Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) and the Angiolini Inquiry

Rationale:

In line with the PCC’s priorities outlined in the Police and Crime Plan 2024-29, to enhance the safety of women and girls and to build public trust and confidence in policing, the PCC was looking to:

• Monitor the Force’s performance in respect of VAWG-related offences.
• Examine how effectively the Force responds to VAWG-related offences.
• Seek assurance that the Force is working proactively with statutory and voluntary sector partners to embed a whole-system approach that integrates prevention, protection, and prosecution.
• Hold the Chief Constable to account for taking swift and decisive action to identify and remove officers and staff who are unfit to serve, and who fail to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and public trust.
• Seek an update on the Force’s progress in implementing the Angiolini recommendations.
• Seek an update on the key learnings the Force has drawn from the Panorama documentary and how these are being addressed at a local level.

Questions

1. In line with the PCC’s strategic priority to improve the safety of women and girls, how is the Force currently performing – supported by data and comparisons at regional, Most Similar Group (MSG), and national levels?

2. Since the previous Scrutiny Meetings, which considered the topics of VAWG and Stalking, what specific actions has the Force undertaken?

3. How does the Force ensure effective collaboration and strong working relationships with both statutory and voluntary sector (VCS) partner agencies to tackle VAWG through a coordinated, multi-agency approach?

4. What training does the Force provide to officers in relation to VAWG, and how is its effectiveness evaluated in terms of improving early identification, reducing risk to victims, and ensuring an inclusive approach that considers diverse identities and experiences?

5. In line with the PCC’s priority to support victims and vulnerable individuals, what measures has the Force implemented to build trust in reporting, promote engagement with the justice process, ensure victims are kept regularly informed, and enhance overall satisfaction with the policing response?

6. In light of the forthcoming 16 Days of Activism, what is the Force’s current response to technology-facilitated and online VAWG-related offences?

7. How is the Force preparing for the launch of Operation Unified, specifically in terms of partnership engagement and the redeployment of key personnel? What are the anticipated impacts on VAWG-related offences, particularly domestic abuse and RASSO cases?

8. Following the publication of the Angiolini Inquiry, what specific actions has the Force taken to implement each of the recommendations directed at police forces, and how is progress being monitored and evaluated?

9. Since the introduction of the new misconduct regulations and statutory vetting regulations, what measures has the Force implemented to identify and remove individuals who are unfit to serve and who fail to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and integrity within policing?

10. In light of the recent conviction of a former Cleveland Police officer and the Panorama documentary, what public reassurance can the Chief Constable provide that the Force has effective arrangements in place to identify and address inappropriate behaviour and misconduct at the earliest opportunity?

11. What key learnings has the Force drawn from the Panorama documentary and how are these being addressed at a local level?

Further Information:

A summary of the evidence considered at this meeting can be accessed below:

Notes – Scrutiny Meeting – 24 November 2025 (application, 48kB)