. Some of serve. This means ensuring that we inclusively our communities are amongst the most deprived recruit people that have different in the UK, while also some of the most affluent. characteristics, whether gender, race, religion, We have a higher than average proportion of disability, age, sexual orientation or gender disabled people living in Gwent, a growing identity. A diverse workforce means that Gwent ethnic minority population and increasing Police can provide a better service to the public number of Welsh speakers and Newport in through police officers that have a range of skills particular is one of Wales' four Border Agency and life experiences. dispersal areas for Asylum Seekers. This diversity is welcomed by the Force and we are committed The population of Gwent is 5.10% BAME (Data to encouraging inclusivity and valuing difference as of Dec. 2019 StatsWales.gov) and targeted both within our organisation and through the positive action since reinvigoration of service we provide. recruitment in 2016 has increased our BAME officer representation from 1.9% in 2016, 2.5% In the past decade, the United Kingdom has seen in 2018 to 3.6% in 2020. a significant increase in the arrival of individuals seeking political asylum in the country. However, Positive action has included: individuals arriving to the UK often have little • Targeted advertising and promotion of knowledge of their rights and responsibilities, opportunities amongst BAME networks and particularly with regard to sensitive quality of communities; life issues such as not having to experience racial • Leaflet drops in areas which have a high abuse or suffering forms of domestic violence percentage of BAME residents; which they may be reluctant to report. • Support for BAME applicants at every stage of the recruitment process such as Through a problem-solving partnership application writing, assessment centre and approach, the Policesol Training Programme

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 40

interview preparation sessions, and support for people who are from an ethnic individual mentors; minority background. It also provides links • Launching a bespoke development course between policing and ethnic minority for BAME officers with potential (PALS) communities and promotes and support’s which ran for one year from January 2018 in Gwent Policies Positive Action program. GEMA is partnership with South Wales Police; also involved in discussing and advising on Force • Developing links with BAME student union Policy regarding Race, Equality and Diversity, leads in order to prepare for the changes in Staff Welfare and engagement with BME recruitment processes; communities. • Introduction of Linguistic Competency; and, • Consistent promotion of recruitment and Equality voluntary roles within Gwent at community In October 2010, the Equality Act introduced a events. Public Sector General Equality Duty, which • Visits to Places of worship & BAME elders requires Gwent Police to have due regard to the community groups to increase trust & need to: transparency • Eliminate unlawful discrimination, • Post application engagement with harassment and victimisation and other unsuccessful BAME candidates to re-assure conduct prohibited by the Act and prepare for following recruitment • Advance equality of opportunity between process. people who share a protected characteristic • Targeted BAME candidate ride-along and those who do not schemes. • Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those LGBT+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and who do not related communities) It is the duty of Gwent Police to uphold There are 9 Protected Characteristics under the fundamental human rights. This includes Equality Act; Age, Disability, Gender treating colleagues and the public fairly, Reassignment, Marriage and Civil Partnership, regardless of sexuality or sexual identity. Sadly, Pregnancy and Maternity, Race, Religion or between 2018-19 in Wales and England, sexual Belief, Sex and Sexual Orientation. orientation hate crimes increased 25% (to 14,491) and transgender identity hate crimes by The overarching aim of Gwent Police’s Equality 37% (to 2,333). Although this is partly due to Objectives is to ensure that we embed the improvements in crime recording, it underlines principles of equality through all aspects of our the harsh realities our LGBT+ communities face. day-to-day business: • Engaged communities– delivering services We therefore actively encourage staff to join our that are easy to access and that respond to LGBT+ network which is a support network for and met the needs of all communities. all police officers and police staff within Gwent • Employer of Choice – building a working Police. Its main aim is to achieve a working environment that includes everyone and environment that promotes equality and encourages all personnel to develop and eliminates discrimination, harassment and progress. victimisation. The Force also continues to • A Service that Works – building equality into partner with LGBT+ support organisations, the organisational processes and how including Umbrella Cymru, who provide performance is managed. exceptional support and advocacy to victims of hate crimes. As a Force, we have also now Our commitment to equality is integral to Gwent pledged to adapt to the commitments of Police’s values, which act as a central pillar to Stonewall Cymru and these commitments will be everything we do in policing. Our values are to built into our Diversity Plan. be Trusted; Fair; Professional; Caring and Responsive. Gwent Police Ethnic Minority Association (GEMA) We have a Joint Strategic Equality Plan with the Gwent Police Ethnic Minority Association Police and Crime Commissioner which includes (GEMA) is a staff support network that provides key objectives around areas such as

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 41

employment, stop and search, hate crime and • Median pay gap for police officers has domestic abuse. These objectives demonstrate remained static our commitment to ensuring that we • Mean pay gap for police officers has consistently treat our colleagues and the public improved on last year with fairness, dignity and respect and that our • Both mean and median pay gaps for police policing activities are carried out in a way that is staff have worsened. lawful, proportionate and non-discriminatory. Our Gender Action Plan has become part of the An Equality Action Plan underpins our Strategic Representative Workforce Strategy of which the Equality Plan and the PCC will hold the Force to resultant actions are monitored and reported to account on these objectives by scrutinising and the People Strategy Board, chaired by our monitoring the delivery of our Annual Report Deputy Chief Constable. We have also trained a which will be reported separately. number of officers and staff to be qualified Coaches to support officers and staff with their In addition, over the last year we have continued career and workplace goals. A high percentage to assess the impact of our proposed policies of our coaches are female and our Gwent and practices against our General Equality Duty Women in Policing network has assisted in by using our Equality Impact Assessment promoting the benefits of coaching. process. EIAs are undertaken for all policies and are published on our Policies and Procedures In addition, the Force has also joined the page of our website. HeForShe movement. It is part of the United Nations Gender Equality and the Empowerment Ride Along Scheme of Women programme. The HeForShe solidarity Although we have had to temporarily suspend movement provides a systematic approach and our Ride Along Scheme during the pandemic, the targeted platform where a male officers and Scheme enables members of the public to staff can use their position/ knowledge to experience first-hand what their local officers champion females throughout the organisation. are dealing with on a daily basis. The public are able to find out what happens when officers WELSH LANGUAGE respond to calls, how they proactively patrol Gwent Police continues to work towards the areas on the beat or how our Force provision of a bilingual police service supporting Communications Suite allocates calls from our Welsh speaking communities. The force members of the public. continues to implement the Welsh Language Standards arising from The Welsh Language Gender Pay Gap Reporting (Wales) Measure 2011. The main purpose of the The Government has made it a requirement that Standards is to ensure that the Welsh language organisations with more than 250 employees are is treated no less favourably than the English required to report on gender pay and publish language in the conduct of public business in their analysis. Since the publication of our Wales. We are working towards a culture that is Gender Pay Gap Reporting last year: proactive in its provision of Welsh language • Female representation in the top and upper services and how we offer these to the public. middle quartiles has improved for the 3rd All public-facing documentation and year running communication will be available in Welsh. • Female representation in the top, upper middle and lower pay quartiles of police officers has increased for the 3rd year running • Female representation in the top quartiles of police staff has increased for the 3rd year running • Mean pay gap for all police personnel has improved for the 3rd year running • Median pay gap for all police personnel has improved on last year

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 42

6 Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour

PCC for Gwent: 56.3% (14,004) from 2015-16 to 2019-20, whilst “Ensure Gwent Police work to resolve anti- crime-related incidents increased by 15.4% social behaviour (ASB), working closely with (7000). A trend can be seen through the decline partner organisations to help address this in incidents categorised as ASB and a rise in issue effectively” crime-related incidents, which implies that many ASB incidents are reclassified as Crime Related

incidents. From 2018-19 to 2019-20, the number Anti-social behaviour involves a range of issues of ASB incidents has remained consistent, such as: increasing by only 1.3% (136). This suggests that • Nuisance, rowdy or inconsiderate these have started to level out through neighbours; improved recording practices. • Vandalism, graffiti and fly-posting;

• Street drinking; Protecting the Frontline • Environmental damage including littering, The force has upheld the principle of protecting dumping of rubbish and abandonment of the frontline as we understand the key role of cars; visibility in making people feel safer and more • Prostitution related activity; confident. We are also aware of the need to • Begging and vagrancy; balance the capability and capacity needed to • Fireworks misuse; and, deliver effective policing services. • Inconsiderate or inappropriate use of vehicles In 2019 the Government prioritised an extra £750 million for policing to begin delivery of its Any of these issues can cause fear, distress, and commitment to recruit 20,000 additional officers alarm, blighting the lives of victims. We have by 2023 known as Operation Uplift. In Gwent, taken effective action to tackle them through January 2020 saw the first additional intake of assigning resources to meet local demand, 24 new police officers as a result of Uplift, with working with our partners on agreed a further intake of 28 new recruits in March neighbourhood strategies, focusing on early 2020. 19 Special Constables also started with us intervention, and targeting repeat and high- in October 2019 which will effectively volume offenders. strengthen our Specials numbers across the force. Our Neighbourhood teams are located in their communities, closer to victims and partner The Force has also aimed to increase community agencies to improve the quality of service. They reassurance through a robust patrol strategy include patrol officers, neighbourhood officers, which targets hotspot crime / ASB areas and CSOs, Schools Police Constables, and Crime and providing visibility to those communities who Disorder Reduction Officers (CADROs) are fearful of being subjected to ASB. (responsible problem solving). These teams enhance the local service we provide to VICTIMS communities by increasing visibility, local Anti-social behaviour damages quality of life and knowledge, and problem solving. often leaves victims feeling helpless and distressed. We continue to focus on the service Since 2015-16, the number of recorded crimes provided to victims, giving support and using all has risen by 52.1% (19,658) whilst incident legislative powers available to us to resolve demand has remained stable. Anti-social incidents. For example, we are using 48-hour Behaviour (ASB) incident numbers have fallen by Dispersal Orders in areas with significant reports

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 43

of ASB and criminal damage. The orders to meet these goals. Sharing data with our (including Criminal Behaviour Orders, devolved partners in Gwent has enabled them to Community Protection Orders, and Civil establish a single needs assessment which Injunctions), provide Police Officers and informs the strategic plans of all five Public Community Support Officers with the powers to Service Boards. direct anyone to leave a specified area if they are involved in ASB. If they return to the area Our officers work in partnership with the PSB’s they face arrest. to understand wellbeing needs and together implement effective action plans. Our chief YOUTH OFFENDER SERVICES (YOS) officers provide active leadership strategies to Youth Offending Teams were established by the enhance future serviceability and promote Crime and Disorder Act 1998 to prevent intelligence-led problem-solving on an on-going offending and re-offending by children and basis. We will continue to draw on the young people aged 10-17 years. The YOTs have information and intelligence gathered by been successful in significantly reducing the services working at the heart of communities to number of First Time Entrants (FTEs) to the provide strategies for the future. We are also Criminal Justice System. equipping the force with improved technology so that our employees have the skills, resources The role of the YOS is moving away from and expertise to better understand future trends statutory intervention towards preventative and link these to the needs of future interventions and out of court disposals (OOCD). generations. All children and young people in Gwent considered for an OOCD are involved in a ENHANCING LOCAL POLICING thorough assessment process to consider their We have expanded our community safety Hubs needs and the risks they pose, and to look at any to each of the five local authority areas, co- support or intervention to reduce the risk of locating with policing partners to share further offending. The YOT are in the process of information and address local issues. The Hubs reviewing the current model. are located on key strategic roads, enabling effective response to emergency and priority A consequence of the reduction in first time calls and providing neighbourhood teams with entrants to the system, and the drop in custodial suitable locations from which they can engage sentences, has been to expose the complex locally with communities. needs of the cohort of young people that continue to be managed by YOT. The Youth This is further enhanced through regular Justice Board Cymru, Welsh Government, Youth partnership tasking meetings to tackle common Offending Teams, and the All Wales Forensic themes which includes repeat victims, repeat Adolescent Consultation and Treatment Service offenders, frequent callers and crime and ASB have collaborated to develop the enhanced case hot spot areas. management model, basing it on the Trauma Recovery Model. The seven-stage model Roads Policing matches intervention/support to presenting Road collisions remain the largest single cause of behaviours and to underlying needs. premature death and serious injury in the country with younger drivers particularly at risk. WELLBEING OF FUTURE GENERATIONS The majority of road collisions are attributed to The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) seatbelts, speeding, drink and drug driving, and Act 2015 (Llywodraeth Cymru Welsh mobile phones. Government, 2016) intends to improve the social, economic, environmental and cultural Recordable Fatal Collisions have decreased to wellbeing of Wales. The Act requires public nine for the year however Gwent Police’s bodies in Wales to consider the long-term dedicated forensic collision investigation unit impact of their decisions, work better with has dealt with 101 incidents as a Unit. Of those people, communities, and each other, and 19 fatalities, pedestrians continue to be a prevent persistent problems. The five local prominent feature (11 in total for 2019). authorities in Gwent have established Public Service Boards (PSB) with delivery plans in place

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 44

The team has highlighted the painstaking people on the aspects of the top five causes investigations that take place to work out the of fatalities linked to vehicles. cause of a car accident. Working with BBC Wales’ The Crash Detectives, the Unit has shown • Operations have been carried out to tackle the impact of serious and fatal accidents on the illegal use of vehicles. In April 2020, an families and victims as they piece together the Operation in Caerphilly resulted in the evidence to get to the truth behind every seizure of seven vehicles and four Notices incident. The show has aimed to encourage road issued to motorists who were using vans to safety and highlight the complexity of some of bring vehicles onto the mountainside. The the Force’s specialist roles. operational team used a drone and an operational support vehicle with ranged The M4 Tolls were removed in December 2018 CCTV to pinpoint those participating in which has also brought an immediate increase in illegal off-road biking at two locations. traffic volume. The Severn Crossing recorded a 34% increase in traffic in January 2019, and the We have also been working with our partners to Second Severn Crossing an 18% increase. This rehabilitate traffic offenders through driver has not yet shown in casualty figures but it is education and together with GoSafe, the Wales likely to further exacerbate the pressure on Road Casualty Reduction Partnership, have been routes in and around Newport. The abolition of encouraging motorists to drive legally and safely. the tolls has led to an influx of people moving in to Wales from southwest England and new In addition, our Automatic Number Plate estates are planned for Magor, Chepstow, and Recognition capability has been significantly Pontypool, with a large housing estate of 4,000 strengthened. We will continue to utilise it to homes being progressed at Glan Llyn in disrupt criminality, and we will take Newport. All of these developments will bring enforcement action against dangerous drivers. increased demand from traffic. We will also deliver campaigns to positively affect and influence driver behaviour. Road Safety The Force has been focusing on prevention and the detection of road safety offences by identifying and targeting high risk drivers. For example, in September 2019 officers conducted a multi-agency roads policing operation in Newport aimed at educating road users in conjunction with enforcement activity. The various types of activity that took place included:

• Speed vans placed around the City for a day and 244 speeding tickets were issued and one dangerous driving offence identified.

• Operation ‘Options’ in Maindee aimed to provide education on the use of seat belts. 16 drivers were issued with an educational input for driving without a seatbelt instead of being issued an FPN.

• Operation ‘Close Pass’ aimed to educate road users on cyclists. Three drivers were issued with an educational input on road safety around cyclists.

• A crash car was placed in a main shopping area and crash detectives engaged with

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 45

7 Efficient and Effective Service Delivery

PCC - “Ensure that Gwent police delivers FORCE MANAGEMENT STATEMENTS services that meet the priority needs of our Force Management Statements (FMS) are a self- communities” assessment that chief constables must prepare for the HMICFRS each year. It is the chief EXTERNAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW: constable’s statement and explanation of: During 2019, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services • the demand the force expects to face in (HMICFRS) inspected Gwent Police in relation to the next four years; its Effectiveness, Efficiency and Legitimacy • how the force will change and improve its during 2018-2019. workforce and other assets to cope with that demand; Overall, the HMICFRS found the following: • how the force will improve its efficiency to Effectiveness – GOOD, which includes make sure the gap between future • Preventing crime and tackling ASB demand and future capability is as small as • Investigating crime it can reasonably be; and,

• Protecting vulnerable people • the money the force expects to have to do all this. • Tackling serious and organised crime

This is a large piece of work scrutinising all areas Efficiency – GOOD, including of the force. We are now going into our third • Meeting current demands and using year of the FMS and are using this information resources to provide valuable and accessible information • Planning for the future on current and future demand, assets and

resources. We will use this information over the Legitimacy – Requires improvement, including next year to inform our decision-making around • Fair treatment of the public improving efficiency and effectiveness. • Ethical and lawful workforce behaviour. RESPONDING TO THE PUBLIC Key highlights from the HMICFRS’s 2018-19 First Point of Contact report that: Gwent Police answers switchboard, 999 and 101

calls for service in the Force Control Room, “The force is good at preventing crime and known as our First Point of Contact Suite (FPOC). anti-social behaviour. Since our last Social media contact and email demand are also inspection, the force has improved how it managed here. Station Enquiry Officers (SEOs) investigates crimes. It has also developed are an additional point of contact in our better ways to make sure it identifies and communities. respond to people at risk. It works closely with other agencies to protect vulnerable We train all operators and constables working in people. Gwent Police has a good the suite to be omni-competent to perform any understanding of current and likely future of the roles involved in first contact. These demand for its services. It is using this include call handling, operating, and recording information to develop sustainable financial crime. Having staff that can perform any role and workforce plans – which include enables supervisors to meet changing demand increased collaboration with neighbouring quickly by moving staff between them. In forces. January 2019, we started a programme of

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 46

further training for FCS Operators in relation to Centre environment. We re-run this modeller on crime recording. When complete, staff will be an annual basis to allow us to monitor and able to record all types of crime at the first point ensure that our resources continue to match our of contact. demand within the Force Control Room.

Between April 2019 and March 2020, Gwent Social Media Desk Police received a total of 370,214 calls to the The Social Media desk is dedicated 24/7 to allow 999, 101 and Switchboard services, a decrease people to report non-urgent crimes or get advice of 14,997 calls (3.9%) from the previous financial online via Facebook and Twitter. The Desk was year. From these calls, a total of 181,098 introduced to help Gwent Police become more incidents have been created, equating to 48.9%. accessible to the public, especially to the harder to reach and more vulnerable members of the In December 2019 the force introduced an community. Ten staff were initially trained to Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system on the administer the desk but due to demand this has 101 lines to be able to differentiate between 101 now increased to nineteen in February 2020. demand in the following way; reports of new incidents; requests for updates; enquiries in Inbound communications to the Social Media relation to lost and found property; direct Desk have remained steady over the last year requests for the custody unit; requests for the and have averaged 16,027 communications per operator and allowed callers to be signposted to month. The force recognises that there has been a known person, department or phone number. a significant shift in the way that people communicate want to communicate with us and The department is now able to identify the we are committed to ensuring that our amount of demand required for each type of communities are at the heart of everything we service requested through 101. Since we have do and we are constantly looking at ways in introduced IVR, the average waiting time for which we can improve our service to the public option 1: reporting a new incident or crime is 35 to become more efficient and effective and most seconds. For individuals selecting option 2, who importantly, accessible. We know that while require an update on a crime or incident already some people will still want to use the phone, a reported, the average wait time is 56 seconds. growing number of people would prefer to use Following a successful pilot call backs were also social media to make contact. By introducing a rolled out across the Suite in December 2019. Social Media Desk that is available 24-hours a These are available to all individuals who have to day means we can offer that level of service. The wait longer than 3 minutes. Desk also allows the force to communicate important messages, advice and live-time 999-call Demand incidents. There has been a slight increase in 999 call demand from 2015 to 2020, with an average The introduction of the service has been well- yearly increase of 6%. This is in line with the received. Regular surveys are undertaken and average annual increase reported nationally1. the results of the 2019 survey indicated the However, in 2019-20, our 999-call demand has following: - decreased by 1.9% to 81,736 calls. Based on data from 2015-16 onwards, we expect 999 calls to • 27% of respondents indicated that they rise steadily at an average pace of 2.6% annually. would not have contacted Gwent Police to Between April 2019 and March 2020, the report their issue if the social media desk average speed of answer was six seconds which was not available is in line with the previous year. • 87% of respondents felt that the operator answered their question To understand the impact of this predicted • 93% of respondents would recommend the increase on staffing levels, we have developed a service to others modelling tool using the Process Evolution ‘Call • 94% of respondents stated that they would Profiler’. The Call Profiler enables us to match use the service again resource availability to demand within a Contact • 75% of respondents rated the service as ‘Very Good’

1 iQuanta (2019) ‘999 Call Data 2018-19’, Home Office

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 47

Mental Health Triage Single Online Home Approved Mental Health Practitioners (AMHP) The All-Wales Collaboration Project leads on the are also aligned to each of the five shifts within regional roll out of a Single On-Line Home the Gwent Police Control Room. This is to platform, which offers the public a consistent enable police officers to access timely specialist way of engaging with their local force and mental health advice when having to assist a accessing police services online. This will also member of the public who appears to be reduce demand on the Force Control Room by experiencing a mental disorder. A review of the directing service users to the most appropriate department was recently undertaken, supported resolution without the need for the involvement by independent evaluation by Swansea of the control room. The new website for Gwent University and the following key benefits were Police will allow the public to contact us via the identified: submission of digital forms and the forms will be • Fewer detentions under s.136. Gwent Police dealt with in the same way as if they had called and its health partners are proud that we the non-emergency number 101. The are the only force area in Wales to have introduction of the social media desk has seen an overall reduction in that time ensured that we have the appropriate • Better patient care and more appropriate infrastructure is in place to support this change. outcomes for persons in crisis • Better understanding of mental health INVESTING IN OUR WORKFORCE services by front line police officers The force has made a thorough assessment of • Referrals to Crisis Teams are made after future workforce demand and been adapting for appropriate assessment and other options our future workforce needs. For example, we have been considered have changed job descriptions for the first point • Reduced demands upon the NHS from police of contact room. They now reflect future skills, officers seeking advice prior to exercising including using social media, not just the phone. S.136 powers We have also redesigned workforce and training • Earlier and better-informed interventions by plans to ensure first point of contact room staff the police, which is believed to have have the skills and capabilities to meet demand prevented tragic outcomes. and improve service. The force has predicted future retirements, staff increases and the Deployment to approximately 10% of the budget at all levels until 2023/24. number of mental health requests for service each month is averted through mental health Gwent Police continues to implement the consultation. This means that callers get the actions set out within out People Plan 2019-22. most appropriate response and officers are able The plan sets out six main strategic actions as to focus on responding to more emergencies. follows: Where necessary the Triage team arrange 1. Embed a learning culture assessments with the three crisis teams of 2. Take a structured approach to leadership psychiatrists, GPs, Psychiatric liaison and and talent development Community Mental Health Teams. 3. Provide the knowledge, skills and processes needed to do a great job Child Protection Pilot 4. Ensure effective, fair and robust A Safeguarding Social Worker came into post in recruitment, selection and retention 2019 to offer advice, information and guidance 5. Develop strategies and structures that can including safeguarding intervention. In deliver pv2025 supporting the police safeguarding role they are 6. Communicate a clear vision for the future also an advisor to the Force Control room and operational staff on matters of child welfare The plan links with the national Policing Vision concerns. Between November 2019 and March 2025, is fully costed and highlights how we are 2020, the Safeguarding Social Worker was responding to forecasted demand. For example, involved in a total of 873 incident logs, averaging we have identified the need for a more diverse 175 logs each month. workforce reflecting the local community. We have therefore put in place recruitment initiatives aimed at attracting more black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME), lesbian, gay,

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 48

bisexual and transgender (LGBT) and female Police personnel are twice as likely to identify staff. problems at work as the main cause of their psychological problems2. Impact of staff working There has been an emphasis over the last twelve in policing and shift work results in high suicide months on more detailed workforce planning, risk factors, high stress, incident trauma, high due to increased levels of recruitment and the frequency of relationship problems, and high Force’s commitment to deliver the requirements levels of alcohol abuse. Improving our wellbeing of Operation Uplift over the next three years. is therefore one of the Chief Constable’s stated This has been undertaken in conjunction with priorities for 2020/21 and Gwent Police is Learning and Development, and collaboratively making good progress towards integrating with the other Welsh forces. Data analytics are health and wellbeing into day-to-day practices. continuing to be developed within the workforce We are continuing to create a healthy working planning tool in the Qlikview programme and environment and empower our officers and staff will contain the qualifications, skills and training to take care of their own psychological and required by each role in the force, along with physical wellbeing. We encourage our people to predicted retirements to assist with detailed have the confidence to seek and receive help recruitment, promotion and succession before they reach crisis point. We make this planning. A workforce plan has been put in message clear during our Wellbeing Days, which place for Probationer, CSO and Special Constable we have regularly throughout the year. In our recruitment and training for the next 4 years. last session we invited members of the cast of SAS: Who Dares Wins (from the TV show on An All Wales E-Recruitment system (OLEEO) has Channel 4) to talk about overcoming adversity. been introduced which is now used for all our internal and external recruitment for Officers Wellbeing and absence are also discussed at our and Staff roles. Gwent Police were the first monthly People Strategy Board and each Local Welsh force to use the system for Police Staff. Policing Area and police stations hold their own Over the 12 months to April 2020, Gwent Police local wellbeing meetings and quarterly health recruited 82 Probationers, 19 Special Constables, and safety meetings. Underlying themes are 21 CSO’s, 27 FPOC Operators and 135 other reviewed at the Health and Safety Scrutiny Police Staff roles recruited into. Meeting, which reports to the People Strategy Board. The Scrutiny Meeting provides an In addition, Recruitment Interview Training has opportunity to re-focus on the importance of been provided to 100 individuals across the Health and Safety across the Force. It has a clear force on both the legislation and practical purpose and direction and provides a ‘top down’ elements for consideration when interviewing to influence to ensure Health and Safety stays as a ensure there is fairness and consistency in our priority. recruitment and promotion processes. We have a dedicated team of professionals The force is also an early adopter of the Policing managing the wellbeing agenda and action plan, Education Qualification Framework. We including a new Psychological Therapy and recognise the benefits of a workforce linked to Research Manager to identify wellbeing issues in the higher education community with the aim of the organisation and enable proactive and attracting those who may not have previously targeted interventions. The force recognises that considered a career in policing. some roles are more stressful that others and ensures that such posts receive additional Wellbeing support. Occupants of particularly stressful posts In order to provide the best service possible, are mandated to attend the Occupational Health Gwent Police aims to have a physically and Department to receive annual welfare support psychologically fit workforce that feels valued which allows for any concerns to be raised in a and is motivated to do its best. The force aims confidential and supportive environment. to identify, develop, and communicate an integrated and holistic approach across all Support can also be found through our aspects of wellbeing to create a healthy working Employee Assistance Programme, which is environment.

2 Mind (2016) ‘Blue Light Scoping Survey’, Mind

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 49

provided by an external provider and is a Further, the force has undertaken its first online confidential counselling and support service health screening for shift workers, including available 24/7, 365 days of the year. Against physical and psychological health. It provided headcount, the current annual usage for this the Force with the opportunity to better service is 1.72% and we are working to improve understand the health of our shift workers and awareness of this service. In addition, our identify individual health concerns and Wellbeing Ambassador network continues to trends/themes within areas/groups. Planning develop and we now have over 50 ambassadors has begun to run this survey for all other non- within the Force. shift workers in the next financial and will run annually to identify areas for improvement. Policing is often traumatic in nature. We have Occupational Health has supported individual therefore trained 90 Trauma Resilience health concerns that were identified as part of Management (PolTRiM) practitioners to support the survey. officers dealing with traumatic incidents. The TRiM process has been in place for a number of Financial wellbeing has also been identified as years and is now well established. Since April an area of concern for staff and officers. The 2019 all TRiM referrals are being recorded on a Professional Standards Department (PSD) has database to allow further analysis of data to developed a financial wellbeing signposting better support officers and staff. 64% of document which is given to all those who have respondents felt that the TRiM process was had contact with the Department due to helpful. financial issues. In addition, links have been established with PayPlan, who have visited the In support of this training, in 2017 we also Force to provide confidential one-to-one established a dedicated team to deliver a financial support, and Police Mutual which has Trauma Resilience Programme over three years, given inputs on financial wellbeing. funded by the Police Dependants Trust. The Team continue to conduct assessments and A Wellbeing Day run in November 2019 training as part of the project, to identify if identified through a survey that 87% of the proactive training of officers and staff will respondents believed that the Force has reduce the effects of trauma on individuals. This improved its approach to supporting people’s research also assists in identifying any trends or wellbeing over the past 18 months. 55% of the issues that need to be addressed. respondents also said that the biggest change in the last 18 months related to the support the The training includes ReTraIn (Resilience to force is giving to individuals, that wellbeing is Traumatic Incidents) and ManTraS talked about more, and there is a greater (Management of Trauma and Support) awareness and openness about the subject. programmes. To date, experimental measures have been taken for 505 front line officers. Absence levels in terms of the length of sickness Currently 52 front line officers have been seen absence for all long-term cases, the number of for a 1:1 research assessment as part of phase 2 stress related sickness absences, and the length of the project. When appropriate, those of sickness absence for all stress related cases requiring further support are referred for have all decreased in comparison to the previous counselling. A further 62 of these appointments year. have been booked in. The research is due to conclude at the end of 2020 and the Further, Gwent Police has adopted a Global recommendations from this project will provide Rostering Service (GRS) as part of our a basis for our future approach in delivering collaboration with South Wales Police on our trauma resilience training to all new Fully Integrated Resource Management System officers/staff. (FIRMS). This now provides additional functionality and data to improve our ability to The Wellbeing Ambassador (WA) network manage rest days, deployable resources, and continues to develop, with over 50 WA within skills. the force.

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 50

GWENT POLICE ESTATE National Enabler Programmes The force has commissioned the building of a These programmes relate to the creation of new Headquarters to replace the current secure cloud-based platform of services for facilities, which are over 40 years old. Building a forces, including the new national Automatic new HQ is more affordable than maintaining the Number-plate Recognition (ANPR), and the existing building. Building of the new HQ is replacement for the Police National Database currently progressing and will provide more and Police National Computer (NLED). economical running costs than the current site and come with reduced maintenance costs. Joint Procurement Unit The three southern Wales forces—South Wales In order to reduce the overall footprint of the Police, Dyfed-Powys Police, and Gwent Police— new HQ site and to minimise running costs, together spend nearly £100 million per annum Gwent Police is investing in new technology to on a diverse range of requirements, including facilitate agile working. This includes the issuing computer equipment, police cars, medical of modern laptops and the design of open plan services, facilities management, and some offices as standard. unique policing only requirements. The three forces have been operating under a single COLLABORATION strategic lead for procurement since 2012 and ALL-WALES COLLABORATION PROGRAMME have realised significant savings. In Spring 2020 a The four Welsh forces have been working further procurement collaboration was agreed together for over a decade. These collaborative between South Wales and Gwent to align the arrangements have been adopted to reduce cost contract management and ordering functions and to preserve and improve the quality and with working practices. resilience of the services provided. A collaborative Procurement Strategy outlines Within this collaboration, Welsh Commissioners strategic objectives across the three forces to and Chief Constables have considered the ensure value for money is secured for all goods current demands for service, how these might and services procured. A new Strategy will be change in future, the resourcing pressures, and developed in 2020. the devolved landscape within Wales to find any opportunities to work more closely with Joint Legal Services partners. South Wales and Gwent Police collaborate to deliver legal services. The Joint Legal Services Collaborative work includes: department has been in operation since 2010. The team provide a wide-ranging service to both Digital Services Provision Chief Constables and Police and Crime Both South Wales and Gwent Police are Commissioners under four key work stream committed to the development of digital areas - Litigation, Operational Policing, policing. We recognise the growing prominence Employment and Corporate (which includes that information technology will have on service procurement, commercial agreements, delivery over the next decade and beyond. The commercial property and governance/vires Digital Services Division is a collaborative unit issues). Lawyers within the team are subject delivering a progressive digital policing and specialists within these areas. The team has held information technology programme aimed at an Investors in People accreditation for several improving service delivery to communities years. across southern Wales. Demand has continued to grow across the The collaboration between Gwent and South Department. This is in addition to requirements Wales Police is one of the United Kingdom’s to deal with new prohibitive policing powers and leading digital policing programmes. It has a drive for further collaborative partnering to attracted praise nationally for the successful achieve effectiveness and efficiencies across delivery of innovative solutions ranging from various sectors. Automated Facial Recognition to Body Worn Video and small and large form mobile data solutions.

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 51

During the 2019/20 financial year, JLS opened processes available. There have also been 1,125 new files – which were comprised of 300 increases in submissions and demand in the civil claim files, 583 operational policing matters, Forensic Imaging, Drugs Laboratory, Forensic 87 employment matters, 44 contract files, 29 Firearms and Fingerprint Bureau. commercial property matters, 12 new collaborations and 70 new corporate matters. TARIAN - Southern Wales Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU) Joint Firearms Unit (JFU) TARIAN is the southern Wales Regional The Joint Firearms Unit was formed in 2012 to Organised Crime Unit (ROCU), set up in 2002 to provide authorised firearms officer (AFO) cover protect the communities of southern Wales across Dyfed-Powys, Gwent and South Wales from the threats and risks of Serious and police force areas. (Also see ‘Armed Response’). Organised Crime (Also see ‘Serious and Due to a steady rise in demand, the Unit has Organised Crime’). Its aim is to identify, disrupt, continued to build its capacity and resilience. In and dismantle those organised crime groups April 2018 the Joint Firearms Training Unit, (OCGs) who cause the most harm. Currently Senedd armed policing Unit and Cardiff Wales there are ten Regional Organised Crime Units Airport armed policing Unit all moved under the across England and Wales and TARIAN forms management of the JFU. The Unit is also part of a National network. Recognising that continuing to uplift the number of Counter organised criminals do not stop their activity Terrorist Specialist Firearms Officers (CTSFO). where one police force ends and another begins, TARIAN’s role, with its geographical span across The JFU has a thorough and detailed the three Southern Wales forces, is crucial if understanding of demand, threat, and risk. Every organised crime is to be identified, disrupted, year the JFU produces a detailed Armed Policing and dismantled. Strategic Threat and Risk Assessment (APSTRA) document. The APSTRA is reviewed monthly to In accordance with HM Government’s 2018 ensure it includes new intelligence, demand, and Serious and Organised Crime Strategy, ROCUs performance, and to ensure that the unit lead the operational response for serious and remains fit for purpose. The APSTRA and organised crime on behalf of the forces within monthly performance review pools information their region. Nationally, there is work on-going from the 3 forces, WECTU (Welsh Extremism to explore a new funding model that can commit Counter Terrorism Unit), and the ROCU (TARIAN, investment over multiple years. southern Wales’s Regional Organised Crime Unit). The JFU is also actively involved on Regional Intelligence Unit numerous national working groups aimed at The Regional Intelligence Unit (RIU) assists understanding national trends. Forces with locating suspects for the most serious offences. Since January 2019 there have A full review of the JFU has been ongoing to been 21 requests on behalf of South Wales ascertain the ability of the Unit to support Police, Gwent Police, Dyfed-Powys Police and operational and training demand. The review Tarian ROCU. These have been in support of a will prepare the JFU for future demand growth. variety of major investigations, as well as longer Joint Scientific Investigation Unit (JSIU) protracted investigations. Since January 2019, Established in November 2011, the Joint the RIU officers have been deployed on 35 Scientific Investigation Unit provides forensic occasions and a high success rate. The specialist support services to South Wales and Gwent skills of the RIU have also been used to help Police forces, bringing together the latest tackle County Line drug gangs dealing Class A forensic processes and resources into a purpose controlled drugs in the South Wales Police area. built unit at South Wales Police Headquarters. In July 2019, suspects were successfully The JSIU, along with the other Welsh Forces, is identified by RIU officers, resulting in now a participating member within the National enforcement action being carried out by Cardiff Transforming Forensics Programme. and the drug line being taken down. These drugs lines were a significant risk and linked to The volume and complexity of forensic escalating violence, including the murder of a submissions is increasing with CPS demand for 17yr old male in June 2019. forensic evidence and advances in scientific

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 52

A Regional Undercover Unit also supports the Nationally, investigative demand on counter- ROCU in its operational objectives and provides terrorism policing has increased by dedicated undercover on-line resources within approximately a third compared to the period ROCUs to tackle online child sexual exploitation prior to the 2017 series of attacks. Currently, and other crime areas including cyber-attacks, the UK CT Policing network is working on a fraud and illicit trade. record number of just under 800 live investigations. The majority (600) are managed Regional Economic Crime Recovery Unit (RECU) in partnership with MI5. In Wales, the demand The RECU targets those who pose the greatest level has also increased and currently there are threat to each region by conducting 26 live investigations. predominantly Money Laundering and Fraud investigations and subsequent Confiscation Demand is also increasing through the growing investigations to disrupt organised crime. The use and complexity of digital media and growth in financial crime, particularly in online associated media viewing which is integral to the fraud and cyber-crime, is likely to have an Pursue Investigation process. Digital media impact on law enforcement in the future. For material recovered from suspects, witnesses and this reason, great emphasis is placed on the third parties requires collation, assessment and ‘prevent’ and ‘protect’ aspect of dealing with cataloguing. Approximately 14 million data SOC, with partner agencies playing a significant items were processed over the last 12 months. role in raising awareness and education. To address the increase, new software has been Therefore TARIAN is promoting the introduction introduced, and a business case for more of an All-Wales Serious and Organised Crime resources and licences is under consideration Board and dedicated ‘prevent’ officers in the through the national counter terrorism business Cyber Crime and Economic Crime departments, planning cycle. working alongside partner agencies to tackle the threat. Wales has the lowest volumes of Prevent referrals nationally. It has therefore WALES Extremism and Counter Terrorism Unit collaboratively implemented a range of (WECTU) initiatives to encourage the identification of UK Counter Terrorism Policing is facing a those vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism challenging, changing and developing threat that and extremism, and those extremists who pose is becoming more complex and diverse. a radicalisation risk to others. There are positive signs that referrals are already starting to WECTU responds to the threats posed all forms increase for both counter-terrorism and non- of terrorism and domestic extremism and is counter-terrorism. driven by the Government’s Counter Terrorism Strategy known as ‘CONTEST’. CONTEST is based GOVERNANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY around four principles known as the 'Four Ps': We continue to work with the Office of the Pursue, Prevent, Protect and Prepare: Police and Crime Commissioner to ensure that • Pursue terrorists wherever they are and the organisation remains transparent and open stop terrorist attacks to scrutiny and that we conduct ourselves with • Prevent people from becoming terrorists or honesty and integrity with full regard to the to supporting violent extremism the College of Policing’s Code of Ethics. • Protect the UK by strengthening our defences against terrorism The Force is subject to a number of inspections • Prepare to respond to an attack to lessen its and reviews by external bodies such as Her impact Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) and the Wales WECTU provides access to collaborative Audit Office. We also undertake internal and capabilities to identify and understand threats, external surveys and invite the public to give us risks and harms and to ensure a proportionate feedback through various media. and effective response, as well as gathering and assessing intelligence across force boundaries Further, over the last year we have restructured and sharing with key partners. our governance arrangements to ensure

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 53

sufficient oversight and monitoring is considers use of force and stop and search at undertaken of all core areas of the force. alternate meetings. Members are independent and drawn from the force’s Independent Joint Audit Committee (JAC) Advisory Group and Ethics Committee. They The Financial Management Code of Practice represent a diverse range of the community and issued by the Home Office places a requirement have appropriate training to carry out their role. on the force and the OPCC to establish an independent audit committee whilst having The Force also has a Fairness at Work procedure regard to the CIPFA guidance published for local which is designed to enable police officers and authorities and policing bodies in relation to police staff, who are aggrieved about the way audit committees. The purpose of the JAC is to they have been treated at work, to raise issues provide the PCC and Chief Constable without fear of recrimination. independent assurance on our risk management framework, the internal control environment Code of Ethics and the integrity of the financial reporting and The Code of Ethics is the written guide to the annual governance processes. The existence of principles that everyone working in policing in the JAC does not remove responsibility for these England and Wales is expected to uphold, and areas away from managers but provides the standards of behaviour they are expected to challenge and support and has led to both meet at all times. The Code of Ethics is central to organisations reviewing and placing more focus the National Decision Model, and is referenced on certain areas after discussions at meetings. in training and at the end of each agenda The JAC, who meet five times per year, consider document reminding staff of their ethical reports such as the Statement of Accounts, obligations. This is replicated in all Force Board Annual Governance Statement and internal and external audit reports, also produce their own and operational meeting agendas. annual report on their work and achievements as well as setting out the key areas they will be Professional Standards focussing on during the coming year. The PSD complaints team has staff both in the centre and embedded in the Local Policing Areas ETHICS to ensure performance-level complaints are Fair decision-making and respectful treatment dealt with. are paramount throughout service delivery. The st Force maintains a bi-monthly Ethics Committee 1 February 2020 saw the most significant Board which is made up of police officers, police change to the Police complaints and misconduct staff, Gwent PCC representatives and a number regime in over 10 years. These national changes of external members. Updates are published on were brought about in order to allow forces to the force intranet, as is an explanation as to how deal with complaints from the public and to refer dilemmas into the Committee. internal conduct matters in a reasonable and Dilemmas discussed by the Committee that have proportionate manner; thereby encouraging a a wider reach are escalated to regional and move away from a blame culture to one where national groups. The force Ethics Committee also individuals and the organisation can identify and discusses national issues. accept when the service provided to the public During 2019, 7@7 briefings to staff on ethical has not reached the required level, address this dilemmas were made available on the Force quickly and learn from mistakes. intranet to inform decision making. A new dilemma and accompanying video was circulated In order to prepare for the changes, the to sergeants each month with a request to play Professional Standards Department re- the video to their teams and encourage structured, bringing staff from the East and West discussion around the subject. All of the LPAs and the OPCC’s Public Response Unit into dilemmas were based on real life scenarios. the central PSD team. As this was a legislative change there was also a requirement for Our quarterly Legitimacy Scrutiny Panel gives the substantial changes to policies, procedures and Force external scrutiny on use of force and stop methods of working, which were completed in and search. It is co-ordinated by the Office of collaboration with other departments across the the Police and Crime Commissioner and

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 54

force and in liaison with PSDs across the region several wellbeing ambassadors to give staff and nationally. extra welfare support.

The changes have resulted in a greater number Abuse of Position for Sexual Gain of public complaints being resolved to the The Force has adopted the National Police complainant’s satisfaction at an early stage and Chiefs’ Council Strategy to respond to this fewer complaints progressing to formal problem, which sets out how to improve the investigation. The IOPC have commented collective approach to gathering intelligence and positively on Gwent’s approach to the changes using proactive tactics. We recognise Abuse of and early feedback from the public suggests that Position behaviour as serious corruption and the new arrangements are providing a refer any cases to the Independent Office of personalised and timely response to their Police Conduct. concerns, resulting in them feeling more satisfied with the complaints process. Our Abuse of Position plan has been updated and we are utilising monitoring and auditing Counter Corruption Unit software to assist. We have also continued to Gwent Police continuously reinforces acceptable raise awareness about the significant harm and unacceptable behaviour. Our Professional caused by this conduct and have publicised Standards department produces a newsletter cases to demonstrate how we deal effectively called the Professional Standards Department with this type of corrupt behaviour. Times which includes case studies and best practice from the IOPC and its own investigations. The Department also gives 60- second video briefings about risks to integrity. This includes reporting requirements relating to business interests and notifiable associations, and the harm caused to vulnerable people by staff who abuse their position.

In early 2019 our Counter Corruption Unit (CCU) was inspected by HMICFRS. Their findings outlined some areas for improvement and as a result the Force created new actions which were allocated to owners who are responsible for improving their area. The force also reviewed demand in the CCU and as a result implemented an uplift of staff, a review of processes and procedures and additional training. Work is ongoing to ensure that force devices are proactively monitored. A counter-corruption strategic threat assessment and control strategy has been completed and the Department also uses information from different sources to prepare a risk matrix to identify employees most at risk of corruption.

For those who want to report unethical behaviour, the Force runs two confidential reporting systems that enable officers and staff to report wrongdoing. These are an independent ‘Safecall’ service and a confidential online messaging system. These whistleblowing and anonymous reporting systems are promoted on our Force intranet and we have also appointed

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 55

KEEP IN TOUCH:

https://www.gwent.police.uk

www.twitter.com/gwentpolice

www.facebook.com/gwentpolice

www.youtube.com/gwentpolice

www.instagram.com/gwentpolice

Gwent Police Outturn Report 2020 | 56