Cambridgeshire police has been told it ‘requires improvement’ after government inspectors slammed the force for ‘deteriorating in important areas’.

The report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) found that the service needed to ‘improve their approach to keeping people safe and reporting crime’.

It also noted that ‘crimes were not always investigated to a high standard’ and more work needed to be done on re-offending.

It comes as the force announced they are to recruit more than 50 new officers - bringing the number up above that of 2013.

The report stated: “Cambridgeshire Constabulary requires improvement in its approach to keeping people safe and reducing crime. Its performance has deteriorated in some important areas, which is reflected in its overall judgment for effectiveness.

“Cambridgeshire Constabulary needs to improve the way it reduces re-offending. HMICFRS found that even in cases where the identity of the suspect is known, the force is sometimes slow to locate or arrest them.

“Crimes are not always investigated to as high a standard as they should be and there is an inconsistency in the level and quality of supervision and direction to officers investigating crimes.

“The force was inspected following a period of exceptional demand in summer 2017, which has since returned to normal levels.”

However, HMRCFRS did praise the force for their ‘well-developed relationships’ with partner organisations and their mental health triage scheme.

Deputy Chief Constable Alan Baldwin defended its record amid budget cuts.

He said: “Our inspection came at a time of unprecedented demand for the police service, not only in Cambridgeshire, but across the country, and the findings by HMICFRS reflect this.

“While we continue to have peaks in demand, our levels have returned to normal, and we are putting measures in place to reduce the chances of this happening again.

“For example, we are currently implementing the Local Policing Review - a new policing model that will deliver a demand-led and victim-focused service to provide much needed support to the frontline, and our Police and Crime Commissioner has the support of the public in the county to increase council tax by £12 per year, which will be used to recruit 55 new warranted officers.

He continued: “While the timing of the HMICFRS inspection demonstrated the strain on the force during the period of exceptional demand, we are still proud of the good work we are doing, as highlighted in the report, and will use the areas of improvement identified by HMICFRS, to ensure we continue to improve our service for the people of Cambridgeshire.”

Visit www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk to read the full report.