Update on detective capacity and capability

Report: 7
Date: 2 February 2011
By: Director of Human Resources on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

This report provides an update on MPS detective capability and capacity specifically in relation to the detective rotation programme. It explains the work undertaken to identify the detective requirement and outlines the positive progress of female and BME officers within the detective career group.

A. Recommendation

That members note the report.

B. Supporting information

Background

1. The MPS has enjoyed significant growth in police officer numbers over the past 10 years, from 26,001 in March 2000 to a high of 33,305 by March 2010. During the same period the detective pool grew from 3941 (15.16% of total strength) to its current level of 7828 (24.04% of total strength). In recognition of this resource, the MPS has created the Detective Career Management Programme Board, under the chair of the Assistant Commissioner Specialist Crime, to oversee all matters relating to detectives and critical amongst the current strands of work is the detective rotation programme.

2. The aim of the detective rotation programme is to ensure a more effective distribution of detective skill and experience across the organisation by both encouraging and directing the movement of detectives between the specialist business groups and Territorial Policing. This is being achieved through the rotation framework which allows for detectives to spend a maximum period of 8 years away from TP. The guiding principles which support the programme have been debated at length and with the full support of both the Police Federation and Superintendent’s Association, have been agreed by Management Board.

• TP will remain the primary business group for training and developing new detectives as it offers the best environment to satisfy the demands and competencies of PIP Level II, however where practical suitable roles within the specialist business groups will be identified as well
•  Detectives, at constable and sergeant level, who have spent 8 years away from TP can expect a borough based posting
•  Detectives within TP will not be eligible for transfer to specialist units within 3 years of selection as a trainee detective constable
•  Detectives can expect a posting to TP following selection for promotion.

3. There are a number of key drivers and benefits which underpin and support the programme, and facilitating the movement of highly experienced investigators from both Specialist Crime and Specialist Operations will not only bring their knowledge of crime investigation and crime management but also an ability to act as mentors and supervisors to the more junior officers across TP who are undertaking detective training.

Detective rotation

4. A significant piece of work was commissioned to identify those detectives who have served away from TP for 8 years or more and all details have been recorded on a centrally held database. In January 2010, the database identified 504 officers who fall within that category and following an early assessment of the business and operational impact, an initial target was agreed. In considering the effect on operational policing, the Programme Board made the decision to exclude three OCUs from the first tranches: SCD2 Sapphire, SCD5 Child Abuse Command and SCD20 Crime Academy.

5. The Board directed that a minimum of 100 detectives at constable and sergeant level would move from the specialist business groups to TP during the first year. The first tranche in June saw the transfer of 32 experienced detectives to Borough and the second delivered a further 64. Additionally 28 detectives have volunteered to transfer back on level transfer as well as a total of 73 returning on promotion. Thus TP will enjoy the benefit from the addition of 197 experienced investigators.

6. There is a growing acceptance of the principles of rotation as the number of appeals has diminished significantly and more officers are taking a proactive approach and volunteering to transfer to TP boroughs ahead of their compulsory date. The support of the Police Federation has been instrumental in this positive shift in attitude, both local and branch board reps have been vocal in their support and have actively worked with managers and officers to explain the purpose and benefits of the programme from all different perspectives. The Implementation Team in conjunction with the Directorate of Public Affairs (DPA) developed a robust communication strategy which involved close liaison with TP to ensure that all individuals involved in the process: officers, line managers, losing and receiving OCUs as well as Command Teams, were fully briefed. The positive feedback from officers who have returned to Borough based policing has greatly assisted and alleviated some of the fears and concerns. Additionally, a thorough review after each tranche of movement has allowed the Implementation Team to develop the organisational learning and make suitable amends to the process to the benefit of both individuals and OCUs.

7. The rotation programme to date has focussed on the shift of detectives to TP in order to enhance skill and experience levels, but has yet to fully address the issue of filling the resultant gaps in the specialist units with suitably skilled officers. The most recent trainee detective (TDC) process delivered a total of 629 officers into the development programme posted across the Business Groups as follows:

Territorial Policing 406

Central Operations 10

Specialist Operations 1

Specialist Crime 70

DPS 3

TPHQ 15

A further 124 officers remain on a centrally managed Select List awaiting suitable vacancies.

8. Increasing supply through the TDC process will fill vacancies however it remains necessary to actively manage the movement between the Business Groups to satisfy the demand for experienced detectives. There has been considerable debate about the difficulties in attracting suitable skilled detectives into specialist roles and the complexity of the standard MPS selection process has been identified as a barrier to success. To overcome this, a simplified and more streamlined process has been developed and trialled within SCD1 which involves inviting officers to submit expressions of interest together with their most recent PDR. Candidate suitability and potential is then tested through interview. The initial review has shown that significantly more candidates apply and following the first round of interviews all vacancies at DC and DS were filled.

9. The plan is now to extend the trial to cover other specialist OCUs and in conjunction with the Promoting Difference team and Disability Staff Association to consider positive action initiatives to encourage interest in and applications for specialist detective roles.

10. Looking forward to 2011, as the rotation process continues to evolve, the Detective Career Management Programme Board have pushed responsibility for managing the return of officers to the specialist OCU Commanders. They will be advised of their respective allocation for the calendar year, but will be allowed discretion to manage the flow of return. This will ensure that there is limited impact upon operational capability within the specialisms, allowing managers to balance the loss of experienced officers against internal selection activity to minimise disruption and costs. The rate of movement against targets will be monitored closely and reported upon at the monthly Programme Board.

BME and Female Representation

11. A recent review of the workforce data has shown a positive change in the BME and female representation amongst detectives during the last five years. The table below provides a snapshot of the number (full time equivalent) of detectives in March 2005 and March 2010 by BME / gender groups highlighting the change in representation levels amongst detectives:

Table 1: change in MPS detective strength

Source: Strategic Centre Workforce Planning

12. This shows that in just five years, there have been significant changes in both BME and female representation levels. The table reveals that the number of BME detectives has increased from 371 to 670 officers (an increase of 80.6%) raising the representation level amongst detectives from 5.8% to 8.9%. Equally the number of female detectives has increased substantially from 1158 to 1863 (increase of 60.8%) raising the representation level amongst detectives from 18% to 24.6%.

13. The BME / gender breakdowns highlight the significant increase in the number of both BME female (102%, n = 92) and white female (57.4% n = 611) detectives, with BME female officers accounting for 2.4% (n = 181) and white female officers 22.1% (n = 1676) of detectives at the end of March 2010. Notably whilst the number of BME male detectives had increased (73.8% n = 208) the number of white male officers had increased only marginally (4.5% n = 227) with the BME male officers accounting for 6.5% (n = 489) of detectives at the end of March 2010.

14. Changes within the BME / female representation within the key detective ranks are summarised below:

•  Detective Constable – BME representation has increased from 7% (n = 284) to10.9% (n = 517), female representation has increased from 21.6% (n = 880) to 29.4% (n = 1393) between March 2005 and March 2010.
•  Detective Sergeant – BME representation has increased from 3.6% (n = 55) to 5.7% (n = 106) female representation has increased from 12.5% (n = 189) to 17.5% (n = 328). At the end of October 2010 there had been a slight increase in both BME and female representation amongst Detective Sergeants with 108 (5.8%) BM and 333 (17.8%) female officers at this rank compared with March 2010.
•  Detective Inspector and above – BME representation has increased from 3.9% (n = 33) to 4.9% (n = 47), female representation has increased 10.6% (n = 89) to 14.7% (n = 142). At the end of October 2010, there had been a increase in both BME and female officers within the Detective Inspector and above ranks, with BME and female officers accounting for 5.4% (n = 53) BME and 15.3 % (n = 152) female officers within this category by comparison to March 2010.
•  Diversity of the TDC Pool - the most recent TDC selection process delivered a total 629 newly selected detectives, with 42% (n = 264) female and 15% (n = 97) BME.

15. The case for diversity is about enabling operational capability ensuring the workforce has the knowledge and skill to police London’s communities. In support of this ethos, the Promoting Difference Programme has seen significant success in the career progression of both BME and female officers utilising the study group model. As the MPS enters a period of financial uncertainly where opportunities for promotion are likely to be more limited, the focus will be re-directed towards lateral progression. This presents a challenge to the organisation to target resources in support of both BME and female officers who may wish to consider a specialist detective career by marketing the wide range of career opportunities and breaking down the perceived barriers through open days, attachments, mentoring and less bureaucratic selection procedures.

The Detective requirement

16. The MPS is currently undertaking a fundamental review of the policing model with a view to determining not just the optimum number of and balance between police officers, PCSOs and police staff, but also to establish the requirements for various skills including detectives. This work will inform the structure of the organisation up to and beyond the Olympic period.

17. The TP CID Resilience Project which has now been absorbed into the wider remit of the TP Development Programme, undertook some initial work to establish overall workloads across the 32 boroughs. This involved a comparative assessment of workload (priority crime offences, serious violence, assault with injury, rape, robbery, screened in burglary, harassment, supply class ‘A’ drugs, domestic violence, racist and homophobic crime) per CID officer across TP. In order to compare outcomes against workload, the Project Team conducted further analysis to assess sanction detections. This involved measuring workload (priority offences) for all constables and sergeants working within BOCU investigation teams between September 2008 and August 2009. The research showed a wide variance in outcome (sanction detection) against workload. However, it must be noted that sanction detection performance will be skewed significantly by TICs (taken into consideration) offences. So whilst there is no direct correlation between workload and sanction detection rates, the most efficient and productive BOCUS will be those with workloads and sanction detection rates above the TP average combined with a ‘narrow gap’ between the two,

18. This has been valuable research but the uncertainty surrounding funding streams and the resultant budgetary pressures have created a need for the MPS to undertake a more fundamental review to present a balanced policing model. This workforce challenge has commenced and will remain ongoing during 2011, it will involve a thorough review of roles, functions and responsibilities to identify the skill, experience and leadership requirements across ranks and bands to deliver an effective and efficient policing service.

C. Other organisational and community implications

Equality and Diversity Impact

1. An Equality Impact Assessment was developed at the start of the detective rotation programme, as part of the planning and consultation stage. The aim being to provide a proper assessment of rotation as a change initiative on individuals within the detective career group and to ensure that any issues relating to equality and diversity are proactively and properly managed. This EIA remains a dynamic, living document and as such it is regularly revisited and amended as the programme develops and a clearer picture emerges in relation to staff implications.

2. Although clearly not intended, there was a possibility of adverse impact upon officers who are longer in service and therefore older in years. This was recognised during the first tranche of movement as the key criteria for selection was length of time away from TP, starting with those who have been away from borough based policing the longest. This meant that many of those affected were longer in service and some were very close to retirement. In order to mitigate any potential for adverse impact, the criteria were reviewed and additional guidance developed to allow OCU Commanders the discretion to exempt those officers towards the end of their service who have indicated an intention to retire.

3. The MPS Equality Policy supports legislation under The Equality Act 2010 and sets out individual responsibilities to ensure discrimination is eliminated from the working environment. In summary the MPS aims to ensure, that where we introduce change programmes and improvement plans, that the following principles remain at the heart of our strategies:

•  The right to be respected and the responsibility to treat others with respect
•  The right to be treated fairly and the responsibility to treat others fairly
•  The right not to be unlawfully or unjustifiably discriminated against and the responsibility not to unlawfully or unjustifiably discriminate against any other individual.
•  The right to equality of opportunity and the responsibility to support equality of opportunity to others
• The responsibility to promote equality and to protect those rights for others.

Consideration of MET Forward

4. The collective impact of all activity underway to develop and maintain detective capacity and capability within the MPS will support the key themes and contribute to the effective delivery of Met Forward by ensuring efficient use of the detective resource by creating an effective distribution of skill and experience across the MPS. Additionally the positive change in BME and female representation amongst detectives over the past five years will make this specialist career strand more representative of the communities of London.

Financial Implications

5. The detective resource is a fully funded element of the Deployment Plan, which is compiled as part of the Business Planning and budget setting process, and is therefore fully affordable within the budget. All officer staffing costs are monitored corporately to ensure recruitment and transfers within the Service are managed within the approved budget.

6. There are training implications in terms of selecting new detectives through the TDC process, all of which have been included within the costed training plans for the Crime Academy who have the capacity to train circa 600 detective constables per annum. Similarly there are cost implications in terms of the specialist training courses required by the specialist business groups and they equally have been contained within the Crime Academy costed budgets. This area is being closely monitored to ensure that rotation does not create an unrealistic requirement for specialist skills, and officers with highly expensive ‘niche’ skills may not necessary be considered for rotation if such a move not considered economically viable. Any costs resulting from these activities will however be contained within approved budgets held within business groups.

Legal Implications

7. It should be considered whether the Detective Rotation Programme contravenes any tenure agreements made with officers in specialist units, for example, on a case by case basis. A breach of any such agreement could give rise to complaint.

8. The programme should continue to periodically re-assess whether there is a disproportionate adverse impact on a particular group of people.

9. There are no other specific legal issues arising from this report

Environmental Implications

10. It is anticipated that there will be no environmental implications arising from this report.

Risk Implications

11. It is anticipated that there will be no significant risks or health and safety implications arising from this report.

D. Background papers

None

E. Contact details

Report authors: Gabrielle Nelson, A/Director of Recruitment and Workforce Planning, MPS

For information contact:

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

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback