POLICING in Bedfordshire needs to improve. That was the message in a Home Office report this week on police performance and assessments for 2005/6. Bedfordshire was ranked among the poorest performing constabularies in the country, gaining just two good m

POLICING in Bedfordshire needs to improve.

That was the message in a Home Office report this week on police performance and assessments for 2005/6.

Bedfordshire was ranked among the poorest performing constabularies in the country, gaining just two good marks, for providing assistance and use of resources, in the seven categories it was assessed on.

Only four categories reached fair - in reducing and investigating crime, citizen focus and local policing with the force being rated poor at promoting safety.

"Bedfordshire's actions for 2006/7 will focus on increasing community confidence," said the Home Office report.

Commenting on the report, Bedfordshire Police Authority chairman Peter Conniff said: "I am pleased to see that the improvements that were made between April 2005 and March 2006 have been acknowledged.

"I am aware of the need to improve performance in some areas, including promoting safety and work is already under way to redress this situation.