Changes needed to ensure stalking victims get the right response from police
Significant changes are needed to improve the police response to reports of stalking, an investigation into a police super-complaint has found.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) and the College of Policing (CoP) found that police understanding of stalking is improving, and this is reflected in some innovative action by the police. But too often these cases are not being taken seriously enough and the quality of investigations is inconsistent.
The report published today (27 September) follows our detailed joint investigation into a super-complaint made by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, on behalf of the National Stalking Consortium, about the way police respond to reports of stalking.
It details 29 recommendations we have made to ensure better support for victims.
These include:
- outlining steps chief constables should take now to improve the quality of stalking investigations
- changing the criminal law on stalking, which is currently confusing in places, to make it easier for police to understand and apply;
- making stalking protection orders simpler and easier for the police to use; and
- ensuring police and support services work more closely together to improve the service provided to victims.
These recommendations – to chief constables, police and crime commissioners, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), the Home Office, the Ministry of Justice and the Crown Prosecution Service – will support policing to make the necessary improvements to ensure reports of stalking are consistently taken seriously and victims are better safeguarded.
IOPC Director General Rachel Watson said:
“Stalking is a serious crime that can have a devastating impact on victims. Those affected need to have confidence to come forward, knowing they will be listened to and supported by those whose role it is to keep them safe.
“Change is happening – and today’s report highlights some excellent work we want to see become standard right across England and Wales. Sadly, we also saw too many cases where police failed to recognise stalking or take the necessary steps to protect victims – and policing must act now to improve this.
“I would like to thank all the victims and support services who shared their experiences. This report is a chance to make sure their voices are heard, and the issues they highlight are urgently addressed.”
His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary Andy Cooke said:
“The seriousness of stalking should not be underestimated. It is a devastating crime and the impact on victims can be life-long. Police forces must do all they can to tackle it with the utmost urgency.
“We have previously recommended that stalking is prioritised by forces and the wider criminal justice system.
“However, it is concerning that we are still not seeing change as quickly as we should; investigations are often not effective enough and all the risks to victims are not being identified.
“While examples of positive practice were found, this progress is not significant enough to achieve the outcomes all victims deserve.
“Change is needed, and today’s report must be a springboard for action.”
Chief Constable Sir Andy Marsh, College of Policing CEO, said:
“Stalking has a significant physical, psychological, and emotional impact on victims and we are determined to support policing to take a robust approach to offenders and to support victims.
“Our joint investigation into Suzy Lamplugh's Trust super-complaint has shown that policing has made progress in the way it tackles stalking. I'm pleased that we have been able to share the examples of promising practice we encountered during the investigation on our practice bank so that they can be adopted more widely across policing.
"Despite the progress made, our investigation has also shown that the service needs to improve further. To support this improvement officers now have access to updated advice and training for when they are responding to stalking or harassment cases. One, of a number, of next steps will be to strengthen national guidance for police across England and Wales to improve the quality of investigations.
“Our report has also recommended policing now explores how emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) can be used so that policing systems and frontline officers can spot stalking risks in cases at the earliest opportunity to allow offenders to be targeted and victims supported and protected from harm.”
The IOPC, HMICFRS and CoP have jointly investigated the concerns raised in the super-complaint, which was submitted in November 2022. We found clear evidence to support these concerns.
As part of the investigation, we reviewed police investigation case files and spoke with officers and staff involved in responding to reports of stalking. We also spoke with victims and support services, to better understand their experiences, and reviewed a significant amount of research and data on the subject.
We also carried out a survey of all 43 police forces in England and Wales, and reviewed IOPC stalking cases to inform our findings.
Among the findings highlighted in the report are:
- poor risk assessment and safeguarding may be leaving some victims at serious risk
- laws and guidance for police are confusing and inconsistent
- there is a lack of understanding by police of the scale and types of stalking in their area
- there are issues with the quality and resourcing of some investigations
- more can be done to share and build on the good work already being done.
As part of the recommendations, we have asked the NPCC to share a report, which will be published online, in the coming months outlining the progress made to make these important changes.
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