Crime recording processes within British Transport Police are good with the correct use of recording standards and counting rules, an HMICS report published today (Wednesday, August 12) shows.
The Crime Audit 2015 British Transport Police undertaken by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary for Scotland looked at significantly more records than previous such audits with two areas for improvement being identified.
BTP has a national role with its Scotland Division providing policing services on the railway network north of the border through 280 officers and staff.
The audit assessed the state, efficiency and effectiveness of the Division’s crime recording and the extent to which its recording practices comply with the Scottish Crime Recording Standard and the Scottish Government’s Counting Rules.
HM Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland, Derek Penman, said: “The results of our audit provide clear evidence that BTP’s Scotland Division crime recording processes are effective, ensuring the correct application of crime recording standards and counting rules.
“We are satisfied with the robustness of the Division’s own audit checks and operational crime recording practices. We have identified two areas for improvement – one relating to closer scrutiny of violence related incidents and the other to the updating of incidents which are referred to Police Scotland for investigation.”
The report found good work in recording of hate crime and the inspection team were impressed with the quality and thoroughness of investigations leading to incidents being recorded as no-crimes.
In total 912 incidents and 522 crime records relating to allegations of theft, violence, sexual crime, hate crime, none-crime related incidents and those deemed no-crime were examined. It was found that 98.8% had been closed correctly and 95.2% were counted and classified correctly.
Footnotes
1. The HMICS role in inspecting BTP in Scotland is outlined in the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003. This places a duty on HMICS to inspect BTP from ‘time to time’ and report following an inspection on the efficiency and effectiveness of the Division to the Secretary of State.
2. Records in six categories were audited – sexual offences, violent crime, housebreaking, hate crime, non-crime related incidents and no crimes.
3. No crimes are incidents that were originally thought to have been a crime but were later re-classified, following further additional investigation as not being a crime.
4. An incident is correctly closed when it is classified as non-crime related and the log contains enough information to dispel any inference of criminality or the incident indicated a crime had been committed and a crime record had been traced.
5. HMICS published its Crime Audit 2014 of Police Scotland in October last year.
