A new report has found that about one in 10 crimes reported to Cambridgeshire police were not being recorded by the force.

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) carried out an inspection earlier this year and, in a report published this week, noted that officers were accurately recording about 88 per cent of all crime reported, meaning about 12 per cent of reports were not being recorded.

The HMIC report said that the constabulary had made progress since its last inspection, in 2014, but said that it “still has more to do” and rated the force as requiring improvement in its crime data recording.

Zoe Billingham, from HMIC, said: “Cambridgeshire Constabulary has made a concerted effort to improve the accuracy of its crime recording since HMIC’s inspection in 2014. It has introduced a new crime-recording process and victim hub which improves the service to victims across the county and it has implemented all our previous recommendations.

“The force is on a journey and it still has some more to do. At the time of our inspection it was accurately recording about 88 per cent of all crime reported to it – which means that more than 1 in 10 crimes were not making it onto the books.

“The force recognises the importance of continuing to improve. Given the focus and commitment displayed by the force leadership, police officers and staff, I am confident that further improvements will follow.”

According to Cambridgeshire police, it records more than 58,000 crimes every year and has made big improvements since it was last inspected.

Assistant Chief Constable Dan Vajzovic said: “We have made significant progress against all of the recommendations made in the 2014 report, including introducing new crime-recording processes and establishing the victim and witness hub, which provides support services to all victims of crime - but particularly those who are most vulnerable in our community.

“That said, we recognise there is still more work to do, and we have already put in place systems to ensure crime is reported at the first point of contact, either through an officer at the scene, the force control room or the police service centre.

“We continue to look at the most appropriate timing and method of contact we have with victims, depending on both the type of crime they have suffered and their vulnerability.”