Domestic Abuse Response Times

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Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request ref: 01/FOI/24/007443/T

Version Date: 21/03/2025

The Performance & Analysis Department and the Call Management & Communications Unit have provided the following information.

looking into domestic abuse response times and grading in different areas within police force territories. I would really appreciate it if you could outline responses to the following:

1) The grading system and definition used when categorising calls as 'DA' or 'DV' within your police force.

The following information is stated within our force policy for the grading of all incident reports and guidance to call handlers and dispatchers in regard to Domestic Abuse:

The definition of Domestic Abuse is:

Any Incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are or have been intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality. This can encompass but is not limited to psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional abuse.’

In order to determine the level of response, all Incident logs will be graded in accordance with the level of Threat, Harm, Risk, Investigation opportunities, Vulnerability, and Engagement (THRIVE) needs of the caller, ensuring the caller is at the heart of our decision making.
The National Decision Model (NDM) will be considered in the application of this policy. The aim of the NDM is to assist officers and staff in making operational decisions based upon organisational values and professional judgement.
The Grading and Deployment Policy is structured to give clear and concise guidance to enable DCP personnel to grade a call for service based on circumstance, risk, and threat. Ensuring vulnerability is identified, and the needs, availability and expectations of the customer are managed whilst supporting the National Standards of Incident Recording (NSIR) and the National and Force Contact Strategy.

Grading Table

‘GO NOW’ - EMERGENCY

VIRTUAL RESPONSE

Grade 1: Emergency Response – Immediate – Police Response within 20 minutes (Attendance within receipt of the call)

The immediate presence of a police officer will have a significant impact on the outcome of an incident. This is typically categorised as where there is, or is likely to be, a danger to life, a serious threat of violence, serious damage to property or serious injury. The response time to a call of this urgency is within 20 minutes.

N/A

NON-EMERGENCY - PRIORITY

VIRTUAL RESPONSE

Grade 2: Priority Response – Prompt – Police Response within 60 minutes (Attendance within receipt of the call)

Where there is a degree of importance or urgency associated with the initial police action, but an emergency response is not required.

ONLY based on new info/intel and RE-THRIVE that a downgrade is now appropriate then Rapid Video Response (RVR) and a Booked Video Response (BVR) could be considered

Grade 3: Priority Vulnerable Response – Police Response within 6 hours (Attendance within receipt of the call)

Where based on the vulnerability needs of the victim, they are unable to care for themselves or others, or there is a risk of escalation, risk to the investigation / loss of evidence / public confidence requiring an officer to attend within 6 hours. The incident is not suitable for a scheduled police response.

Applies only to Domestic Abuse

Rapid Video Response (RVR) should be considered as a viable option and offered to Domestic Abuse victims in accordance with the THRIVE assessment and principals for a pre-arranged police response

ONLY based on new info/intel and RE-THRIVE that a downgrade is now appropriate Booked Video Response (BVR) should be considered

‘GO LATER’ / NOT URGENT

VIRTUAL RESPONSE

Grade 4: Standard Response – Routine – Police Response within 48 hours (Attendance within receipt of the call)

Where police attendance is required, but an Emergency / Priority / Priority Vulnerable police response is not and is not suitable for a scheduled response. The response time to a call of this nature is within 48 hours.

Rapid Video Response (RVR) should be offered to Domestic Abuse victims in accordance with the THRIVE assessment and principals for pre-arranged police response

Suitable for BVR

Grade 5: Scheduled Response – Appointment – within 48 hours (unless victim unavailable)

A better quality of police action can be provided if it is dealt with by a pre-arranged police response and the response is not critical in apprehending offenders, evidence or witnesses will not be lost.

Rapid Video Response (RVR) should be offered to Domestic Abuse victims in accordance with the THRIVE assessment and principals for pre-arranged police response

Suitable for BVR

Grade 6: Resolution without deployment – Non-Attendance

Recording purposes only.

2) The grade given, response time, and local authority/area police were called to for each domestic abuse incident from 1/11/23 to 1/11/24.

Data Source

Force incident recording system - STORM

Data Processing:

Qliksense Incident Report

Created date 01/11/2023 to 01/11/2024

Domestic abuse: Yes

Response tab

Response	Cornwall & Isles of Scilly BCU	Plymouth BCU	South Devon BCU	North, East & West Devon	Motorway
Emergency	2,480	1,698	1,920	2,183	1
Priority	1,165	702	782	958	0
Vulnerable (urgent)	278	167	164	232	0
Vulnerable (non-urgent)	867	605	391	741	0
Routine	747	521	338	619	1
Appointment	1,917	897	1,421	1,757	0
Complaint	0	0	0	0	0
Non-Attendance	129	80	74	92	0

Emergency Response

BCU	LPA	Emergency Incidents	Attended	Attended 0 to 20 mins	Attended 20 to 25 mins	Attended 25 to 30 mins	Attended 30 to 35 mins	Attended 35 to 40 mins	Attended 40 to 50 mins	Attended 50 mins or more	Median Time
Cornwall & Isles of Scilly	Total	2,480	2,470	1,328	340	235	173	126	123	145	0:18:54
	West Cornwall LPA	1,191	1,185	698	181	100	67	44	44	51	0:17:49
	East Cornwall LPA	1,289	1,285	630	159	135	106	82	79	94	0:20:16
Plymouth	Total	1,698	1,693	1,230	188	95	53	30	41	56	0:14:32
Plymouth	Plymouth LPA	1,698	1,693	1,230	188	95	53	30	41	56	0:14:32
South Devon	Total	1,920	1,915	1,047	262	198	126	85	85	112	0:18:32
South Devon	South Devon LPA	1,920	1,915	1,047	262	198	126	85	85	112	0:18:32
North, East & West Devon	Total	2,183	2,178	1,130	296	228	172	96	137	119	0:19:31
	Exeter, East & Mid Devon LPA	1,469	1,467	759	216	164	119	60	75	74	0:19:40
	North & West Devon LPA	714	711	371	80	64	53	36	62	45	0:19:08
Motorway	Total	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0:17:39
Motorway	Motorway	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0:17:39

Priority Response

BCU	LPA	Priority Incidents	Attended	Attend 0 to 1 hour	Attend 1 to 2 hours	Attend 2 to 3 hours	Attend 3 to 4 hours	Attend 4 to 5 hours	Attend 5 hours or more	Median Time
Cornwall & Isles of Scilly	Total	1,165	1,141	694	277	81	33	14	42	0:46:35
	West Cornwall LPA	537	530	342	114	35	11	4	24	0:44:23
	East Cornwall LPA	628	611	352	163	46	22	10	18	0:48:52
Plymouth	Total	702	690	439	132	44	21	15	39	0:43:01
Plymouth	Plymouth LPA	702	690	439	132	44	21	15	39	0:43:01
South Devon	Total	782	764	460	169	44	24	15	52	0:49:06
South Devon	South Devon LPA	782	764	460	169	44	24	15	52	0:49:06
North, East & West Devon	Total	958	940	527	216	69	42	17	69	0:53:18
	Exeter, East & Mid Devon LPA	627	616	335	140	43	29	16	53	0:54:54
	North & West Devon LPA	331	324	192	76	26	13	1	16	0:49:04

P1 Vulnerable Response

BCU	LPA	P1 Vulnerable Incidents	Attended	Attend 0 to 6 hour	Attend 6 to 12 hour	Attend 12 to 18 hour	Attend 18 to 24 hour	Attend over 24 hours	Median Time
Cornwall & Isles of Scilly	Total	278	238	77	42	43	29	47	12:04:02
	West Cornwall LPA	121	107	36	17	18	19	17	12:47:39
	East Cornwall LPA	157	131	41	25	25	10	30	11:55:53
Plymouth	Total	167	142	61	17	10	19	35	10:24:10
Plymouth	Plymouth LPA	167	142	61	17	10	19	35	10:24:10
South Devon	Total	164	144	79	18	11	8	28	5:06:23
South Devon	South Devon LPA	164	144	79	18	11	8	28	5:06:23
North, East & West Devon	Total	232	208	84	35	21	23	45	9:37:34
	Exeter, East & Mid Devon LPA	131	120	53	22	13	9	23	8:12:20
	North & West Devon LPA	101	88	31	13	8	14	22	11:34:58

Routine Response

BCU	LPA	Routine Incidents	Appointment Incidents	Vulnerable (non-urgent) Incidents*	Routine/Appt Incident Types	Attended	Attended 0 to 24 hours %	Attended 24 to 48 hours %	Attended 48 hours or more %
Cornwall & Isles of Scilly	Totals	747	1,917	867	3,531	1,403	53.5%	10.6%	35.9%
	West Cornwall LPA	348	890	400	1,638	562	53.9%	9.8%	36.3%
	East Cornwall LPA	399	1,027	467	1,893	841	53.3%	11.2%	35.6%
Plymouth	Totals	521	897	605	2,023	719	49.8%	7.5%	42.7%
Plymouth	Plymouth LPA	521	897	605	2,023	719	49.8%	7.5%	42.7%
South Devon	Totals	338	1,421	391	2,150	604	59.8%	8.1%	32.1%
South Devon	South Devon LPA	338	1,421	391	2,150	604	59.8%	8.1%	32.1%
North, East & West Devon	Totals	619	1,757	741	3,117	937	57.5%	10.0%	32.4%
	Exeter, East & Mid Devon LPA	372	1,260	416	2,048	568	58.6%	10.4%	31.0%
	North & West Devon LPA	247	497	325	1,069	369	55.8%	9.5%	34.7%
Motorway	Totals	1	0	0	1	1	100.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Motorway	Motorway	1	0	0	1	1	100.0%	0.0%	0.0%

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Domestic Abuse Response Times