His Majesty’s inspection finds City of London Police outstanding on crime reporting

The City of London Police has been graded ‘outstanding’ for how it records crime, as well as ‘good’ for both investigating crime, and responding to the public.

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) carried out the Police Effectiveness, Efficiency and Legitimacy (PEEL) inspection across February and March this year.

The inspectorate also recognised how well the force supports rape victims, achieving positive outcome rates for Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) offences in 24/25; more than double the national average with the City of London Police achieving a 15.6% outcome rate, above the national rate of 6%.

Commissioner Pete O’Doherty said:

“I am very happy to share our inspection results which demonstrate the hard work our officers and police staff are doing to keep people safe and put victims at the heart of everything we do. I am especially proud of our ‘outstanding’ grade for recording crime, as well as being recognised for how we investigate crime and respond to the public.

“We are not at all complacent, but this is a good outcome, reflecting our new Policing Plan priorities for the next three years, and it shows how we really are going the extra mile to deliver the best service possible to the City of London, and beyond.”

Within his inspection report summary Lee Freeman, His Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary said:

“The City of London Police is ‘outstanding’ in how and when it records crime. This improvement is testament to the force’s investment of time, effort and resources in crime recording. The force has also significantly improved the timeliness with which it records crime. This means investigations and support for victims begins sooner.”

The HMICFRS report praises the force’s leadership which enables quality investigations to achieve appropriate outcomes for victims, and the support given to the needs of victims.

Deputy Commissioner Paul Betts, who led the force through the inspection added:

“These are welcome results and demonstrate everyone’s hard work to take us in the right direction. Our ‘good’ grade for crime investigation is a team effort, from our front-line officers and control staff to our crime scene investigators, and all those who investigate and bring justice to victims.

“Our message is clear. Don’t come to the City of London to commit crime because if you do, you’ll be relentlessly pursued, investigated, and brought before the courts.”

A further highlight from the inspection was that the force has again received a good grade at responding to the public, having improved its understanding of the demand it faces and prioritising incidents.

Chair of the City of London Police Authority Board, Tijs Broeke, said:

“These are excellent results and a testament to the professionalism, commitment, and integrity of the City of London Police.

“The force’s ‘outstanding’ grading for how it records crime – particularly its work supporting victims of rape and serious sexual assault – is especially welcome.

“As the National Lead Force for fraud and economic crime, the City of London Police supports economic growth and protects people and businesses across the UK.

“These results show the City Police is on track to deliver our ambitious Policing Plan priorities.

“We are committed to making the City of London Police one of the most trusted and inclusive forces in the country - improving outcomes for victims and making the Square Mile even safer for our communities. This report reflects real progress – and we will continue to support the force in maintaining and building on this success.”

The PEEL inspection report published today makes CoLP one of only several police forces in the UK without a ‘requires improvement’ grade for this inspection period.

In 2025 the CoLP PEEL inspection results are:

• 1 x outstanding for crime data integrity
• 2 x good for investigating crime and responding to the public
• 6 x adequate for use for police powers, preventing and deterring crime and antisocial behaviour, protecting vulnerable people, managing offenders and suspects, supporting the workforce leadership, and force management
• 0 x requires improvement
• 0 x inadequate