His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) has published its full PEEL (Police Effectiveness, Efficiency, and Legitimacy) report on the performance of Surrey Police.

The inspection, which assess force performance in eight sections, took place in August 2025 and graded Surrey Police as follows:

Leadership and force management – REQUIRES IMPROVEMENT

Attracting, developing, and retaining the workforce and creating a diverse and inclusive workforce – REQUIRES IMPROVEMENT

Using powers fairly and appropriately – GOOD

Preventing and deterring crime and anti-social behaviour and reducing vulnerability – GOOD

Responding to the public – ADEQUATE

Investigating crime – REQUIRES IMPROVEMENT

Safeguarding children and adults at risk of harm – ADEQUATE

Managing fraud – REQUIRES IMPROVEMENT

Since HMICFRS last inspected Surrey Police, the charge-summons rate has more than doubled.

These charge rates are for the crimes of greatest concern to residents, such as burglary, vehicle crime, assaults, drug dealing, shoplifting, and harassment.

Since the 2023 inspection, the force has charged 2,345 more suspects with shoplifting.

Better outcome rates in offences of violence against women and girls are also noted, with the total charges for stalking and rape double those at the time of the previous inspection. From 10 May the introduction of a new team will also deliver better investigations and improve the quality of service provided to victims and survivors.

In 2023 the inspectorate applied a cause of concern to Surrey Police in relation to call handling and response times. Following an improvement programme, the force has moved up two gradings and the cause of concern has been lifted.

Non-emergency calls are now answered three minutes faster than a year ago. It now takes on average 12 seconds to answer a 101 call, and 999 calls are answered in two seconds rather than five.

The force’s time to deploy to emergency calls has exceeded the published target of 80 per cent for over a year compared to the 46 per cent reported in 2023, and Surrey Police now answers 93.6 per cent of calls for service in under ten seconds.

Chief Constable Tim De Meyer said: “I welcome the PEEL report and accept its findings.

“The period covered by this inspection reflects the first two years of our five-year strategy, which prioritises fighting crime, protecting people, and earning public trust.

“The PEEL report is a fair assessment of our progress made, and the improvements still required.

“The inspection found encouraging early progress under our five-year plan, reporting how we have maintained our good record in crime prevention, problem solving, and visible neighbourhood policing while addressing previous areas of weakness such as response times and charge rates.

“I am grateful to every officer, member of staff, and volunteer in Surrey Police for their hard work and resilience.”

His Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary Roy Wilsher said: “I am pleased with some aspects of Surrey Police’s performance and recognise that the chief officer team has improvement plans that are yet to be completed.

“There are still areas in which Surrey Police must do better, but I am optimistic the plans it has in place will help it make the improvements needed.”