Minutes

Minutes of the meeting of the Communities, Equalities and People Committee of the Metropolitan Police Authority held on 3 March 2011 at 10 Dean Farrar Street,, London SW1H 0NY.

Present

Members

• Cindy Butts (Chair)
• Reshard Auladin
• Faith Boardman
• Valerie Brasse
• Clive Lawton

MPA officers

• Jane Harwood (Deputy Chief Executive)
• Bennett Obong (Hate Crime and Stop and Search Policy Officer)
• Michael Taylor (Committee Officer)

MPS officers

• Shaun Kennedy (Organisation Development)
• Bill Tillbrook (Specialist Firearm Command)
• Robert Atkin (Specialist Firearm Command)
• Andy Harding (Territorial Support Group)
• Gabrielle Nelson (Recruitment)
• Majella Myers (Recruitment and Workforce Planning)
• George Clarke (HR Strategic Centre)

49. Apologies for absence

(Agenda item 1)

49.1 Apologies were received from Victoria Borwick (MPA Member), Kirsten Hearn (MPA Member), Fay Scott (MPA Officer) and Natasha Plummer (MPA Officer)

50. Declarations of interests

(Agenda item 2)

50.1 Faith Boardman declared an interest in item 5; as she is an independent recruitment assessor.

51. Minutes: Communities, Equalities and People Committee – 2 February 2011

(Agenda item 3)

51.1 The minutes were agreed as a correct record

52. Oral update from Head of Equalities and Engagement

(Agenda item 4)

52.1 This update was deferred until the next meeting.

53. MPS Promotion Processes – 2009 and 2010

(Agenda item 5)

53.1 Gabrielle Nelson introduced the report; highlighting the success of the promoting difference team in supporting underrepresented groups; including female and Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) candidates. Members enquired whether line managers have the ability to veto candidates who apply for promotion. The MPS confirmed that that line managers do not possess a power of veto, and that all applications for positions are assessed, often by a central panel. Members enquired whether the MPS has conducted an analysis establishing the correlation between management support for candidates, and their success in interviews. Although the MPS has not yet conducted a full analysis, there are plans to dip sample candidate success against line manager support.

53.2 Members enquired on how the MPS has developed networking opportunities for female staff, in order to provide support through the promotion process. The MPS has developed networking links to support female and BME members of staff, and has also developed a mentoring scheme, where junior ranks have the opportunity to network with more senior ranks.

53.3 Members enquired on the decision to use of a strategic interview process, rather than an assessment centre, for Chief Superintendent ranks. The decision was made in order to address concerns arising from feedback from both assessors and candidates over the calibre of the successful candidates. Feedback on the interview process is more positive; with the MPS continuously assessing the promotion process and developing new assessment exercises on an annual basis. Successful candidates are evaluated by Performance Development Reviews throughout their careers, which is linked to Met Forward.

53.4 Members requested that the MPS conduct an analysis of the success of ‘unconventional’ candidates; who are able to bring a valuable fresh perspective to the role, although they may not previously have been considered, due to their ‘unconventional’ nature. Members noted that with the current financial situation leading to fewer opportunities for promotion, the continued success of the promotion process has become even more critical.

Action: MPS to consider ways of analysing the success of ‘unconventional’ candidates in the promotion processes, and report back to the MPA.

54. Utilising the expertise of MPS faith and staff associations to improve community engagement

(Agenda item 6)

54.1 Shaun Kennedy introduced the report; which outlines the varying contributions that Faith and Staff Support Associations (SSAs) make to improving community engagement and internal MPS developments, such as recruitment. The MPS has an allocated budget to support SSAs by funding support posts; each SSA is required to present a business case for funding, and the MPS conducts annual reviews of SSA spending. A review of the future of MPS community engagement shall examine how the roles of SSAs can be incorporated.

54.2 Members enquired whether funding was allocated proportionately to the size of the membership of the SSAs. Funding of £500 was previously allocated to the smaller SSAs, with additional funding provided to the larger ones; although the MPS is currently conducting a review of SSAs, which shall examine funding. It is also recognised that some SSAs are more pro-active in community engagement than others, and that the community links of SSAs do present added benefit to the MPS.

54.3 One of the outcomes of the Race and Faith Inquiry was for the MPS to formalise the governance of SSAs. Members acknowledged the benefits that SSAs provide to the MPS, and noted that the review presents an opportune time to formalise the ownership, funding and mandates of the SSAs. This will ensure that the SSAs achieve value for money for both their members and the MPS.

Action: MPA to liaise with MPS to receive progress reports on the MPS governance of Staff Support Associations.

55. Proposals for the MPA Hate Crime Forum

(Agenda item 7)

55.1 Bennett Obong introduced the report; which considers how the MPA Hate Crime Forum could develop under the Mayor’s Office of Policing and Crime. From 2009 the MPA Hate Crime Forum has examined hate crime and diversity issues, leading to improvements in MPS standard operating procedures, and an increased campaign to report hate crime.

55.2 Members noted that the development presents an opportunity to establish the principles and emerging issues of hate crime. Previously the Forum has conducted an analysis on individual boroughs; allowing good practice to be identified and implemented. With the establishment of new multi-agency pan-London boards, such as the London Crime Reduction Board and the London Anti-Violence Partnership, there is the option for hate crime to link into a wider strategic overview across London.

56. Update on the use of firearms and taser

(Agenda item 8)

56.1 Bill Tillbrook introduced the report; which outlined the reduction in deployment of tasers in both the Specialist Firearms Unit (CO19) and the Territorial Support Group (CO20), over the last three years. The MPS have conducted an analysis to examine the causes of this reduction; contributing factors include the awareness raising and high visibility of tasers. Officers also receive training on judging the effective deployment of tasers; which is overseen by Amnesty International. In light of the reduction in the deployment of tasers, members enquired on the MPS stance on the Police Federation discussion on the potential for wider use of tasers by all officers. The MPS considers that current taser operations are sufficient, and that no expanded use is necessary.

56.2 Members enquired on the public perception of tasers. Public reaction to the use of tasers has been generally positive; with the public recognising that tasers are deployed in response to specific threats. As well as an internal governance structure, the MPS also has a policy of external engagement and accountability with the public; with presentations and information regularly being provided to the public. The MPS has also established the Armed Police Reference Group, to serve as an Independent Advisory Group, which examines the use of tasers.

56.3 Members enquired on the disproportionality of taser deployments between white and BME members of the public. The MPS acknowledged the disproportionality, and the fact that tasers are often deployed in high crime areas, where there are high levels of BME communities. Tasers are deployed based on the intelligence received; it was acknowledged that disproportionality may result from prejudicial reporting by members of the public, who may consider certain communities to be more threatening than others. Members requested that the MPS conduct an analysis of disproportionality issues, as this could potentially be damaging to community relations, and noted that information should be relayed to the public in order to address their concerns.

Action: MPA and MPS to discuss how disproportionality issues can be analysed and reported back to the MPA.

56.4 Members enquired on the monitoring of taser deployment against members of the public with disabilities, including Emotionally and Mentally Distressed (EMD) persons, and the potential overlap with ethnicity monitoring. The MPS consults with mental health organisations to develop tainting scenarios in order to prepare its officers for responding to EMD members of the public. The Disability Independent Advisory Group was also previously consulted when developing MPS training.

Action: MPA and MPS to discuss how statistics for monitoring taser use against members of the public with disabilities can be reported back to the MPA.

The meeting was closed at 3.55 pm

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback