Forces’ pass rates for the Inspectors NPPF Step Two Legal Examination chart have been published.

Cheshire, Gwent, Norfolk, Lancashire and Lincolnshire were the top five performing forces in the 2022 Inspector exams.

Officers from all 43 regional forces, as well as BTP, had taken the exam which had an average pass rate of 54 per cent.

The best performing force was Cheshire where 29 out of 35 entrants passed the exam – working out at a 82.9 per cent success rate.

Gwent were close behind with a success rate of 82.6 per cent – although low candidate numbers meant their numbers were redacted from the list to avoid identification.

In total there were 674 female candidates and 1,418  male candidates with females having a higher success rate of 57.4 per cent.

Meanwhile, there were 1,802 white candidates and 226 candidates from an ethnic minority group. 234 candidates did not disclose their ethnicity.

The Inspectors NPPF Step Two Legal Examination is not the only step to become an inspector – officers will still need to be assessed against rank specific competencies and matched to Inspector vacancies.

The exam consists of 150 multiple choice questions answered over a three hour period.

Cheshire Constabulary’s Deputy Chief Constable Chris Armitt said: “It is fantastic to see the force at the top of the charts and for our officers’ hard work and determination to be rewarded in this way.

“The fact that so many of our officers took and passed the exam is indicative of the high level of ambition and talent within the force.”