Recruitment and retention 2001/02

Report: 11
Date: 10 May 2001
By: Commissioner

Summary

This report informs Members of the progress in police and civil staff recruitment and retention against budgeted workforce target for 2001/02.

A. Recommendation

That Authority Members note the contents of this report.

B. Supporting information

Introduction

1. Police
The BWT 2001/02 is 26,650 officers by 31 March 2002. The actual strength at the beginning of the financial year was 25,430, a shortfall of 170.

2. Civil Staff
The civil staff BWT is 11,110 for 2001/2002. The actual strength was 10,197 at the beginning of the financial year, a shortfall of 913.

Recruitment

3. Police
During this financial year there will be 10 recruit intakes into the MPS, these will consist of new recruits aged between 18½ and 50 and officers who have transferred from other forces (T); Rejoiners (R), returning after a career break or change of employment circumstances and those with previous police service (PPS) but not necessarily with MPS.

4. The first intake this year on 9 April 2001 totalled 177 including 10 from Visible Ethnic Minorities; 31 women and 21 T/R/PPS. If the T/R/PPS officers have served in the last five years they do not undertake the full 18 week training programme at Hendon. These officers are posted directly to Division unless their service is in Scotland. From May all T/R/PPS will now complete a two-week induction programme prior to operational duties.

5. The cycle of recruitment is continuous. From 2 April to 30 April approximately 3,420 application forms and information packs were sent out in response to enquiries made through the call centre, via the Internet or locally on boroughs. A total of 1,114 completed applications have been received. Enquiries and applications have been reducing from the unusual high in January, but it is anticipated that there will be a good response to the next MPS recruitment campaign commencing on 14 May 2001. This will be followed by a larger national campaign in June. The Home Office television advertising will not commence again until September so it is important that the MPS keeps a high profile media presence. Similarly to other organisations over the previous years, a direct relationship can be seen between advertising spending levels and number of enquiries.

6. There appears to be some disproportionality between number of enquiries from VEM candidates and the number of applications received and certainly with the number recruited. A review using external consultants has been initiated to understand the reasons for this and the results will be reported to the Committee later in the year.

7. The second intake is due on 14 May 2001. As at 30 April 236 have been invited to join including 18 T/R/PPS. It is intended that a report on progress is presented each month to allow Members to closely monitor performance against targets.

8. Civil Staff
Civil staff vacancies arise constantly throughout the organisation for all grades. Generally administrative roles grade 13, 12 and 10 will be recruited locally after checking if there are possible candidates with the recruitment pool administered centrally. The exceptions are specialist posts such as analysts, which are appointed centrally with other senior posts (Grade 9 and above).

9. A major campaign for generalist administrative posts is about to commence. The increase to the London location allowance announced recently, which takes effect from 1 April 2001 should assist with attracting more applicants. This should replenish the recruitment pool and provide sufficient junior staff to cover unwanted vacancies locally.

Retention

10. Police
The high costs of recruiting, training and equipping police officers can be offset if fewer officers leave prematurely, but more importantly the Service needs to retain the experience and skills of existing officers in order to maintain a high quality policing service to London.

11. Last financial year saw a total of 1,470 officers leave the service, of these 32 per cent (465) retired plus 15 per cent (220) on medical retirement. A total of 360 (24 per cent) resigned and a further 26 per cent (382) joined other forces. In addition a small percentage of officers were required to resign, dismissed or died in service.

12. Included in these figures were 46 officers classified as Visible Ethnic Minority who have left, this equates to 3.13 per cent of all leavers and a total of 198 women (13.5 per cent) also left

13. Civil Staff
The retention of essential support staff is equally important in order to support front line policing and reduce the administrative burden for operational officers.

14. From 1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001 1568 civil staff left with 9 per cent (141) retiring, plus 2 per cent (35) on early retirement and a further 5 per cent (77) with a medical pension. Disappointingly 58 per cent (904) of these staff resigned and it is hoped that that the pay and grading review will impact most on this figure. During the year 198 Visible Ethnic Minority staff left (12.6 per cent) and 861 women (55 per cent).

15. Statistics for traffic wardens are collated separately and these show that 1,36 left, however 49 were regraded to civil staff; 15 transferred to another public body; 42 resigned and 26 retired.

C. Financial implications

None.

D. Background papers

None.

E. Contact details

The author of this report is Jenny Deere, Business Director, Recruitment, Selection and Workforce Diversity.

For information contact:

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

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback