Gloucestershire Constabulary has been judged inadequate in its handling of serious and organised crime (SOC) by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabularies and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS). This assessment, published on June 12, follows an inspection conducted in July of last year and highlights significant concerns about the force’s effectiveness in managing high-risk SOC threats.
The inspection report reveals critical issues with leadership and accountability at the chief officer level, describing a lack of visible leadership and slow decision-making regarding resource allocation for SOC investigations. Officers reported that the unit responsible for tackling serious and organised crime is understaffed and deficient in qualified detectives. Proactive teams, managed under local policing without centralized coordination, frequently face resource shortages due to personnel being diverted to other duties.
Criminal investigation teams are similarly stretched thin, limiting their capacity to manage complex cases. The force has eliminated the principal analyst role, forcing senior analysts to take on additional responsibilities without sufficient numbers to proactively analyze SOC intelligence effectively. The process for assigning intelligence packages to investigative teams is unclear, and some neighbourhood policing personnel lack training and awareness of local SOC threats.
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The inspectors linked some of these challenges to a new operating model introduced shortly before the inspection, with concerns raised about the force’s response to high-risk intelligence. For instance, a search warrant related to firearms was not executed due to resource limitations.
HMICFRS has recommended Gloucestershire Constabulary assess the impact of the new operating model by January 31, 2026, and reassess how it prioritizes and resources SOC intelligence and investigations.
Assistant Chief Constable Rich Ocone, lead for Crime, Justice and Vulnerability, expressed disappointment with the findings but emphasized that the report does not reflect current efforts in the county. He stressed that the force has since worked hard to implement improvements outlined immediately after the inspection.
ACC Ocone highlighted changes in senior leadership and the introduction of the Gloucestershire Rapid Improvement Plan (GRIP), which prioritizes addressing SOC as a key focus. He noted enhancements such as moving 20 investigators into specialist crime roles to strengthen investigations, particularly in child protection, while also increasing resilience against organised crime.
Plans are underway to further bolster specialist crime teams in the coming months, signaling the force’s continued commitment to improving its response to serious and organised crime threats in Gloucestershire.