NORTH Yorkshire Police has welcomed a report which has rated it as good for overall effectiveness.

The force has received the rating by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) in its annual PEEL report, following an inspection last year.

According to the report, the force is good at keeping people safe and reducing crime.

The good rating encompassed individual ratings of good for investigating crime and reducing re-offending, protecting vulnerable people and tackling serious and organised crime.

The report said: "The force has continued to progress in the areas identified for improvement last year, which includes how it tackles serious and organised crime."

It comes after an assessment on the accuracy of crime recording in North Yorkshire Police was published by HMICFRS last month, which found one in five crimes are not properly recorded by the force.

Commenting on the PEEL report’s findings, North Yorkshire Police’s deputy chief constable, Lisa Winward, said: "This is the now the third time that we have been rated at good for keeping people safe and reducing crime, and we are pleased to be hitting that standard consistently, because it means the public can have full confidence in the service we provide.

"It was encouraging to see some of the things that we have worked hard to put in place over the last couple of years acknowledged in the report. For example, the investment we’ve made into mobile phone analysis, which plays such a big role in many investigations, or the partnership work with local councils and others that is helping us to be more proactive in protecting the most vulnerable people.

"The report also mentions the positive action we are taking to support and safeguard victims of domestic abuse. We plan to push that even further, as we start to roll-out more body-worn cameras across our frontline, which will help us to gather evidence against offenders even when the victim is reluctant to press charges.

"Things never stand still in policing, so we will keep on reviewing what we do, and how we do it, in an effort to improve. However this report, which rates us as good across the board, shows that we are an effective force, and that we have a solid platform on which to build.”

Julia Mulligan, North Yorkshire’s elected police and crime commissioner, added: "The report is excellent news and can give people confidence that North Yorkshire Police is good at what it’s here to do - keeping people safe. It is also reassuring after the crime recording report a few weeks ago that highlighted a range of issues. Whilst those specific concerns are serious, this report clearly demonstrates that North Yorkshire Police is officially in ‘good’ shape."

Meanwhile, Humberside Police has received a requires improvement rating for overall effectiveness.