GLOUCESTERSHIRE Police is joining an initiative aimed at driving up the number of convictions for rape.

The force has begun working with academics who are specialists in their field to improve how officers respond and investigate sexual offences.

It’s part of the national Operation Soteria Bluestone initiative – a revised approach to investigating rape and serious sexual offences.

Gloucestershire is one of the new pilot forces to join the latest phase of the initiative, which begins this month, making a total of 19 nationally.

All forces in England and Wales will adopt the best practice that is developed from 2023, with an intention to provide a better policing services to victims.

Operation Soteria Bluestone was first launched as a response to the Government’s End-to-End Rape Review, and the Home Office pledge to increase the number of rape cases successfully prosecuted.

The initiative aims to boost conviction rates and focus on dealing with the perpetrator.

Detective Superintendent Rich Pegler said: “Operation Soteria is an opportunity for us to learn and ensure we are doing absolutely everything we can to identify and convict sexual predators.”