His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) independently assesses and reports, in the public interest, on the effectiveness and efficiency of police forces and fire & rescue services.
“Promoting improvements in policing and fire & rescue services to make everyone safer”
HMICFRS ask the questions that they believe the public wish to have answered, and publish their findings, conclusions and recommendations. HMICFRS use their expertise to interpret the evidence and make recommendations for improvement.
Police and crime commissioners are required to publish their comments on each HMICFRS report within 56 days of its publication, and must include an explanation of the steps to be taken in response to each HMICFRS recommendation or an explanation of why no action has been or is to be taken in that respect.
HMCIFRS Powers
HMICFRS provide authoritative information to allow the public to compare the performance of their police force and fire & rescue service against others. HMICFRS also routinely monitor the performance of police forces in England and Wales.
HMICFRS inspects across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
HMICFRS also inspect law enforcement arrangements in British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, on invitation from the relevant government, as well as non-territorial services, specialist agencies and international police forces.
Read the latest HMICFRS inspection of Sussex Police.
History of HMICFRS
For over 160 years, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) independently inspected and reported on the efficiency and effectiveness of police forces.
On the 150th anniversary of HMIC in July 2006, a book The History of Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, The First 150 Years was produced.
In the summer of 2017 HMIC took on the inspections of England’s fire and rescue services, inspecting and reporting on their efficiency, effectiveness and people.
To reflect this new role, HMIC changed their name to HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS).
Public Interest
HMICFRS Police Inspections :-
HMICFRS’s annual inspection programme and framework for police forces in England and Wales is subject to the approval of the Home Secretary under the Police Act 1996.
The Home Secretary may also require HMICFRS to carry out further inspections of police forces, beyond the terms of the annual inspection programme. Local policing bodies may commission HMICFRS to do inspections in their force areas, although HMICFRS is not required to accept any such commission.
In devising its policing inspection programme and framework for the Home Secretary’s approval, HMICFRS considers the risks to the public, service quality, public concerns, the operating environment, the effect which inspection may have on a force, and the benefits to the public of improvements which may follow inspection.
HMICFRS may also carry out inspections of police forces on its own initiative if it considers that the performance or circumstances of a force merit it.
HMICFRS Public Interest
HMICFRS Fire & rescue service inspections :-
The Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 provides that HMICFRS will inspect and report on the efficiency and effectiveness of fire & rescue authorities in England.
HMICFRS’s inspection programme and framework for fire and rescue authorities in England is subject to the approval of the Home Secretary.
The Home Secretary may also require HMICFRS to carry out further inspections of any or all fire and rescue services in England.
In its inspections, HMICFRS focuses on the efficiency and effectiveness of each English fire and rescue authority and how well it looks after its people. HMICFRS may also on its own initiative carry out an inspection not in its inspection programme and framework if it considers that the performance or circumstances of the fire and rescue authority merit it.
HMICFRS Public Interest
HMICFRS Powers
HMICFRS is an inspectorate, not a regulator. Inspectorates have powers to secure information, but no powers to give orders for change. Recommendations are not orders.
Regulators, on the other hand, have powers of intervention, direction and enforcement.
It is for chief constables (whose operational independence is a cornerstone of British policing), police and crime commissioners (with powers to set local priorities and budgets) and, in extreme cases, the Home Secretary (who has ultimate democratic responsibility for policing) to take action as a result of HMICFRS’s recommendations. The same applies to the fire & rescue service itself, and the fire & rescue authorities.
HMCIFRS Powers
Recent HMCIFRS Publications
- State of Policing Report 2022 and the Loss of Public Trust
- PEEL 2021/22 – An inspection of Sussex Police
- In February 2024, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services introduced a new rolling inspection programme of child protection arrangements in every police force in England and Wales. The post National child protection inspection programme – methodology appeared first on His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services.
- HMICFRS will carry out an inspection of professional standards, vetting and counter-corruption arrangements in forces in England and Wales. The post Police integrity inspection programme – methodology appeared first on His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services.
- We revisited Surrey Fire and Rescue Service between 19 and 22 February 2024 and carried out a review of its progress. The post Surrey Fire and Rescue Service: Cause of concern revisit letter appeared first on His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services.
- An updated response from the National Police Chiefs’ Council to recommendations and actions made in this report has been published on GOV.UK. The post Updated response from the National Police Chiefs’ Council to the recommendations from the Tees Valley Inclusion Project super-complaint report appeared first on His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue […]
- We carried out an inspection of London Fire Brigade between November 2021 and January 2022. This letter assesses the progress the service has made against a cause of concern. The post London Fire Brigade: Cause of concern revisit letter appeared first on His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services.
- We revisited Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service between 5 and 7 February 2024 and carried out a review of its progress. The post Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service: Cause of concern revisit letter appeared first on His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services.
- Joint targeted area inspection of the multi-agency response to identification of initial need and risk in Buckinghamshire. The post Joint targeted area inspection of the multi-agency response to identification of initial need and risk in Buckinghamshire appeared first on His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services.
- PEEL is HMICFRS’s assessment of police forces in England and Wales. PEEL stands for police effectiveness, efficiency, and legitimacy. This report sets out the findings for North Yorkshire Police. The post PEEL 2023–2025: An inspection of North Yorkshire Police appeared first on His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services.
- PEEL is HMICFRS’s assessment of police forces in England and Wales. PEEL stands for police effectiveness, efficiency, and legitimacy. This report sets out the findings for Cambridgeshire Constabulary. The post PEEL 2023–2025: An inspection of Cambridgeshire Constabulary appeared first on His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services.
- PEEL is HMICFRS’s assessment of police forces in England and Wales. PEEL stands for police effectiveness, efficiency, and legitimacy. This report sets out the findings for Gloucestershire Constabulary. The post PEEL 2023–2025: An inspection of Gloucestershire Constabulary appeared first on His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services.
Check out our articles on Sussex Police, What is Policing by Consent, Wasting Police Time and the highly questionable Sussex Family Justice Board.
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