Police response to stalking - our action plan

No.

Recommendations

Response

7

By 27 March 2025, where required, seek changes to crime recording systems to enable staff and officers to document and search for crimes not recorded as the principal crime, as included classifications on crime records.

Crime recording guidance has been published to enable staff and officers to document and search for crimes not recorded as the principal crime.

We acknowledge this process requires improvement. This involves developing our NICHE crime recording system which is ongoing.

We are supported by our Force Crime Registrar who is engaged with the National Crime Recording Steering Group and our NICHE development team.

10

By 27 March 2025, review and update learning and training provision relating to stalking.

Chief Constables should also make sure that their policies and practices are reviewed and updated in accordance with the findings in the super-complaint investigation report.

Our training is delivered in line with the National Policing Curriculum. All learning outcomes are met. This is annually reviewed in line with College of Policing curriculum updates.

Stalking or harassment e-learning was released in September 2024.  This has been mandated in November 2024 to all first responders, staff, volunteers, and call handlers in an investigatory role. 

Nottinghamshire Police work with Women’s Aid to upskill and adhere to licensing conditions in the delivery of DA Matters training. 

External partners co-deliver DA Matters training.  Subject matter experts review and inform all training packages. CPD training packages involve the Stalking Advocacy Service (Juno, Women’s Aid, Equation) in the development and delivery of the training.

We have a stalking procedure document, containing procedural guidance for dealing with offences of stalking. This will be reviewed and updated in accordance with the super-complaint investigation report.

The force has a stalking intranet page which is accessible to all officers and staff containing details, definitions, screening tools, risk assessments, training, recording, investigative strategies and a victim safety checklist, cyberstalking, supervisor stalking review aids and support for victim resources, among many other areas. Training signposts officers and staff to this resource. College of Policing APP has been utilised in the development of training packages.

We delivered Continued Professional Development (CPD) to first responders around harassment and stalking and DA Matters training over 2023 and 2024. This included changes to legislation, how to identify offences, case studies, risk factors, screening tools, support agencies and stalking protection orders (SPO).

11

By 27 March 2025, make sure that appropriate mechanisms are in place to fully understand the scale and types of stalking behaviour within the force and the effectiveness of their response. This should align with the VAWG national delivery framework.

Nottinghamshire Police has a current stalking problem profile and threat assessment and delivery plan.

Stalking falls within the category of VAWG. Our improved response to VAWG is outlined in our delivery plan that aligns to the national framework.

Our force management statement reflects the current and future demand from stalking. Our capability and capacity to meet this demand is regularly assessed in our demand and assets review.

Assurance work is completed monthly to ensure investigation standards are upheld and stalking prevention orders are considered. This is governed through our Improving Investigations Board, Criminal Justice Board, and Improving Outcomes Board.

Operation Saltash is in place to proactively monitor compliance with stalking protection orders.

Using MoRiLE methodology stalking is prioritised in our control strategy. Performance, insight, and mitigation of risk is scrutinised monthly at our Force Tasking Meeting.

Our Victims and Witness Assurance Group analyses the feedback from victim surveys.

12

By 27 March 2025, take steps to make sure that risk identification, assessment and management is effective in all stalking and breaches of orders cases.

For all reported stalking offences, a THRIVE assessment is conducted at the point of call.

We prioritise attendance at incidents in accordance with our Incident Grading Policy.

We have implemented a stalking screening tool to support the identification of stalking and the risks associated with stalking.

Guidance and training material has been published and is readily accessible to assist officers and staff in the identification of high-risk factors.

The DAPPN risk assessment tool is used in cases of domestic abuse.

Under Operation Catalyst training has been delivered setting out the requirement to record safeguarding plans and suspect management plans. These are implemented on a case-by-case basis and detailed with investigation plans and supervisor reviews.

We run a stalking clinic in collaboration with local partnership agencies. The perpetrator is risk assessed using the Stalking Risk Profile Tool.

We will be implementing further screening and checking processes through our daily management meeting to support the early identification, assessment, and management of high-risk cases.

Operation Saltash is in place to ensure the effective management of SPOs.

13

By 27 March 2025, take steps to make sure that force strategies, structures and processes are in place so that police consider an SPO in every stalking case, and apply for an SPO where relevant and appropriate to prevent harm and further offending.

To achieve this, Chief Constables should review, and revise policy, guidance and supporting processes where necessary.

Our force policy states that a SPO will be considered in every case of stalking. We have implemented a mandatory investigation plan and supervisor review within our NICHE crime recording system to prompt investigators to consider a SPO in cases of stalking.

We have engaged with the College of Policing in a peer review of our Prevention Hub and prevention strategy. We have implemented feedback to ensure representation from the Prevention Hub at force level daily management meetings to ensure opportunities to apply for a SPO are not missed.

Our Operation Catalyst Improving Investigations Plan and continuous cycle of training addresses suspect management through civil orders. In addition, we have recently delivered stalking and SPO training across the workforce.

14

By 27 March 2025, take steps to make sure stalking victims receive the rights they are entitled to under the Victims' Code and have access to support services.

Operation Catalyst is our plan to improve our service to victims. This focusses on ensuring a Victim Needs Assessment is always completed.

Compliance with the Victims' Code is monitored at performance meetings and reported into the Victim and Witness Group meeting and Trust and Confidence Board.

At the point of recording a crime, victims are provided with information about their rights under the Victims' Code.

Nottinghamshire OPCC intends to continue to commission the non-domestic abuse stalking support service beyond 2024/25, which includes the provision of Independent Stalking Advocate Caseworkers (ISACs). At present victims of domestic abuse related stalking can access support via our commissioned domestic abuse service providers.

16

By 27 March 2025, work together to review commissioning arrangements and make changes as soon as possible to ensure they embed collaborative working and information sharing between policing and services providing victim support to stalking victims.

We will work with the OPCC and local authorities to identify where the DA commissioned services can make improvements to their stalking related support.

We will work with the OPCC to review and assess the current information sharing arrangements for our non-DA stalking support service to ensure that they are suitable and sufficient to meet the objectives of the service.

We will ensure that we have sufficient and proportionate collaborative working arrangements in place to safeguard victims, assess risk, and target perpetrators.

17

By 27 March 2025, make sure the new College of Policing investigations APP content on case allocation is reflected in the relevant policies relating to the allocation of stalking and breach of order cases for investigations.

Our Domestic Abuse Policy, Stalking Policy and crime allocation policy will be reviewed to reflect the recommendations from the stalking super-complaint and the College of Policing APP.

18

By 27 March 2025, take steps to improve the quality of stalking investigations by taking a victim centred, suspect focussed and context led approach.

Improving investigations is the focus of Operation Catalyst. This is supported by specially designed investigation plans to support staff and officers so that they have the capability and capacity to undertake effective stalking investigations.

Our force priorities and Operation Catalyst 10-Point Plan are aligned to a victim centred, suspect focussed and context led approach to investigations.

Under Operation Catalyst we deliver a continuous cycle of supervising investigations training to first line managers to ensure all reasonable lines of enquiry are pursued supported by good supervision.

We hold a DA standards group to monitor arrest rates and evidence led prosecutions. Performance is reported at Force Tasking and our Operational Performance Review Meeting.

Training is delivered to phase 4 students regarding digital evidence. Our dedicated team of Digital Media Investigators and online guidance and signposting is available to support investigators pursue all reasonable digital lines of inquiry.

We have a dedicated Internet Investigations and Intelligence team, Cyber team, ANPR team and Communications Data team supported by analysts to assist investigators present digital evidence and communications evidence in prosecution cases.

We will look for innovative best practice and explore the potential for GPS tagging.

20

By 27 March 2025, take steps to improve how the force effectively recognises and responds to online elements of stalking.

The terms of reference for our next stalking problem profile will seek to determine the scale and nature of online stalking.

We will seek to implement a digital risk assessment tool that covers questions to ask on initial attendance to DA and non-DA stalking related offences. This will allow investigators to consider when a DMI or cyber specialist is required either to enhance investigative opportunities or to assist in safeguarding.

22

By 27 September 2025, using the information collated by the NPCC lead under recommendation 21 to consider whether and how dedicated stalking officers and staff, or other subject matter experts, can be used to add value and support the force response to stalking.

Nottinghamshire Police benefits from a dedicated Stalking Safeguarding Officer.

Within our Prevention Hub we have a Safeguarding and Reducing Reoffending Unit to support with the application for SPO's. This unit coordinate Operation Saltash, the monitoring of compliance with SPO conditions.

We will review the College of Policing Practice Bank and consider other subject matter experts that can be used.

23

By 27 March 2025, implement a mechanism for early screening of crimes to improve the identification, recording and management of all stalking cases.

Our Head of Crime and Force Crime Registrar will consider options to improve the early screening of crimes.

25

By 27 March 2025, explore opportunities to improve how the force works with partners to contribute to a multi-agency response to stalking.

We hold a multi-agency stalking clinic to identify risk, quality assure police investigations, manage offenders, and ensure safeguarding plans are implemented.

We have victim advocates collocated and working with our public protection teams.

Our MAPPA arrangements are led within our Public Protection Unit.