Bedfordshire police must "up its game" on protecting women and children says police and crime commissioner in wake of Operation Soteria report

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Bedfordshire Police must “up its game” to protect women and children from violence says the police and crime commissioner.

PCC John Tizard said his police and crime plan will outline what work will need to be done to address the “national emergency”.

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His comments followed the publication of a report that found that some police forces “routinely diverted” rape and other serious sexual offences (RASSO) personnel to supporting events, such as football matches and festivals.

Bedfordshire Police was not part of the report.

File photo of a man with a clenched fist standing in front of a crying womanFile photo of a man with a clenched fist standing in front of a crying woman
File photo of a man with a clenched fist standing in front of a crying woman

And Detective chief superintendent Zara Brown said Beds Police has a “significant focus” on rape and serious sexual offences, with a “clear direction of perpetrator prosecution, positive outcomes, and victim support”.

The HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS said nationally “major changes” are required to create a successful victim-centred and suspect-focused police approach to rape and serious sexual offences.

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But Mr Tizard, said addressing these important issues requires “more than changing the law or deploying more police officers”.

The HMICFRS found that within the forces it inspected “half of police rape investigators are not fully qualified”, and are still in training while handling complex and sensitive sexual violence cases.

Its Operation Soteria programme was set up to transform how the Crown Prosecution Service and police forces across England and Wales respond to RASSO offences.

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The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) asked the PCC about his plans to make RASSO workloads manageable and prevent delays in investigations.

He said: “I have sought reassurance from the Chief Constable as to how Bedfordshire Police is meeting the requirements of the national Soteria programme.

“Addressing these important issues requires more than changing the law and policy or deploying more police officers, it requires societal change to challenge a situation which has allowed this violence to persist in silence.

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“There is a national emergency where women and children are falling victim far too often to crimes of violence and abuse.

“My deputy (DPCC), Umme Ali, and I are due to visit Bedfordshire Police’s Rape and Serious Sexual Offence team to see first-hand the work being done on this important matter,” he said.

“I am determined to bring public and voluntary sector partners together to ensure that we improve prevention and provide the necessary level of service to victims, and to secure far quicker outcomes against perpetrators.

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“My police and crime plan, which is due to launch in October, will outline how Bedfordshire Police must up its game to protect women and children from violence.”

Detective chief superintendent Zara Brown said: “We are continually looking at how we can best equip our officers with the correct tools and training to drive the best possible outcome for victims, while also investing in additional training and analytical support.

“We’ve also been leading the way when it comes to digital forensics in rape and serious sexual offences investigations, thanks to our work on Operation Soteria.

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“We look forward to discussing with [the PCC and DPCC] ways in which we can work even better to build trust and confidence in the victims of serious sexual offences.

“We would encourage anyone who has been a victim to come forward and report, we have specialist teams available to support you.”

Visit the website for more information on what Bedfordshire Police is doing to tackle male violence against women and girls.