Staff associations and recruitment

Report: 12
Date: 24 July 2003
By: Commissioner

Summary

As requested by the Authority, this report provides information about the staff support associations within the MPS and their role in supporting the attraction and recruitment of staff who reflect the diverse communities which we serve. The report also provides further information on ‘Refer-a-Friend’ following further discussions with the Black Police Association, the Independent Advisory Group (IAG) and the Recruitment Task Force.

A. Recommendation

That the report be noted.

B. Supporting information

Background

1. The first ethnic staff support association - Black Police Association (BPA) - was launched in 1994. Its primary mission is to change the culture of the police service to ensure a fair and equitable working environment for black staff, and to create a better relationship between the black community and the police.

2. Since then a number of staff support associations have been created with similar aims for their respective communities. The MPS now recognises the following associations concerned with promoting the aims of minority groups:

• Association of Muslim Police
• Association of Senior Women Officers
• Black Police Association
• British Association of Women Police
• Christian Police Association
• Gay Police Association
• Jewish Police Association
• Metropolitan Police Greek Staff Association
• Metropolitan Police Hindu Association
• Metropolitan Police Sikh Association
• Police Anglo Italian Staff Association
• Turkish & Turkish Cypriot Association

3. The associations are actively involved in recruitment events especially those organised by the Positive Action Recruitment Team such as Intromet and local events. The associations provide advice and guidance to prospective recruits.

4. The Metropolitan Police Service is committed to supporting the work of recognised staff support associations. The various groups embrace gender, ethnic origin, religious belief and sexual orientation. The MPS encourages the development of these staff support associations.

5. The staff support associations represent both police and civil staff and do not supersede any statutory police staff association. Their purpose is to augment the role of the existing associations/unions in offering support to all MPS staff and working towards the common aim of achieving a diverse, integrated workforce capable of delivering the objectives of the MPS.

6. The Greek and Sikh associations have begun to hold their own recruitment events and others are considering it. The BPA will be leading an event at the Respect Festival on 26 July and are planning an event at the Notting Hill Carnival later in the year. These recruitment events are supported by the Positive Action Recruitment Team.

7. The Black Police Association (BPA) has also set up an initiative in the Paddington area aimed at drawing the community and police together and support the recruitment of black police officers, which was given additional momentum by the Stephen Lawrence enquiry.

8. Within the Paddington project, the programmes include qualitative research such as focus groups, facilitated workshops following from the qualitative research and a leadership programme. The leadership programme lasts for approximately three years and is aimed at young people at year 10 at school. It includes a six-day residential course at Hendon. 64 young people have undertaken the course to date and a further 32 are due to start their course in July 2003.

9. The leadership programme will be extended to other Trident Boroughs, starting with Lambeth, Brent and Haringey during 2003, and could be extended further.

10. There has been a substantial increase in the number of visible ethnic minority police recruits (see Appendix 1). Since April 2003 the facility has been available via MetHR to record enquiries received that were generated from a specific association event (so long as the enquirer quotes the unique reference). This shows that the Sikh Police Association recruitment event generated seven enquiries. There is a considerable amount of anecdotal evidence that many people apply to the MPS because of the activities of the staff support associations. Unfortunately, because these were not related to specific events, precise numbers are not known.

Refer-a-Friend scheme

11. Following discussion of this initiative at the Co-ordination & Policing Committee and further discussion on the matter with IAG, the BPA and Recruitment Task Force, it was thought helpful to provide further information on the latest position. The issue has also been considered by the Management Board. A number of IAG members were present at that meeting.

12. In sum, it is apparent that the IAG and BPA are unable to support the scheme and do not support its introduction. The IAG does not believe that the scheme will impact upon recruitment and have re-stated their opposition to the initiative. Similarly, the BPA are opposed and our discussions with them and the IAG have been unable to find an immediate way of introducing the scheme. The Recruitment Task Force – at its meeting on 8 July 2003 – noted the current position and expressed disappointment that the initiative does not find support and cannot, at this stage, be pursued. As such, no further work is being carried out on the scheme at this stage.

C. Equality and diversity implications

The wide range of staff associations is a good indicator of organisational health and they contribute towards developing the MPS as an employer of choice.

D. Financial implications

There are no financial implications arising directly from this report. Many of the matters referred to are subject to their own reports and financial implications where applicable.

E. Background papers

None.

F. Contact details

Report author: Neil Bayne, Director of Recruitment, MPS.

For more information contact:

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

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