'Shocking' findings on Durham Police spark call for probe

A councillor and former Durham police sergeant has pointed to "shocking" findings in an HM inspectors' report into Durham Police's safeguarding of vulnerable children.

This comes days after a scathing report from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) found "extensive failures" in the way child sexual exploitation is tackled by the authorities.

Read more: Durham police and council respond to child sexual exploitation report

The latest debate was over a review by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS).

The review said the force had improved the overall way it safeguards vulnerable children since its last inspection in 2019.

But it pinpointed areas where changes were needed to keep those youngsters out of harm’s way.

The findings came under the spotlight at the latest meeting of Durham County Council's police and crime panel.

James Atkinson, policy and commissioning officer from the Police and Crime Commissioner's (PCC) office, said: "The broad findings were that they'd mainly improved in the way it protects vulnerable children.

"And the force have made positive changes, specifically around dealing with registered sex offenders, the control room response to incidents involving children... and dealing with cases where children are reported missing.

"HMIC did highlight some areas of improvement, notably around children at risk of online sexual exploitation, detention of children in police custody and the force not having enough accredited investigators in specialist safeguarding teams.

"It is worth noting that is a national issue as well, it's not specific to Durham.

"From the PCC's point of view, I think it's about saying we recognise that the force have worked systematically to address the issues that have been raised.

"However it is of concern that the processes around safeguarding children at risk of sexual exploitation do need to be followed a little bit more consistently.

"But we do recognise that the force are working in that space and we are assured that there's clear evidence that the force have plans to address the areas for improvement in a targeted manner."

Read more: Durham Police can still improve areas of child protection

Councillor Robert Potts told the meeting: "When you go through the report actually it's quite shocking to read some of the comments that are made by the inspectorate."

He pointed to inspectors' concerns about Durham Police's response to children at risk of sexual exploitation and its sharing of information.

He referred to a review of 20 domestic abuse incidents, where 16 were given an appropriate response.

"But in the four remaining, all of which involved children, the final deployment decision was driven by demand and not risk.

"That means actually police weren't deployed straight away, it was put on the diary.

Cllr Robert Potts. Picture: Durham County Council.

"The recording and supervision of investigating is inconsistent.

"The national child abuse image database isn't being used efficiently.

"And of the 29 child protection cases that they actually audited, the force response in nine was good, in 16 they required improvement and in four it was absolutely inadequate.

"Obviously that's quite a shocking thing to read in a report.

Read more: Durham PCC pledges for more officers with rise in police precept

"I would ask, why is nobody being held to account for this?

"Can we have an independent investigation into what's gone on there, or an investigation by your office reporting back to us to say exactly what's going on with regards to this report?

"It just seems like nobody is being held accountable.

"What we would like to see is hopefully some action taken where a report comes back to us to say why these things have happened to the children.

"Why the sexual exploitation has been allowed to happen although in effect the force is declaring itself as being outstanding."

PCC chief executive officer Steve White. Picture: Tom Banks.

PCC chief executive officer Steve White said: "You're right in terms of all of the detail.

"The force has a responsibility to respond to the HMIC reports. The commissioner has a responsibility to ensure that that response is appropriate.

"A lot of the things you raised there are operational matters for the force, as opposed to for the commissioner."

Durham PCC Joy Allen. (Image: Northern Echo, Newsquest)

Durham PCC Joy Allen said they raised such findings with Chief Constable Jo Farrell at executive and accountability meetings, holding her to account.

She said: "There has been a few inspections. They have had a lot recently, but some of them are historical as well."

She said child sexual exploitation, online safety and violence against women and girls was addressed in her police and crime plan.

An update will be given at a future panel meeting.