WILTSHIRE’S top police officer has welcomed a new report which calls for officers in England and Wales to get back to basics.

Chief Constable Catherine Roper has repsonded to the State of Policing 2022 report by His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary Andy Cooke.

In the report, Chf Insp Cooke says that in order for police forces to repair public trust, they must prioritise the issues which matter the most to our communities and focus on getting the basics right in investigations.

Chf Con Roper said: “I absolutely agree with the report that rebuilding public trust and confidence is critical to ensuring effective policing and it must be a priority.

“I also agree that further investment in neighbourhood policing is essential.

“Within the first few months of taking up the role of Chief Constable, I established three key priority areas for operational delivery: Safer Public Spaces, Violence and Burglary.

“These priority areas respond directly to the concerns of our communities and are to ensure people feel safe both inside and outside of their homes. They are also key features of the Police and Crime Plan as set out by the Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon.

“My ambition, above all else, is Keeping Wiltshire Safe.”

Last year, Wiltshire Police was placed into special measures after it was branded ‘inadequate’ in a HMICFRS PEEL inspectionin the areas of the ability to respond to the public, protect vulnerable people and strategic planning.

The inspection report made a series of recommendations of how the service could be improved and Chf Con Roper said work was continuing.

“We remain utterly committed to making the improvements necessary to be trusted to consistently provide the highest possible standard of policing for the people of Wiltshire and Swindon,” she said.

“We are focused on delivering all improvements in line with the HMICFRS PEEL inspection and our Engage status. Our emphasis is getting the foundations right – including improving the standard of service victims receive, the quality of investigations and how we identify and respond to those most vulnerable in our communities.

“We are committed to transparently sharing our improvement journey with the public. This includes us publishing updates to our communities about our progress on our website.”