30 April 2020
1. Welcome, introductions, and apologies - Chair Andrew Bailey
Andrew Bailey introduced the meeting and attendees and apologies are noted above.
2. Minutes and actions from the previous meeting (5th December) - Chair
Previous Minutes and actions were agreed.
3. Confidentiality Agreement - Chair
4. Update on CCG themes - Insp. Lindsay Dixon
In regards to COVID-19 the meeting have currently stopped there is some dates in the future after Covid-19.
- Chester recently have a group they have put together but Covid occurred prior to them meeting.
- Crewe are still working on getting a group together.
- Ellesmere port had no themes but had a good discussion.
- There is no update from Macclesfield.
- Northwich meet regularly.
- Runcorn Meet regularly on hold due to Covid-19.
- Warrington continue to have meetings on hold due to Covid-19 have secured a grant for this and are hoping to use it to hold an event in the community.
- Widnes regularly meeting on hold due to Covid-19.
Lindsey Dixon to ensure CCG meeting contact is to be kept going during Covid-19/potential for virtual meetings.
5. Performance data
- Stop and Search – Supt Martin Cleworth /Eve Roberts. Martin Cleworth is now the Lead for stop and Search. Eve Roberts gave an overview of the attachment that had been circulated to all members, a monthly breakdown of stop searches has been compiled. Eve Roberts to circulate to panel members the data that was produced and presented at the procedural justice meeting. Section 60s that are being used are updated on to Single Online Home. Documents in regards to strip searches were unable to be distributed due to the privacy of the individuals, this would have been able to be circulated if the meeting wasn’t virtual – Eve Roberts gave an overview of this.
- Use of Force (including age related and MH locations) - Jayne Gilmore/ Insp Lindsay Dixon. Jayne Gilmore gave an overview of the annual data that has been compiled, this is the only data that is available to us. IT have not made any more progress in regards to the analysis. Use of force always remains as effect arrest. Disability physical and mentally is recorded as low. 500 officers and staff injured in use of force injuries. 93% of subjects are not injured in use of force.
- Hate Crime – Insp Lindsay Dixon. Currently a national trend in regards to hate crime, there seems to be an increase in crimes against individuals with an oriental background, this hasn’t been seen before.
Over half that have reported to the police didn’t want to pursue the case even though the suspect was identified.
Hate Crime Data, 12 month summary ending March 2020
Use of Force data, April 2019 to March 2020
6. Policy/Procedure/Action Plan review - Update sent in by Margaret Graham
Update from Hate Crime AP regarding repeat hate crime victims and Cheshire Cares.
Update Prior to the review of the repeat hate crime victim data, Cheshire CARES had not had a mechanism to measure if the pathways for identifying and referring Hate Crime victims for support were effective and we had been unable to measure those victims the service had received, against recorded crime and incidents. The concern was that the numbers were greater but they could not be quantified.
I am undertaking a comprehensive review of all repeat Hate Crime Victims and checking each one to establish the victims received by Cheshire CARES, how many were successfully contacted and the uptake of support for each case. To date I have completed a review of 4 LPU’s data and can report the following findings.
- 2 Members of Cheshire Police Staff were not contacted as repeat victims as the referrals were not received or the crimes were retrospectively recorded.
- 4 Cases had not been flagged as Hate Crime nor forwarded to Cheshire Cares via email.
- 2 had been retrospectively recorded linked to a repeat Domestic Abuse victim but Cheshire Cares had already contacted the victim of the primary offences.
- Within Cheshire CARES I have identified that where a repeat victim is being supported the VCOs need to update and link related crimes to the master incident where the contact is logged.
- Cheshire CARES will also endeavour to provide an explanation where it is not appropriate for them to contact a victim within constraints of the disclosure guidelines.
- The main area of concern for timely contacting of victims I have identified is within the Health Care sector where there does not appear to be any consistency or urgency in employers reporting offences against their staff. This includes repeat victims of Hospital Security staff and staff working in the Mental Health sector. Some of the units / departments appear to report cases monthly, they are reported by a third party where contact details for the victims are insufficient to make contact to offer support.
- My concerns are that Health Care staff should have any incidents of hate crime within the workplace identified in a timely manner for support to be offered within the same time frame as for those where the incident is not work related. I noted one employee in a mental health unit had several incidents reported at the end of the month as part of the monthly data collation, without sufficient contact details. There appears in some working environments to be no recognition of the impact of repeat victimisation within the workplace.
7. Community Triggers review - Update sent in by PSD
- Stop Search
- Use of Force
Between 01.01.20 and 31.03.20 we had only two expressions of dissatisfaction in relation to stop search and these were resolved at source and not recorded as schedule 3 complaints, therefore no community triggers and no links to BAME/LGBT.
In addition for use of force we had no complaints where the community triggers would be established, the only one registered was for a juvenile but no links again to BAME or LGBT.
8. Ride along scheme feedback (Stop and Search) - Insp. Lindsay Dixon
This is currently on hold due to Covid-19.
Once the restrictions are lifted this will be re-advertised
9. IAG update - Alison Weston IAG Chairperson
Alison gave an over view of the last IAG meeting, the turn out attendance wise was great most of the communities are covered. They are trying to recruit some more in the Cheshire East Area.
Alison has been in contact with the Partnerships to try and get some information of useful contacts on the Cheshire Police intranet page.
IAG Members also attend the CCG Meetings for their areas.
10. AOB - Insp. Lindsay Dixon
Martin Cleworth gave an overview on some recent incidents that have happened in Warrington. There has been some events in regards to organized criminal activity these include, threats to life, a viable hand grenade found in a garden in a housing estate and a doorstep shooting.
Armed Response capability has been upped in Warrington and they are currently taking an Overt approach with their weapons across their bodies when getting out of their vehicle. This is currently under a standing authority which has been agreed by Chief officers within Cheshire police.
Gypsy traveller research that should have been launched in April but is currently on hold due to Covid-19 they are awaiting for the designer to come back but looking at doing a virtual Launch potentially on Facebook live and then giving the situation at the end of the year a further in person event will be held.
11. Covid-19 update