Metropolitan Special Constabulary

Report: 10
Date: 27 March 2003
By: Commissioner

Summary

This report outlines work progressed on the Metropolitan Special Constabulary (MSC).

A. Recommendations

That this report be noted.

B. Supporting information

Introduction

1. The Metropolitan Special Constabulary currently consists of some 681 men and women, between the ages of 18½ and 65, who each on average perform 220 hours of police activity each year. There are 183 female officers comprising some 27% of the officers. 106 special constables come from visible ethnic minority communities (16% of workforce).

2. In the previous report submitted to the MPA in April 2001 the actual number of officers in the MSC was 774, consisting of 213 female officers (27%) and 134 special constables coming from minority ethnic communities (17%).

Training

3. Officers from the MSC attend 18 days recruit foundation training delivered at the recruit training school at Hendon either on a Sunday or two week-day evenings. The training delivered is a national training package, devised by Centrex (formerly National Police Training), with slight modifications tailored for the MPS. After completing their initial training further training is provided at their local borough and units, which continues throughout their career.

Structure of Metropolitan Special Constabulary

4. The Metropolitan Special Constabulary is part of Territorial Policing with corporate “ownership” held by the Assistant Commissioner (Territorial Policing).

The Chief Officer of the MSC leads policy development on recruitment, retention and best practice. They advise on welfare, discipline and regulation matters and are supported by a senior management team comprising of:

• Deputy Chief Officer: Welfare and Retention
• Assistant Chief Officer: Human Resources
• Assistant Chief Officer: Operations
• Assistant Chief Officer: Performance Review and Inspection

5. A Borough Divisional Officer (BDO) is the lead supervising special constable at each of the operational units to which special constables are attached.

6. Borough Divisional Officers are assisted by Sub-Divisional Officers, special constables who take the role as first-line supervisors. They are responsible for initial performance and development appraisal of the constables and typically undertake operational duties, tutoring and mentoring the voluntary officers.

7. The number of special constables attached to each Borough Command Unit varies and a table is attached at Appendix 1 showing the current numbers.

Role

8. The primary role of the Metropolitan Special Constabulary is to support local policing plans by working in trained structured groups, supporting the MPS priorities, targeting local crime reduction and also working on individual projects. They are a local borough resource and can be deployed within the local tasking group meeting, supporting the National Intelligence Model. Each borough should have in place a Service Performance Agreement between the local special constables and the Borough Commander which identifies the specific areas that volunteers will engage with, contribute, the resources required and the training that is needed. It also identifies the criteria for measuring success.

MSC Response Unit

9. A MSC response unit has recently been established, consisting of approximately 30 officers drawn from local borough units on each occasion, who are deployed across the MPS on Safer Streets initiatives. They are deployed and accessed through established central tasking protocols. These officers are attached to borough command units and perform local duties in addition to the requirements of the response unit. They have received critical management and other training to enable them to perform their role on the response unit. A protocol is currently being reviewed which will allow Senior Investigating Officers to call upon their services following a major incident, for example carrying out house to house enquiries following a murder. Specials have already participated in such activity successfully and it is felt that there are further opportunities for development in this area.

Forensic accountants

10. A new scheme to create a squad of expert forensic accountants as special constables was launched last month. They will draw on the skills of qualified professional accountants to combat major financial crime. They will be involved in the investigation of major crimes such as confidential government computer crime, fraud and money laundering and will participate in the interviews of suspects and undertake search warrants, working alongside detectives. There has been considerable interest in the scheme and it is hoped to recruit six special constables to gauge how the scheme will work.

Recruitment

11. The Home Office has recently launched a national recruitment initiative for special constables, which has been supported by the MPS. As part of the National Specials Weekend, the MPS organised an Intromet event at Westminster City Hall. Intromet events are designed to allow a potential recruit to complete an application form and be interviewed on the same day, thereby reducing the recruitment process. The event attracted 125 visitors, 54 potential recruits were successfully interviewed of which 50% were from visible ethnic communities and 40% were female candidates. The recently formed Fraud Unit attracted 17 applicants, of which 6 will be interviewed with a view to joining the unit.

Fast tracking applications for selection as a police constable

12. The MPS has been keen to develop a process, which would enable members of both the special constabulary and police community support officers to have their applications to become a police officer ‘fast tracked’. Although the proposed system varies slightly an outline of the fast track process is attached at Appendix 2.

Best value review

13. The Managing Demand Best Value Review has incorporated the MSC as one of the activities examined. The review is due to be published later this month but there is a recommendation to increase the membership of the MSC to 1000 officers by offering the inducement of free rail travel and to improve their availability at the time of greatest demand by the introduction of service level agreements.

Review of the MSC

14. A review of the MSC is about to be conducted informed by the Commissioner’s aim of developing ward based policing teams and the contribution that volunteers could make to this. The review will also take account of the comments and recommendations likely to be made in the Best Value review, along with the needs for building upon the success of the brigading of officers undertaken as part of the Safer Streets initiative. At present there are well over one and a half thousand people in our communities who commit time and energy to delivering policing services, contributing to community safety.

15. In the move to adopt ward-based teams, co-ordinated by a ward manager who would be a full-time police officer, the MSC can have a significant role to play. It is anticipated that a ward team would be comprised of regular police staff, police community support officers, special constables and other non-uniform volunteers. Other resources will include local authorities, other voluntary and statutory organisations, residents and other members of the extended police family.

16. At present the number of special constables attached to a borough command unit varies significantly. The review will examine these variations and incorporate the best practice guide, which is currently being developed by the Home Office along with proposals to ensure that practical training, induction and deployment of volunteers can take place. The possibility of brigading special constables to deliver resources to ward based teams will also be evaluated.

Payment for MSC officers

17. The Government’s white paper on police reform, “Policing a New Century”, outlined the proposal for paying an allowance to special constables. Under the Special Constables (Amendment) Regulations 2002 Police Authorities may, following a recommendation by the Chief Officer, make proposals to pay an allowance to special constables appointed for their area (or part of their area). The Police Authority, with the Force, will be able to suggest the size of the allowance and the terms and conditions attached to it, but proposals must have the approval of the Secretary of State before they can be implemented. The review of the special constabulary will examine both the case and the financial implications of paying officers.

18. At present special constables do not receive free travel on public transport, despite the fact that they are required to exercise the powers of a constable on or off duty in the same way as regular officers. It is proposed to examine the case to allow special constables to receive this concession within the terms of the review.

Conclusion

19. The Metropolitan Police MSC Millennium Project recommended an increase to 1287 special constables by 2005. The actual strength of the MSC has actually reduced from the 790 officers at the time the target was set. At a time when Londoners have many competing demands on their time and “volunteering”, the attractiveness of becoming a special constable must be addressed – in terms of activities undertaken, training and development received and wider terms and conditions offered.

C. Equality and diversity implications

The MPS have conducted all recruitment, selection and training processes for members of the special constabulary in accordance with established practices that fully take into account equality and diversity issues.

D. Financial implications

The financial implications concerning the MSC will be subject to a later report to be submitted to the MPA.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Ch. Supt. Mark Gore

For more information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

Appendix 1: MSC report

Appendix 2: MSC – Fast tracking of applications for Police Constable

HR Selection is able to fast track applications from current serving members of the Metropolitan Police Constabulary (MSC) and the following is the proposed model for making this happen.

All serving members of the MSC invited to apply for a regular constable position. The initial letter will inform them of the availability of the fast track process and ask them to provide expressions of interest. (Please note, there will be no requirement to complete an application form at this stage.)

Late April/early May applicants will attend a Day 1 selection event and sit the Police Initial Recruitment Test (PIRT) and undergo the Physical Fitness Test (PFT). There will be two or three available dates – all weekend events. Successful candidates will then be required to complete an application form and provide their GP’s medical assessment. There will be a requirement from the candidates’ MSC line management to provide an assessment of their suitability to perform the duties of a constable.

Successful candidates will then be invited within four weeks to a Day 2 selection event comprising of interview and medical assessment. Depending upon the number of candidates, this Day 2 selection event will be held more than once i.e. on consecutive weekends to accommodate potential numbers who will be eligible to attend.

Following completion of the Day 1 & 2 selection events candidates will then be offered a Training School date and the date allocated will depend upon the availability of training places.

Providing there are no delays generated by the candidate (e.g., medical query), the whole process from their attendance at Day 1 (PIRT/fitness) to an offer of employment will take five weeks.

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