Policy on temporary promotion to ACPO ranks

Report: 4
Date: 05 February 2004
By: Commissioner

Summary

This paper confirms the current policy on temporary promotion for ACPO ranks and considers how this will need to be adjusted to take account of the role of the Senior Appointments Panel.

A. Recommendations

That the Remuneration Sub-Committee endorses the revised arrangements proposed at paragraph 7 of this report.

B. Supporting information

Background

1. A report by the Clerk to the Remuneration Sub-Committee on 15 January 2002, set out proposals and procedures for a number of ACPO related procedures, including temporary promotions.

2. At that time it was proposed that all temporary promotions of officers to ACPO rank (from a Superintending rank) or within ACPO rank should be endorsed by the Remuneration Sub-Committee. It was proposed that, in principle, the maximum period of temporary promotion should be six months although, exceptionally, a temporary promotion could be approved for one year. On expiry of the period another application should be made.

3. Applications for temporary promotion were to be made to the Clerk by the MPS HR Directorate and the Clerk would obtain the endorsement of the Remuneration Sub-Committee.

4. The Remuneration Sub-Committee endorsed these proposals.

Senior Appointments Panel

5. Under the new Senior Appointments Panel (SAP) arrangements, Ministerial approval must be granted for all temporary appointments to ACPO ranks, although requests for such appointments do not need to be considered at meetings of the SAP. This approval is not necessary for “acting” arrangements.

6. Acting in a higher rank covers short-term absences of the senior officer, e.g. whilst on sick leave in excess of 7 days. Salary at the higher rate is paid only for those days for which the junior officer acts as the senior officer. Regulation 27 of the Determination at Annex 1 to Police Regulations 2003 covers such arrangements. Temporary promotion is designed to cover a longer-term absence, e.g. the substantive officer is attending a Command Course for six months, or where there is no substantive post but there is a requirement for an officer in the higher rank for a specific purpose. The temporarily promoted officer receives the salary and other benefits he or she would have received if promoted substantively to the higher rank. Temporary promotion is provided for by Regulation 6 of the Police (Promotion) Regulations 1996.

7. In future it is proposed that any application for temporary promotion is made to the Clerk by the MPS HR Directorate. The MPA will request formal approval on behalf of the MPS once the Clerk has obtained the endorsement of the Remuneration Sub-Committee. The MPA will send the request to the SAP Secretariat for submission to the Home Office Minister for approval. The Clerk will then advise the applicant of the outcome through the MPS HR Directorate. These arrangements will not apply in respect of acting in a higher rank where the decision will rest with the Commissioner.

C. Equality opportunity and diversity implications

There are no direct implications arising from these proposals although the MPS will take account the diversity considerations before making recommendations to the MPA and, data about proposals for temporary promotions will need to be collated and monitored.

D. Financial implications

None directly arising from this report.

E. Background papers

• MPA paper R/02/2

F. Contact details

Report author: Michael Shurety, Director of HR Services, MPS.

For more information contact:

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

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