Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner Matt Storey has written to the Secretary of State for Justice, Shabana Mahmood MP, to highlight his concerns around a recent Dispatches investigation on electronic monitoring.
The PCC has concerns about the findings of Channel 4’s Dispatches report, Britain’s Criminal Tagging Scandal: Undercover, broadcast on 14th April 2025, which focused heavily on the Cleveland area.
The PCC, who is also chair of the Cleveland Local Criminal Justice Board (LCJB) says assertions made in the programme highlight serious failings in the electronic monitoring of offenders, including operations management, technology reliability, equipment backlogs, contract arrangements and lack of response to breach notifications.
In the letter, Matt states that while he firmly backs the expansion of electronic monitoring, he is calling for urgent reassurance from the government on the following:
- Public Reassurance – What steps are being taken to address fears in Cleveland and ensure victim-survivor safety following the troubling findings in Dispatches?
- Technology Standards – How is the Ministry responding to reports of low-quality tags that can be easily removed?
- Probation Service Performance – What assurances can be provided regarding their response to breaches of electronic monitoring conditions?
- Backlog Reduction – When can the public expect a return to standard levels of monitoring without delays?
- Contract Oversight – What actions are being taken to strengthen contract management and address issues with providers delivering this service?
Matt also addresses broader concerns made in the report about the detrimental effects of privatisation in critical public sector services.
He said: “Time and again, we see high-value contracts awarded to low-cost bidders with histories of underperformance – even fraud – ultimately placing further strain on the very communities these services are meant to protect.
“I urge Government departments to end the practice of awarding contracts for essential public services to private companies that prioritise profit over the quality of service.
“We must restore accountability and service provision to local public sector, voluntary and community organisations.”
Read a full version of the letter