Merseyside Police must improve outcomes for victims of crime, according to a new report from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS). The police effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy inspection (PEEL) report, published on July 7, 2026, praises the force for its "outstanding" work in preventing and deterring crime but highlights significant shortcomings in investigative practices.
Investigations Found Lacking
The report states: "In this inspection, we found the force isn't always achieving acceptable outcomes for victims of crime. The number of crimes it solves following investigations is low. It needs to understand the issue and work to achieve better outcomes for victims. Therefore, this area for improvement remains open." While the force improved in outcomes assigned to victim-based crimes, the effectiveness of investigations was deemed insufficient.
Inspectors found that crime was not always allocated to an investigator promptly. In their review, only 72 of 85 cases saw prompt allocation. Line managers cited high workloads as the reason for delays, which can lead to loss of evidence and lower victim confidence. Supervisors also reported being unable to effectively review investigations within force policy timescales, focusing on compliance over quality. In only 42 of 64 cases was the investigation appropriately supervised throughout.
Areas of Praise and Concern
Merseyside Police received a "good" rating for leadership and force management, developing a diverse and inclusive workforce, and police powers and public treatment. It was rated "adequate" for responding to the public, safeguarding children and adults, managing fraud, and providing a safe custody environment.
His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary Michelle Skeer OBE QPM said: "I am pleased with the performance of Merseyside Police in keeping people safe, reducing crime and giving victims an effective service. The force has made improvements in leadership, prevention and safeguarding since our last inspection, and I recognise the work force’s hard work in achieving this. But I have concerns about how the force is investigating crime."
Ms Skeer noted that the force has a new chief officer team with a new chief constable and deputy chief constable, adding: "At the time of our inspection the force was going through considerable change and introducing a new force operating model." She expressed optimism about the new leadership's ability to drive improvements.
Force Response and Reforms
Chief Constable Rob Carden, who took over in September 2025, welcomed the report: "We welcome the findings from the HMICFRS PEEL inspection which grades us as outstanding for our work in preventing and deterring crime, antisocial behaviour and reducing vulnerability. I want to thank every officer, member of staff and volunteer across Merseyside Police for their dedication and commitment to the communities of Merseyside."
He acknowledged the investigation grading as "disappointing" but highlighted improvements: "We recognised the areas for improvement before HMICFRS published its findings and have addressed these challenges since September last year. So, whilst the grading for Investigations is disappointing, areas such as solving crime has, even before the report was published, increased significantly and we are now one of the top three performing forces in the country for crime outcomes."
Carden noted that response policing, graded "adequate," has improved, with the force consistently achieving its target of over 90% priority response within 60 minutes for the first time in 12 years since a restructure in March 2026. He also highlighted Operation Vanguard, a large-scale operation targeting serious organised crime, domestic abuse, and other offences, as part of a new force strategy built around four objectives: Community First, Contempt for Criminality, Compassion for Victims, and Care for Colleagues.
Commissioner's Stance
Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell said: "On behalf of the people of Merseyside, I welcome this latest HMICFRS inspection and the independent scrutiny it provides. While the report highlights many positive findings, my primary focus is on the areas where inspectors have concluded further improvement is required, particularly around investigations, victim outcomes, and response policing." She vowed to hold the Chief Constable accountable through regular scrutiny meetings and noted that many issues had already been identified by the force.
Spurrell praised the "Outstanding" grading for prevention, calling it "a significant achievement" and reflecting the professionalism of officers, staff, and volunteers. She also commended partnership initiatives like the No Comment pathway, She Inspires, and Operation Prospect for steering young people away from crime.
