West Mercia and Dyfed-Powys police forces rated 'good' in inspection

The West Mercia force received praise for reducing crime and preventing offending, investigating offending and tackling anti-social behaviour.

But the Peel report, which looked into effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy in each individual force area, said West Mercia needed to be more proactive, staff needed more knowledge on specific policies and there had been limited progress on certain recommendations from 2012.

Dyfed-Powys was praised for how it investigated crime, dealt with the most prolific offenders through a joined-up approach with partners, and how it tackled offenders causing the greatest risk to the public.

Areas to improve included the force's approach to domestic abuse.

Dyfed-Powys was also the only force, for 12 months to March, in England and Wales, that achieved detections rates, including cautions and charges, for more than half of its recorded crimes.

Twenty-four forces across England and Wales were judged to be "good" by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, which introduced the Peel report to inspect the police and report findings to the public for the first time this year.

Detection rates across both countries ranged from 22 per cent to 51 per cent.

Police and Crime Commissioner Bill Longmore said: "Overall I'm very pleased with the Peel findings.

"For the force to maintain good ratings across the board during a period when we have been through so much change, and forging the alliance with Warwickshire, is a real testament to a lot of hard work, which I'm grateful for. The report highlights some really important successes like the fact that West Mercia still has a good public satisfaction rate."

How they rated:

West Mercia

Rating – good:

• Reducing crime and preventing offending

• Investigating offending

• Tackling anti-social behaviour

Rating – needs improvement:

• More proactive

• More knowledge on specific policies

• Limited progress on some suggestions

Ddyfed-Powys

Rating – good:

• Investigating crime

• Deals with the most prolific offenders through a joined-up approach with partners

• Tackles offenders causing the greatest risk to the public

Rating – needs improvement:

• Approaches to domestic abuse