Nottinghamshire Police in special measures amid performance concerns

Nottinghamshire Police has been told to “urgently produce an improvement plan” by a watchdog after being put into special measures.

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) announced the move on Monday, saying the East Midlands force “needs to improve how it manages and carries out effective investigations, and make sure that victims get the support they need”.

It added that the force “doesn’t have adequate processes, planning or governance arrangements in place to monitor performance effectively or identify areas where improvement is required”.

It comes after the mother of one of Nottingham knife attacker Valdo Calocane’s victims said she had “lost faith” in the force’s leadership and called for Chief Constable Kate Meynell to step aside while allegations of failings are investigated.

While the watchdog said the decision was not linked to the force’s handling of the case, the news was nevertheless welcomed by relatives of Calocane’s victims as a sign that inspectors recognised how the force needed “intervention and urgent improvement”.

Forces are moved into special measures – which HMICFRS calls being subjected to an “enhanced level of monitoring” under what is known as the “engage” process – when they are not responding to concerns raised by the watchdog or are not “managing, mitigating or eradicating these concerns”.

Inspector of Constabulary Roy Wilsher said: “Nottinghamshire Police has been asked to urgently produce an improvement plan and will meet regularly with our inspectors.

“We will work closely with the force to monitor its progress against these important and necessary changes.”

Nottinghamshire joins five other forces currently in special measures, including the Metropolitan Police, West Midlands, Staffordshire, Devon and Cornwall, and Wiltshire.

When asked by the PA news agency whether the move was as a result of concerns raised about the force’s handling of the Nottingham attacks, an HMICFRS spokeswoman said: “This decision is not related to the force’s handling of the Valdo Calocane case,” adding: “We did not look at the specific circumstances of this case.”

The reasons behind the decision will be detailed in an inspection report due to be published later this year.

Ms Meynell said she recognised the ”serious nature” of the watchdog’s findings, adding: “I have taken urgent action to address the immediate concerns raised and have ensured that all of the initial recommendations that relate to our investigations and support for victims have been completed.”

“Victims of crime are at the heart of everything that we do”, Ms Meynell said, adding that cases identified by HMICFRS had been reviewed to make sure “victims of crime are receiving regular updates and that these are being correctly recorded”.

“I fully acknowledge that our force has work to do to achieve our vision of being an outstanding force that we can all be proud of. I am fully committed to working with HMICFRS and we will work tirelessly to address their concerns and deliver the best possible service for the people of Nottinghamshire”, she said.

The under-fire force is already facing probes from regulator the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) and the College of Policing amid accusations of a series of failings in the wake of Calocane’s killings.

He was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order last month for stabbing to death university students Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, both 19, as well as school caretaker Ian Coates, 65, in the early hours of June 13 last year.

Calocane admitted manslaughter by diminished responsibility and pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of three people who were hit by a van stolen from Mr Coates, after Nottingham Crown Court heard he had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.

But there was an outcry of anger from the victims’ families after prosecutors decided not to pursue murder charges for Calocane, prompting Attorney General Victoria Prentis to order a review of how the Crown Prosecution Service handled the case and ask the Court of Appeal to review the sentence.

Mothers of two of the victims – Emma Webber and Sinead O’Malley-Kumar – told The Times they felt “foolish” for thinking they would see justice properly served and suggested any evidence given to the authorities that “did not fit their narrative” was dismissed.

Other investigations into the actions of mental health staff also continue.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak promised victims’ families that “we will get the answers” but their calls for a public inquiry have so far gone unanswered.

The Webber and O’Malley-Kumar families said in a statement: “We welcome the news today that the HMICFRS recognise that Nottinghamshire Police require intervention and urgent improvement.

“We hope this gives the residents of Nottingham more reassurance in their public safety.”

Responding to Ms Meynell’s comments that victims are at the heart of the force’s work, the families said: “Given the misinformation, mistruths and failures that we as devastated families have had to contend with from this police force, we could not more strongly disagree with her.”

The families said they “intend to provide thorough detail and evidence to back up all of our concerns” when they first meet the IOPC, which is also investigating Leicestershire Police over the handling of the case, on March 26.