Update on the modernisation of the estate: patrol bases

Report: 6
Date: 22 October 2009
By: Assistant Commissioner - Territorial Policing on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

This report provides an overview of the development of the Patrol Base Programme and its place within the overall MPA/MPS Estates Strategy. Four patrol bases have been opened to date. A further single Patrol base and a joint Custody Centre / Patrol base are under development. A wide range of benefits and efficiencies of a Patrol Base have been identified by BOCUs albeit that, to date, these have proved difficult to quantify. The Patrol Base programme provides significant opportunities for the delivery of more efficient policing services in the future. The programme will continue to increase in its effectiveness to understand local needs and deliver the benefits.

A. Recommendation

That

1. members note the report; and
2. maintain support for the Patrol base concept in line with the MPA/MPS Estate Strategy

B. Supporting information

Background

1. As described within the MPA/MPS Estate Strategy (2006), the policing of London Boroughs has in the past been delivered through the provision of multifunctional buildings. These buildings combined front counter services /public interface points, office accommodation, lockers, changing rooms, custody suites, storage and, in some cases, stables. As the expansion of police and PCSO numbers required the police estate to expand, accommodation had to be provided – but the cost of creating new multi-functional buildings was both prohibitively expensive and an ineffective way of delivering the services Londoners need. As a consequence, a new approach to the Territorial Policing estate was developed.

2. Research identified 5 key requirements that were essential to delivery of policing services within London Boroughs. These requirements were:

• Custody Centres – where individuals are detained – incorporating custody suites, storage for property and office accommodation, interview rooms, areas for forensic collection, bail signing, emerging criminal justice and Human Rights changes – options for video linkages etc.
• Patrol bases – where operational officers prepare for duty and are briefed – incorporating office accommodation, briefing rooms, locker facilities and changing areas, training facilities and car parking facilities
• Neighbourhood team bases & contact points – where Safer Neighbourhood teams, prepare for duty and hold surgeries for local neighbourhoods – providing small meeting areas and facilities for operational teams.
• Front counters – provision of front counter facilities that are convenient for public access and provide a range of services. Office Accommodation – for policing use to provide centralisation of support to the Borough Commander and management teams, certain operational teams (CID) and administrative functions.

3. Other than providing accommodation on the relevant borough (which was accessible to those commuting to and from the building), facilities for those on patrolling duties was not location dependent. Patrol teams prepare for duty at their base, are briefed and then go out and stay out on borough to patrol. As a result occupational costs for providing facilities for patrolling teams could be reduced by providing facilities in warehouse units. These bases were not intended to provide front counter facilities but were specifically designed to support the patrolling function.

4. An advantage of developing a standard model for patrol bases (in common with custody suites, Front Counters and Safer Neighbourhood bases) was that this would also ensure:

• Operational effectiveness would be met through maximising the use of space
• Operational running costs would be minimised and
• Building costs would be kept to a minimum,
• Environmental efficiency would be maximised through analysing the pilot sites introduced and enhancing designs where necessary

5. Patrol Bases were therefore designed to achieve the following key objectives:

• Implementation of the MPS policy on leadership and supervision through single site briefing/debriefing of 24-hour patrols
• Improved provision of coordinated 24-hour response for the borough
• Addressing increased accommodation needs following growth in the policing family
• Easing overcrowding of the current estate.

6. Having established Patrol Bases as a key part of the vision for the Territorial Policing estate, individual Boroughs were required to provide a business case to support any decision to construct a local patrol base. This system has now evolved and on identification of suitable site by Property Services, boroughs are required to complete an Operational Suitability Assessment (as agreed at the MPA Finance and Resources Committee Meeting July 2009). A flow chart showing the governance structure for new estate projects is attached at Appendix 1.

7. There are currently four Patrol Bases; Waltham Forest (opened in April 2005), Enfield (opened October 2006), and Havering (opened March 2009) along with a temporary Patrol Base at Haringey (opened September 2008). A Patrol Base for Greenwich (approved by the MPA Co-ordination and Planning meeting in April 2007) is nearing completion with occupation due in October 2009. Combined Custody and Patrol Bases are currently in the development stages for both Barking and Dagenham and Haringey (Wood Green).

Impact of Patrol Bases on other parts of the estate

8. The impact of Patrol Bases on other elements of the local estate is identified and managed using local BOCU Asset Management plans. These plans provide short, medium and long term strategies in respect of changes to the local policing estate and are subject to regular review by Territorial Policing and Property Services.

9. Following the MPA Asset Management Plan consultation programme in November 2007, an observation was that there was a need to improve understanding of the policing functions supported by patrol bases. A common perception is that patrol bases support a fire brigade style of policing in which officers remain at the base until receiving a call. This is very different to the reality in which the bases act as a briefing and start /end point for patrolling activity by officers. This issue will be addressed in any future communication strategy.

Benefits

10. As part of a structured approach to supplying the accommodation needs of a modern police service, the majority of benefits provided by patrol bases are linked to more efficient use of resources. Feedback from those Boroughs with Patrol Bases has been overwhelmingly supportive and has highlighted a much wider range of benefits than originally anticipated – albeit that many of these have proved difficult to quantify precisely. Benefits highlighted by BOCUs include:

• Improved standards of intelligence- led briefings and taskings due to the provision of a single parade location
• Improved debriefing of officers at the conclusion of a shift so supporting consistent and visible supervision and improved performance on Citizen Focus and Policing Pledge
• Improved fleet management allowing quicker access and availability of vehicles. The fleet is no longer scattered across the borough meaning officers are not being ferried to collect vehicles
• Improved intrusive supervision as managers and staff work from same location
• Fewer Sergeants required to perform inside duty so allowing them time to supervise officers on the street
• Improved access and management of assets such as ICEFLO camera, First Aid Kits, Batteries and Door Enforcers so officers not having to travel across various sites to gather equipment
• Secure parking for operational vehicles, and reduced numbers of community concerns generated by parking in residential areas
• Warehouse style units offering maximum flexibility of accommodation which can be adapted as necessary to suit the change in police requirements and demands of a borough
• A return to traditional parading enabling supervisors to inspect officers prior to leaving the base for patrol so supporting the 5 P’s
• Reduced complaints from residents about use of sirens
• Reduced costs of officer safety and other training due to the provision of appropriate space within the patrol base

11. Patrol bases have had strong support from officers and staff with virtually the only issue being the lack of full canteen facilities. Catering is currently provided by way of vending machines along with a kettle and microwave which are situated in a kitchenette area. Since the opening of the original bases the Project Board has worked with MPS Catering Services to provide an enhanced facility which will include fresh and healthy hot and cold drinks and food options within these vending machines.

12. Given the complexity of the operational policing environment, it has proved difficult to demonstrate conclusively that the presence of a Patrol Base has had a direct impact on performance. For example, the Borough of Enfield was the location of one of the first patrol bases and it has also seen significant improvements in several performance areas including reductions in average “I” and “S” calls times and increases in both visibility and confidence (see Appendix 2, attached). The location of this base, at a highly accessible point at the centre of the Borough, provides a strong rationale for the improved response performance. However, these improvements have taken place during a period of significant change in the MPS and it is difficult to attribute these improvements directly to the creation of the Patrol Base. Drawing upon BOCU feedback, what can be said with considerably more certainty is that the absence of the Patrol Base would have made it far more difficult to utilize BOCU resources to best effect and would have made current levels of performance considerably more difficult to achieve.

13. The comprehensive mapping of performance benefits is an area of development for the Programme and, to ensure that the MPS is able to map these benefits more precisely, TP and PSD are in the process of establishing an Operational Suitability Assessment Post Occupation Review. This document will assist in mapping the wide range of benefits in greater detail.

14. The patrol base concept has had considerable influence across the MPS and, as an interim, eight boroughs have chosen to move to single parade sites using existing accommodation. This option can only generate limited benefits due to age and design of the buildings.

Environmental implications

15. A number of environmental efficiencies can be realised through the move to Patrol Base accommodation, primarily through increased energy efficiency. In many cases existing police stations are not suitable for modern day policing needs and are resource inefficient, resulting in high energy costs, increased impacts on the environment and a negative effect on overall MPS environmental performance, which is under constant public scrutiny.

16. Patrol bases are built to the latest MPS environmental design standards which ensure early consideration at the design stage of on-site renewable energy generation, zoned heating and cooling, enhancing energy efficiency over and above Part L building regulations, adequate space planning for bin storage and recycling as well as implementation of water conservation initiatives.

17. The MPS are required to publicly report the energy performance of our buildings based on Display Energy Certificate (DEC) assessment. This benchmarks energy efficiency based on energy consumption and allocates an A – G rating, with A being the most efficient and G the least. A patrol base built to the latest MPS environmental standards has the opportunity to achieve a much higher DEC rating than a typical older property within our estate. For example a DEC-rated band F building will have to improve its energy efficiency by 73% to achieve a band B rating. Therefore energy-efficient patrol bases reinforce the MPS’s ongoing commitment to designing fit-for-purpose energy efficient buildings.

18. Other environmental efficiencies in patrol bases can realise financial savings, as fewer resources are required. For example in the case of the MPS corporate recycling scheme roll out, efficiencies can be made through reduced bin provision and the resultant rationalisation of cleaner resource, compared to an older property frequently characterised by individual office partition. Also external waste storage areas that are designed to meet modern policing needs will provide external waste contractors with better access. This in turn may result in cost-savings associated with contractors charging MPS for fewer collections.

19. Lastly, the siting of patrol bases can have a positive environmental and social impact upon local communities. The heavy operational traffic associated with existing operational bases is often relocated to less-residential, light-industrial / business park locations, delivering air quality, noise and road safety benefits to local residents and in some cases relieving previous operational constraints placed upon the building by its central situation. Additionally the development of patrol bases can present new social and economic regeneration opportunities for the recipient area, encouraging associated service industries to follow and boosting the local economy through localised staff spend.

Financial benefits

20. The main financial benefits are related to the estate. Property Services covered the financial implications in the MPA paper Patrol Base and Custody Centres Programme, Project Controls and Governance July 2009. An extract can be found at Appendix 3 which identifies potential examples in planned maintenance and potential savings of £635,000.

21. As a small but significant issue, BOCUs report cost-savings in the reduced cost of hiring venues for events such as officer safety training.

Organisational Learning

22. Since the construction of the original bases, TP has worked closely with BOCUs and Property Services to ensure that lessons learnt are taken forward and addressed to improve future builds. As a specific example of how the programme has evolved, the Operational Suitability Assessment process emerged from consideration as to how best to ensure that when a site has been identified it meets the operational needs of the users and the local community.

23. To ensure that MPS patrol bases are developed as effectively as possible, members of the project team have visited Patrol Bases in other forces such as Sussex, Norfolk and Greater Manchester. This has led to identification of further good practice along with awareness of issues that other forces have encountered in the development and construction of patrol base sites.

24. Patrol bases represent an innovation in policing functionality that is of not just national but international significance. UK forces ranging from Strathclyde to Merseyside, along with various international bodies from Australia, Denmark and Japan have shown an interest in the MPS approach. Contact with these forces is being used to further refine the MPS model.

26. The benefits of developing a corporate design template are being realised during the Programme roll out. As suppliers and project members become familiar with the scope, the delivery timescales of procurement, design and implementation can be reduced. Innovation is encouraged and is continuous through the lifecycle and any changes to the scope can be approved via the correct governance route and implemented in a structured manner. Baseline cost certainty can be improved, risks further understood and benchmarking with those projects that have been delivered and the wider industry can add confidence that value for money solutions are delivered. Alignment of stakeholder expectation can also be improved ensuring that the product is fit for the operational needs of the end-user.

27. As outlined above, in order to refine understanding of the wide range of benefits provided by patrol bases, TP and Property Services are currently engaging with other TP portfolio leads with a view to developing a Post Occupation Review (POR) document. This will seek to assess the degree in which the Patrol Base has met expectations and how it has impacted upon performance. In addition, a corporate standard that has been agreed with TP and Property Services has produced a standard design guide. The rollout of a standard corporate model supports efficient delivery and expectations.

Patrol Bases: Forward Strategy

28. In the context of the need for increasingly effective and efficient use of police resources, the establishment of key estate requirements for Territorial policing is of growing significance. The development of Patrol Bases are a key element of this approach and provide opportunities to deliver efficiencies in the provision of policing services across London whilst maintaining or increasing effectiveness.

29. The use of both the Operational Suitability Assessments and the Post Occupational Review will ensure that Patrol Bases are increasingly effective – with organisational learning drawn from these documents being used to drive continuous improvement through the medium of the Patrol Base Project Board.

30. Of particular note is the need to increase understanding of the Estate Strategy as a whole. This must ensure that Londoners understand and have appropriate expectations of different elements of the policing estate - including not just Patrol Bases but Front Counters, Safer Neighbourhoods bases, Custody Centres and Office accommodation.

C. Race and equality impact

1. The effective and efficient delivery of policing services by means of the effective use of the police estate, including patrol bases, has a positive impact on all communities. However, the move away from the historic “multi-functionality” of police buildings requires effective communication with all communities to ensure that no community perceives the evolving physical location of police buildings has a negative impact on the services that that community receives.

2. As with any new building concept feedback and consultation on the design, location and use of patrol bases must continue to be monitored.

3. Newly constructed patrol bases are built to comply with all current legislative standards providing accommodation that is fully accessible to all officers and staff. Such compliance is difficult to achieve in parts of the existing, older estate.

D. Financial implications

Property Services covered the financial implications of the Patrol Base Programme in the MPA paper “Patrol Base and Custody Centres Programme, Project Controls and Governance” July 2009. An extract is attached at Appendix 4.

E. Legal implications

There are no legal implications however procurement or property acquisitions or disposals related to the project are subject to individual legal advice and consideration and are subject to MPA/MPA governance.

F. Background papers

• MPA/MPS Estate Strategy - Building Towards the Safest City
• Borough Asset Management Plans
• Patrol Base & Custody Centre Programme – Programme Management, Project controls and Governance 30 July 2009 – Exempt paper

G. Contact details

Report author: Ch Supt David Reed, Patrol OCU, Territorial Policing, MPS

For information contact:

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

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