Victims still may be at 'significant risk' from police force failings, says report If the perpetrator is released, this potentially leaves a significant risk to victims that is not being managed. Police officers did not show a broad understanding of the response to domestic violence, and how to prevent homicides, said the report. "Many people interviewed during the inspection described the process of managing domestic abuse cases as a "production line" or "conveyor belt,"" it said. Very urgent cases may slip through the net because operators answering 999 calls treat every domestic violence case as a priority, said the inquiry, adding: "As a result, victims could be put at unnecessary risk." Zoë Billingham, an HM Inspector of Constabulary, said: "Domestic abuse is a very serious crime - as the tragic cases of Maria Stubbings, Christine Chambers, her two-year- old daughter Shania and Jeanette Goodwin demonstrate - and it's absolutely vital the police get the handling of these cases right for victims. Essex Police should be recognised for taking the positive step of asking for this issue to be reviewed, and the force has taken a number of important steps to address how domestic abuse cases are handled. However, there is still more work to do to ensure that victims get the best possible service from their force. Last month Miss Stubbings' family said they plan to sue Essex Police for its mistakes leading up to her murder by Marc Chivers at her home in Chelmsford in December 2008. He had been freed from a German prison less than a year earlier after serving 15 years for murdering his then girlfriend Sabine Rappold. In 2012, Essex apologised for a catalogue of failings which led to Miss Chambers and her daughter being shot dead by David Oakes, 50, in Braintree, after an inquiry by the independent Police Complaints Commission made a series of criticisms. Stephen Kavanagh, Chief Constable of Essex Police, said: "This report was requested in August 2012 because the force was keen to get an independent view of its progress in tackling this issue. It recognises the substantial steps that have been taken to make sure suspects are arrested at the earliest opportunity, that calls are dealt with quickly and that intelligence is developed to identify those at greatest risk. But I also recognise that it highlights several areas where we need to streamline our processes, improve communication, and provide a better service to victims.