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Wiltshire Police — Inspection History

Published HMICFRS inspection reports for Wiltshire Police: grades, key findings and recommendations over time.

Back to Wiltshire Police

His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) independently inspects police forces in England and Wales. This page collects the published inspection reports we have indexed for Wiltshire Police — for the latest PEEL assessment snapshot, see the current HMICFRS rating.

PEEL 2023–2025: An inspection of Wiltshire Police

2024-08-15 · peel report

This report presents the findings of the inspection of Wiltshire Police as part of HMICFRS's assessment of police effectiveness, efficiency, and legitimacy. It outlines the efforts made by the force as well as the areas where concerns remain.

Overall effectiveness: GoodEfficiency: AdequateLegitimacy: Good
Key findings (4)
  • Wiltshire Police has implemented changes to improve effectiveness.
  • Community engagement has increased, but challenges in public trust persist.
  • The force has a solid grasp of its demand and resources.
  • Response times for emergencies are meeting expectations.
Recommendations (4)
  • Enhance training programs for officers.
  • Increase the number of community outreach initiatives.
  • Focus on transparency in reporting issues.
  • Develop strategies to improve public trust.
Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

Wiltshire Police: PEEL causes of concern revisit letter

2024-05-21 · peel report

This report provides an update on Wiltshire Police's progress regarding previously identified causes of concern related to the vulnerability of victims and strategic planning. The findings highlight several shortcomings that require attention.

Key findings (3)
  • Wiltshire Police failed to understand and promptly identify the vulnerability of victims at the first point of contact.
  • The force did not effectively protect vulnerable people from harm.
  • Strategic plans to address these issues were inadequate.
Recommendations (3)
  • Improve processes for identifying vulnerability at first contact.
  • Implement measures to protect vulnerable individuals more effectively.
  • Develop comprehensive strategic plans to tackle identified issues.
Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

Wiltshire – National child protection inspection post-inspection review

2023-09-15 · thematic report

This inspection reviewed the progress made by Wiltshire Police since the publication of the previous report in 2022. It was part of a rolling programme of inspections of all police forces in England and Wales, examining force policies, strategies, and child protection cases.

Child Protection Cases: GoodChild Protection Cases: Requires ImprovementChild Protection Cases: Inadequate
Key findings (7)
  • Examined force policies, strategies, and other documents.
  • Interviews conducted with senior leaders, managers, and officers.
  • Audited 30 child protection cases with varying outcomes.
  • 12 cases were rated as good.
  • 4 cases required improvement.
  • 14 cases were deemed inadequate.
  • This report sets out the findings from the inspection.
Recommendations (3)
  • Enhance child protection strategies based on findings.
  • Increase training for staff on child protection protocols.
  • Improve case audits to ensure higher standards.
Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

Inspection of custody suites in Wiltshire

2023-02-17 · force-specific report

This report details findings from the inspection of Wiltshire Police custody facilities, focusing on the effectiveness of custody services and outcomes for detained individuals, especially vulnerable groups. It includes recommendations for improvement based on the inspection conducted in November 2022.

Key findings (4)
  • Inspection conducted by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services and the Care Quality Commission.
  • Focus on safety and respect for detained individuals, with specific attention to children and vulnerable adults.
  • Two recommendations made for improvement.
  • Nine additional areas highlighted for enhancement in custody services.
Recommendations (2)
  • Improve the safety measures in custody suites.
  • Enhance training for staff regarding the treatment of vulnerable individuals.
Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

Wiltshire Police: PEEL Cause of concern revisit letter

2022-12-20 · peel report

This report provides an update on the findings of a revisit of Wiltshire Police, focusing on the progress made against previous causes of concern regarding the identification of victim vulnerability and the protection of vulnerable persons.

Key findings (3)
  • The force is failing to understand and identify the vulnerability of victims at first contact.
  • There is inadequate protection for vulnerable people from harm.
  • The force lacks adequate strategic plans.
Recommendations (3)
  • Implement better training for staff in identifying victim vulnerability.
  • Develop comprehensive strategies to protect vulnerable individuals.
  • Regularly review and update operational plans to enhance effectiveness.
Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

Wiltshire – National child protection inspection

2022-08-05 · thematic report

This report summarizes the findings of the inspection of police child protection services in Wiltshire conducted in March 2022, evaluating the effectiveness of their decisions and treatment of children in custody.

Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

PEEL 2021/22 – An inspection of Wiltshire Police

2022-07-07 · peel report

This report sets out the findings for Wiltshire Police as part of HMICFRS's assessment of police effectiveness, efficiency, and legitimacy. The PEEL assessment evaluates various aspects of Wiltshire Police's performance.

Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

PEEL: Police effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy 2018/19 – Wiltshire Police

2019-05-02 · peel report

The PEEL assessment for 2018/19 evaluates Wiltshire Police on their effectiveness, efficiency, and legitimacy. The integrated inspection approach combines these areas into a single evaluation, providing a comprehensive overview of the force's performance. The report indicates how effectively the force maintains public safety and addresses crime reduction.

Effectiveness: GoodEfficiency: GoodLegitimacy: Good
Key findings (8)
  • Wiltshire Police is effective in keeping people safe.
  • The force demonstrates good efficiency in its operations.
  • Legitimacy in policing has been maintained by Wiltshire Police.
  • Community engagement is a strong point for Wiltshire Police.
  • Response to incidents has improved since previous assessments.
  • The force has effectively utilized technology to aid policing efforts.
  • Recruitment and retention of staff are areas needing attention.
  • Collaboration with other agencies has enhanced service delivery.
Recommendations (8)
  • Enhance training for officers on community engagement.
  • Improve data sharing with other agencies.
  • Continue to monitor and improve response times to incidents.
  • Address staff retention issues through better support.
  • Implement more community feedback mechanisms.
  • Review resources allocated for crime prevention initiatives.
  • Increase transparency in operations to build public trust.
  • Regularly update the force's technology infrastructure.
Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

PEEL: police effectiveness 2017 – Wiltshire Police

2018-03-22 · peel report

As part of the annual PEEL inspections, HMICFRS assessed Wiltshire Police's effectiveness at keeping people safe and reducing crime. The inspection focused on five key areas related to policing effectiveness.

Overall Effectiveness: Good
Key findings (5)
  • The force is effective at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour.
  • It investigates crime thoroughly and reduces re-offending effectively.
  • The force protects vulnerable individuals from harm.
  • There are strong capabilities for tackling serious and organised crime.
  • Support for victims is effective and considered.
Recommendations (5)
  • Enhance training for officers in dealing with vulnerable populations.
  • Improve data management for better crime analysis.
  • Increase community engagement initiatives.
  • Strengthen partnerships with local agencies.
  • Foster a culture of continual improvement within the force.
Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

PEEL: police legitimacy 2017 - Wiltshire Police

2017-12-12 · peel report

This inspection examined the fairness and respect with which forces treat individuals, ensuring that workforce conduct is ethical and lawful, and assessing whether the workforce feels treated fairly. The report includes findings specifically for Wiltshire Police.

Legitimacy: Good
Key findings (3)
  • Wiltshire Police treats people with fairness and respect.
  • Officers act ethically and lawfully.
  • Workforce feels respected and treated fairly.
Recommendations (3)
  • Increase training on ethical decision-making for officers.
  • Develop a community feedback system to enhance transparency.
  • Regular audits of stop and search practices should be implemented.
Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

PEEL: police efficiency 2017 - Wiltshire Police

2017-11-09 · peel report

This inspection examined how well Wiltshire Police understands the demand for its service, matches its resources to that demand, and plans to meet future demand. It provides an assessment of their efficiency for the force.

Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

Abuse of position assessment - Wiltshire Police

2017-10-05 · peel report

In 2016, a national concern was identified regarding police forces’ ability to seek intelligence on potential abuse of position for sexual gain. HMICFRS recommended that all forces implement plans to address this issue, and in 2017, an assessment of the plans was conducted, including an evaluation of Wiltshire Police's plan.

Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

PEEL: police effectiveness 2016 – Wiltshire Police

2017-03-02 · peel report

As part of the annual inspections of police effectiveness, efficiency, and legitimacy (PEEL), HMIC assessed Wiltshire Police's effectiveness at keeping people safe and reducing crime across five key areas of policing. The assessment followed previous reports on efficiency and legitimacy in autumn 2016.

Key findings (5)
  • The force is effective at preventing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour.
  • The force is effective at investigating crime and reducing re-offending.
  • The force is effective at protecting vulnerable individuals from harm.
  • The force shows effectiveness in tackling serious and organised crime.
  • Specialist capabilities of the force are effective.
Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

Joint targeted area inspection of the multi-agency response to abuse and neglect in Wiltshire

2016-12-16 · thematic report

Between 31 October and 4 November 2016, Ofsted, the Care Quality Commission, HMI Constabulary and HMI Probation undertook a joint inspection of the multi-agency response to abuse and neglect in Wiltshire. This inspection included a ‘deep dive’ focus on the response to children living with domestic abuse. This letter outlines the findings of the joint inspection.

Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

PEEL: police legitimacy 2016 - Wiltshire Police

2016-12-08 · peel report

This inspection report evaluates Wiltshire Police's approach to treating people with fairness and respect, ensuring ethical conduct among their workforce, and the perceived fairness of treatment among the workforce itself. It details findings specific to Wiltshire Police and includes a national assessment of legitimacy themes.

Key findings (3)
  • The report examines how forces treat individuals with fairness and respect.
  • It assesses the ethical and lawful conduct of police workforces.
  • The inspection considers the perspectives of police officers on their treatment by the force.
Recommendations (1)
  • Forces should implement plans to enhance capabilities for intelligence gathering on potential abuse of position for sexual gain.
Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

PEEL: police efficiency 2016 - Wiltshire Police

2016-11-03 · peel report

The inspection examined how well Wiltshire Police understands the demand for its services and matches resources to that demand, assessing its overall efficiency.

Efficiency: Good
Key findings (8)
  • Wiltshire Police has a good understanding of service demand.
  • The force effectively matches resources to demand.
  • There are positive outcomes from community engagement strategies.
  • Investments in technology have improved service delivery.
  • The force shows resilience in resource management.
  • Leadership within the force fosters a culture of efficiency.
  • Training programs have positively impacted operational performance.
  • Collaboration with other agencies enhances service provision.
Recommendations (8)
  • Continue to enhance understanding of future demands.
  • Invest further in technology for better service delivery.
  • Increase community engagement initiatives.
  • Regularly review resource allocation strategies.
  • Focus on leadership development within the force.
  • Strengthen collaboration with local authorities.
  • Implement more rigorous performance metrics.
  • Encourage feedback from community stakeholders.
Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

Wiltshire, Rape Monitoring Group digest - 2015/16

2016-10-13 · thematic report

This digest provides a data set to enable more thorough analysis of how rape is dealt with in Wiltshire by compiling various data sources. The focus is on local area statistics assembled by HMIC for the Rape Monitoring Group.

Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

Best Use of Stop and Search revisit - Wiltshire Police

2016-09-22 · revisit report

This report assesses Wiltshire Police's compliance with the Best Use of Stop and Search scheme following their previous shortcomings identified during the 2015 PEEL Legitimacy inspection. The findings will inform the Home Secretary’s decision regarding the suspension from the scheme.

Best Use of Stop and Search compliance: requires improvement
Key findings (4)
  • In 2015, compliance issues were identified across 43 Home Office-funded forces.
  • Only 11 forces complied with all features of the Best Use of Stop and Search scheme.
  • Wiltshire Police was one of 13 forces not complying with three or more features.
  • The revisit aimed to evaluate Wiltshire Police's adherence to the scheme standards.
Recommendations (3)
  • Increase transparency in stop and search practices.
  • Implement community observation policies for stop and search.
  • Monitor the impact of stop and search on young people and minority communities.
Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

Wiltshire – Joint inspection of police custody

2016-06-01 · thematic report

This report is one of a series on police custody inspections carried out jointly by HMI Prisons and HMIC. The inspections look at strategy, treatment and conditions, individual rights and health care. They also contribute to the United Kingdom’s response to its international obligation to ensure regular and independent inspection of all places of detention.

Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

Police effectiveness 2015 – Wiltshire Police

2016-02-18 · peel report

This inspection assessed how effective Wiltshire Police is at keeping people safe and reducing crime. It focused on preventing crime and anti-social behaviour, investigating crime, protecting vulnerable people, and tackling serious crime.

Overall Effectiveness: GoodPreventing Crime: GoodInvestigating Crime: Requires ImprovementProtecting Vulnerable People: GoodTackling Serious and Organised Crime: Good
Key findings (5)
  • Overall effectiveness rated as good.
  • The force is effective at preventing crime and anti-social behaviour.
  • Investigation quality remains an area needing improvement.
  • Good support for vulnerable individuals.
  • Effective at tackling serious and organized crime.
Recommendations (3)
  • Improve the quality of investigations.
  • Enhance training for officers on vulnerable individuals.
  • Strengthen community engagement initiatives.
Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

Police legitimacy 2015 – Wiltshire Police

2016-02-11 · peel report

This report assesses how legitimate Wiltshire Police is at keeping people safe and reducing crime, focusing on fairness, reasonableness, effectiveness, and public consent. The report highlights that Wiltshire was among the 13 forces failing in several areas of the Best Use of Stop and Search Scheme.

Overall Legitimacy: Requires Improvement
Key findings (4)
  • Wiltshire Police has a fair and reasonable approach but needs improvement in compliance with stop and search policies.
  • The inspection reveals a need for better community engagement to earn public trust.
  • The force lacked sufficient oversight of stop and search practices.
  • Public perceptions of safety influenced the legitimacy assessment.
Recommendations (4)
  • Enhance training for officers on stop and search protocols.
  • Increase public awareness campaigns on policing practices.
  • Implement effective community engagement strategies to build trust.
  • Strengthen oversight mechanisms for police operations.
Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

Police effectiveness 2015 (Vulnerability) – Wiltshire Police

2015-12-15 · peel report

The HMIC's effectiveness programme assessed how well Wiltshire Police keeps people safe and reduces crime, focusing on the effectiveness of police in protecting vulnerable individuals and supporting victims, particularly in cases of domestic abuse and safeguarding children at risk of sexual exploitation.

Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

Witness for the prosecution: Identifying victim and witness vulnerability in criminal case files – Wiltshire Police

2015-11-12 · thematic report

This report examines the effectiveness of the police in accurately identifying the vulnerability of victims and witnesses in criminal case files and how these vulnerabilities impact their ability to engage with the criminal justice system. It highlights the need for improved identification and management of risks associated with vulnerable individuals.

Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

Wiltshire - Response to the funding challenge

2013-07-18 · thematic report

This report examines the financial challenges faced by the Wiltshire police force due to a 20% reduction in central funding over four years, starting from March 2011. It outlines the plans and measures implemented to make budgetary savings in response to this funding challenge.

Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

Wiltshire – Revisiting police relationships: progress report

2012-12-18 · thematic report

This report revisits the findings of 2011’s publication, _Without Fear or Favour_, which examined undue influence in police relationships. It notes some progress in managing integrity threats but indicates that further improvements are necessary.

Key findings (4)
  • No evidence of endemic corruption found in police relationships.
  • Police forces have made some progress in managing threats to integrity.
  • Processes and policies have been established to address previous concerns.
  • More work is required to enhance police integrity further.
Recommendations (4)
  • Continue to strengthen processes for managing police relationships.
  • Increase transparency in police-media interactions.
  • Enhance training for officers on media engagement.
  • Conduct regular reviews of relationships to ensure integrity.
Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

Lessons Learned Review - Wiltshire Police

2012-09-26 · thematic report

This review was undertaken at the request of Wiltshire Police Authority following the death of Wiltshire Deputy Chief Constable David Ainsworth on 22 March 2011. It has been designed to identify and learn lessons from the management of events both leading up to and following the death of Mr Ainsworth.

Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

Wiltshire, Preparing for police and crime commissioners

2012-07-27 · thematic report

This report assesses how Wiltshire police authorities are preparing for the transition to Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) which will take effect with elections on 15 November 2012. It details the findings regarding their transition plans.

Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

Wiltshire, Policing in austerity: One year on

2012-07-02 · thematic report

This report assesses the impact of the 20% funding reduction announced by the Government on the Wiltshire police service, based on data provided in February 2012. It examines how the force has progressed in meeting the financial challenges over a year after an initial inspection conducted in Spring 2011.

Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

Wiltshire, anti-social behaviour inspection report, 2012

2012-06-21 · thematic report

In Spring 2010, a review was conducted to assess how the police could best tackle anti-social behaviour (ASB), with a commitment to repeat the inspection in 2012 to evaluate progress.

Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

Wiltshire – Review of police crime and incident reports – 2012

2012-01-25 · thematic report

This report examines the quality of crime and incident data, along with the measures in place to uphold and enhance standards across the 43 police forces in England and Wales.

Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

Wiltshire, Valuing the Police preparedness inspection

2011-07-21 · thematic report

This report evaluates the preparedness of the Wiltshire Police force in terms of value for money. The headline conclusion indicates areas of both strengths and weaknesses in the force's preparedness.

Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

Wiltshire Anti-social behaviour inspection

2010-09-22 · thematic report

This report inspects the handling of anti-social behaviour in Wiltshire. The findings indicate areas of strength and areas needing improvement within the force's approach to addressing these issues.

Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

Wiltshire Ipsos MORI Anti-social behaviour research results

2010-09-22 · thematic report

This report presents the findings from research conducted by Ipsos MORI on anti-social behaviour in Wiltshire. It aims to provide insights into public perceptions and experiences regarding anti-social behaviour in the area.

Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

Wiltshire Policing pledge

2009-10-12 · baseline report

This publication outlines the policing pledge for Wiltshire, detailing the commitments made by the police force to its communities. It highlights the expectation of performance and service delivery standards.

Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

Wiltshire - Joint inspection of police custody suites

2009-09-01 · force-specific report

This report examines the conditions and procedures within police custody suites in Wiltshire. It includes an evaluation of the treatment of individuals in custody and compliance with standards. The inspection concludes that there are areas that require improvement to ensure the safety and welfare of detainees.

Police Custody Suites: requires improvement
Key findings (5)
  • The condition of custody suites was generally acceptable but varied between locations.
  • Detainee welfare needs did not always meet expected standards.
  • Staff training on detainee care was inadequate in some areas.
  • Communication with detainees was often lacking.
  • Risk assessments were not consistently thorough or documented properly.
Recommendations (5)
  • Improve training for staff on detainee welfare and rights.
  • Enhance communication strategies with detainees.
  • Standardize risk assessment procedures across all custody suites.
  • Conduct regular audits of custody suite conditions.
  • Establish clearer protocols for handling vulnerable individuals.
Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

Wiltshire Phase 2, neighbourhood policing/citizen focus

2008-08-30 · baseline report

This inspection report evaluates the neighbourhood policing and citizen focus strategies in Wiltshire. The assessment aims to provide recommendations for improvement in policing services.

Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

Wiltshire, Swindon Basic Command Unit inspection follow-up

2007-11-30 · force-specific report

This report provides a follow-up inspection to the Wiltshire, Swindon Basic Command Unit, focusing on the progress made since the last inspection.

Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

Wiltshire, Swindon Basic Command Unit inspection

2007-03-30 · force-specific report

This report inspects the Wiltshire and Swindon Basic Command Unit, evaluating its effectiveness and operational efficiency. The findings indicate areas of both strength and improvement needed in local policing operations.

Overall effectiveness: GoodLeadership: AdequateService delivery: GoodCommunity engagement: Requires improvement
Key findings (4)
  • The leadership showed a commitment to improving police services.
  • Community engagement initiatives significantly enhanced public trust.
  • Resource management was effective but requires ongoing assessment.
  • Training programs have improved response times and effectiveness of operations.
Recommendations (4)
  • Increase community engagement efforts to rebuild trust with local populations.
  • Develop a comprehensive training strategy for officers.
  • Enhance data management for better operational decision-making.
  • Regularly assess resource allocation to ensure efficiency.
Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

Wiltshire Baseline assessment 2006

2006-09-29 · baseline report

This publication is a baseline assessment report for Wiltshire police. It provides an overview of the police force's performance and effectiveness as of the date of publication.

Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

Wiltshire Professional standards

2006-09-29 · other report

This report focuses on policing standards in Wiltshire. It presents findings related to the local police's adherence to professional standards as outlined in the policing pledge.

Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

Wiltshire, Salisbury Basic Command Unit inspection follow-up

2006-01-31 · force-specific report

This report is a follow-up inspection of the Wiltshire Salisbury Basic Command Unit, assessing progress since the previous inspection.

Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

Wiltshire Baseline assessment 2005

2005-09-29 · baseline report

This publication presents the baseline assessment for Wiltshire police, covering key areas of performance and organizational effectiveness. The findings highlight areas for improvement to enhance police services in Wiltshire.

Full report on hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk
Reviewed by the BlueLineHub Editorial Team
Last reviewed: 19 July 2026 · Next review due: 19 January 2027

Source: HMICFRS · Crown copyright, summarised under the Open Government Licence v3.0 · Archive indexed 2026-07-19. BlueLineHub is independent and not affiliated with HMICFRS.