A police watchdog report blasting forces' responses to burglary, theft, and robbery identified Hertfordshire Constabulary as an example of best practice.
Chief Inspector of Constabulary Andy Cooke said the number of thieves being charged nationally is “unacceptable and unsustainable”.
The report, which finds only 6.6% of robberies and 4.2% of thefts result in charges, aims to show where forces need to make improvements in the way they tackle serious acquisitive crime, and reports on good practices identified.
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Hertfordshire Constabulary was praised for how it supports victims.
The report said: “In better-performing forces we found examples of police personnel going beyond the minimum standards to consider victims’ needs.
“In Hertfordshire Constabulary, investigators refer some vulnerable victims to an older person liaison officer.
“This officer visits elderly residential burglary victims who may have been targeted due to age and have experienced significant financial loss, or whose vulnerability puts them at risk of exploitation.
The report also picks out “innovative practice” among Hertfordshire’s police call takers.
“Hertfordshire Constabulary invested in intelligent software to seek dynamic caller feedback on multiple crime or incident types.
A Hertfordshire Constabulary spokesperson said: “The constabulary has invested both in interactive technology and dedicated resources to support victims which has enabled us to understand their personal challenges, and crucially make adjustments to our policing and investigative response to fit their needs more closely.
“This has not only improved victim confidence, but the provision of bespoke support and advice has reduced revictimisation of vulnerable people.”
The report’s conclusion said: "While this report sets out some good and innovative practice, we are concerned that too often there is a failure to get the basics of investigation and prevention right.”
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