RAPE investigations are being delayed because officers are being sent to staff football matches and festivals, a police inspectorate report found today. 

The watchdog looked at progress across nine forces under Operation Soteria – launched in 2021 as part of an effort to reform how police investigate sexual offences.

It found that in half of the forces inspected, officers were “routinely diverted” away from rape and serious sexual offences (Rasso) to cover recreational events – and that investigators then ended up cancelling appointments with victims, or delaying arrests.

It added that in nearly every force, half of Rasso team officers weren’t fully qualified and were still training. 

It also found that many victims were waiting as long as four years for their cases to be heard.

Inspector of Constabulary Michelle Skeer acknowledged “early signs of positive progress” under the programme, citing training as helping investigators better understand victims. 

However, she emphasised a need for improvements, noting some leaders “didn’t fully understand” the programme, while resource gaps remain a challenge.

She gave 14 recommendations to chief constables and bodies, including ensuring forces have the right resources to identify and disrupt Rasso suspects and changing funding arrangements to make sure there is enough support for victims.

End Violence Against Women Coalition executive director Andrea Simon said the report underlined how the programme “has started to make a real difference to the way some police forces are handling rape cases,” but the response has got to be “turbocharged” to see the scale of transformation needed across the country. 

She said the inspectorate “reinforced just how vital funding for specialist front-line women’s support services is, so that they can be there for victims during the justice process and beyond.” 

Ms Simon added: “Inexperienced and non-specialist officers should not be routinely investigating rape.

“We expect rapid improvements in the early identification of sexual offenders and proactive work to target repeat offenders to prevent further abuse. 

“We also need to see the prioritisation of specialism in rape investigation, and greater consistency in the roll out of Soteria training for staff, to tackle rape myths, understand trauma, and help investigators reflect on their beliefs, behaviours and use of language.”