Commissioner's Report  

Report: 5
Date: 27 November 2008
By: the Commissioner

Summary

This report, prepared for the Authority meeting, summarises the progress of the Metropolitan Police Service against the objectives featured in the 2008 – 2011 Policing Plan for London.

The report covers the period between August and October 2008 with data for individual measures reflecting the 12-month period ending September 2008 unless stated otherwise. It is intended to highlight progress against corporate targets and identifies key operational activities that deliver a safer city for all London’s communities.

Report headlines can be summarised as follows:

• First joint problem-solving meeting chaired by Vice Chairman of the Authority has taken place in Kensington & Chelsea.
• New patrol base for Haringey was completed and occupied in September.
• Serious acquisitive crime rate (residential robbery, burglary and motor vehicle crime) is down 25% over 5 years.
• Knife crime in first two quarters of 2008/09 shows a 10.2% reduction compared with the corresponding period in 2007/08.
• During the first two quarters there were 736 fewer youth victims (under 20 years old) of crime than in the corresponding period in 2007.
• Gun Crime is down by 22.9% over the last 12 months (703 fewer offences).
• Recruitment from BME groups to be police officers or PCSOs has suffered no discernible impact following the BPA boycott of recruitment.
• MPA/MPS had £30 million on deposit at Landsbanki Bank when its assets were frozen by the Icelandic Government

A. Recommendation

That the report be received.

B. Supporting information

1. This report updates progress against the corporate objectives featured in the Policing Plan for London. For each objective we summarise progress to date and report on key initiatives. The objectives are not stand alone activities; for instance our neighbourhood teams have a direct input to our counter-terrorism work.

Our delivery: performance and activity

Objective: Make our services more accessible and improve people’s experience of their contact with us, especially victims and witnesses.

How we monitor our performance

2. The MPS monitor our progress against this objective via two Critical Performance Areas [CPA] measures (see below). Both measures are statutory performance indicators [SPI] derived from a comprehensive survey of service users conducted by an independent market research company. The survey takes place on a continuous basis and captures recent experiences of victims of burglary, violent crime, vehicle crime, road traffic collisions and racist incidents.

Progress summary

Indicator Target Rolling Year Trend

• Victim satisfaction with our overall service has remained broadly steady over the past two years.
• The satisfaction gap between white and minority ethnic victims at 5.2 points is close to the national average and the focus of ongoing research by the Home Office, NPIA and MPS to gain a greater understanding of the key drivers of satisfaction amongst different user groups.

Recent initiatives

3. The MPS ‘Promise to Citizens’ that will set out the level of service which can be expected by Londoners reflects the Government’s ‘Policing Pledge’ and is attached at Appendix 1. Work is currently underway led by Territorial Policing to explain how the MPS will deliver those services and the measures and targets that will be used to evaluate our performance. Members will have received an update on the approach at the Strategic and Operational Policing Board on 13 November.

4. Other recent initiatives in support of this objective include;

• The MPS is committed to the National Quality of Service Commitment under which the MPS are improving the information available for disabled staff on access to existing MPS buildings, improving the front counter environment and signage for safer neighbourhood bases
• Construction of patrol bases. The new Patrol Base for Haringey has been completed and occupied in September, while construction of the new Patrol Base for Havering Borough will be complete in March 2009. The MPA Finance Committee will consider options for the Greenwich Patrol Base in November and if approved work should commence on site in January 2009
• Safer Neighbourhoods signage. The second stage of the Safer Neighbourhoods Property Programme is well underway with 64 projects, of the 109 to be completed, at various stages of design or construction. The first 6 sites have been completed, a further 6 are on site and work is ramping up early in 2009. Providing external signage will be complete in November 2008.

Objective: Make our neighbourhoods safer through local and city-wide problem solving and partnership working to reduce crime, anti-social behaviour and road casualties

How we monitor our performance

5. The primary measure for this objective is public confidence - a statutory performance indicator measured independently via the Home Office’s British Crime Survey [BCS]. The BCS is a long established continuous survey of UK residents conducted face-to-face in people’s homes. The limitations are that respondents are aged 17 and above and it does not capture business crime. In addition to capturing information on victimisation, the survey includes a very specific public confidence question ‘how good a job do you believe the police are doing in this local area?’

6. In addition to public confidence, progress is monitored using Home Office SPIs focused on the underlying serious acquisitive crime rate and our associated investigation performance – offenders brought to justice. Additionally, to assess the safety of our roads network across the capital, the MPS use a very specific SPI - a count of the number of people killed or seriously injured in road traffic collisions relative to the number of vehicle kilometres travelled. This measure enables the HO to compare and contrast performance across forces with different traffic densities.

Progress summary

Indicator Target Rolling Year Trend

• Confidence in local policing for the year-ending June 2008 stands at 53.7% - this represents a slight decrease on the annual figure to end of March 2008. However, the decrease is attributable to an unusually high result in Quarter 1 2007/08 falling out of the 12 month average. We are second in our Most Similar Family of forces (MSF)
• The serious acquisitive crime rate is on a long-term improving trend, down 25% over the last five years and we are currently on-track to deliver against our year-end target of a 4 percent year-on-year reduction.
• Our sanction detection rate for serious acquisitive crime at 11.1% is marginally down on the year-end target reflecting a lower number of burglary offences taken into consideration [TICs] during the current year. The MPS is ranked third within the MSF.
• Over the rolling year to September 2008 there has been a 12.8% reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured in road traffic collisions per 100 million vehicle km travelled.

Recent initiatives

7. In October the first of the joint Problem Solving meetings took place involving Kensington & Chelsea Borough. The meeting was chaired by the Vice Chairman of the Authority. The purpose of these meetings is to work with the local authority and other partner agencies to examine performance and identify opportunities to improve existing partnership arrangements and solve issues impacting on local communities. The data includes various sorts of anti social behaviour which is mapped and overlaid against other types of demand from police and partners. A Steering Group has now been set up chaired by the MPA to manage and co-ordinate future meetings. The next meeting is taking place in Croydon on 18 November 2008.

8. Officers from Safer Neighbourhood teams are continuing to disrupt drugs activity taking place across London. For example, 377 crack houses were closed in 2007/08 compared to April – September 2008 when a total of 430 were closed. Similarly, a total of 164 cannabis factories were closed in 2007/08 while for April – September 2008 there had been 252 closed down.

9. Other recent initiatives in support of this objective include;

• CO 11 Marine Support Unit has developed partnership initiatives with riverside boroughs to reduce crime, improve river safety and reduce anti-social behaviour. In September this resulted in a joint raid on a houseboat in Uxbridge where Class A drugs were seized.
• The MPS is leading an ACPO sponsored project to develop with four suppliers a new generation of body armour for all police forces and any other government agency e.g. the Prison Service and Trading Standards. The aim is to improve body armour through innovation in areas such as ballistic performance, stab performance, coverage, movement, comfort and heat management

Objective: Reduce serious violence and protect young people

How we monitor our performance

10. Performance is monitored against this objective using a combination of Home Office SPIs and internal MPS metrics. The SPIs also feature within the new national Assessment of Policing and Community Safety framework [APACS] introduced in April 2008.

Progress summary

Indicator Target Rolling Year Trend

1. 2008/9 will create a baseline for future years following changes in classification practices. Rolling year performance using Most Serious Violence and Assault with Injury is shown.
2. Measure includes Most Serious Violence, Weapon enabled crime, Assault with Injury.

The MPS are making steady progress against all the serious crime reduction measures

• Most Serious Violence and Assault With Injury reduced by 3.1% (2,335 offences) over the rolling year to Sep-08). The MPS is ranked 1st in its MSF group for the rolling-year to Jun-08 (latest comparable data published by the HO).
• Against the new Home Office gun crime definition, we have seen a year-on-year reduction of over 22.9% (703 offences) at the end of September 2008. This reduction has been achieved through a series of proactive initiatives including intelligence-led interventions at identified hot spots.
• The combined sanction detection rate for most serious violence and serious sexual offences is 31.8% for the rolling year to September 2008.
• The Domestic Violence offence arrest for the rolling year to Sep-08 is 67.0%, on track for our target this year of 67%.
• For the period Apr to Sep 2008, the number of under 20 year olds becoming victims of violence decreased by 6.4% (736 victims) compared to the corresponding period in 2007. (Rolling year comparisons are not possible due to a change of measure definition by the Home Office). This reduction is marginally ahead of the year-end target of a 6% reduction.

Recent initiatives

11. Since May Operation Blunt 2 has involved more than 8,500 deployments across London including 1,048 Section 60 authorisations (permitting stop & search of any individuals to prevent anticipated violence). There have been a total of 4,620 arrests of which 3,477 were for possession of knives and other weapons. Since the start of Blunt 2 the charge rate for possession of knives (including sharp instruments) stands at 92%. Knife crime in the first two quarters of 2008/09 shows a 10.2% reduction compared with the corresponding period in 2007/08.

12. Trident’s Community Engagement Team continues its outstanding work in explaining the impact of carrying, storing and using firearms. Since July, the team has presented its workshop ‘Decisions and Consequences’ to 28 different groups of those most at risk from getting involved in firearms crime, largely drawn from Youth Offending teams and Pupil Referral Units. In addition, the team took the workshop to a number of schools and other youth organisations, including Lambeth College’s ‘Safe and Strong’ week in October. They engaged with almost 1,000 young people during this time. In the same period, the team attended about 100 other engagement activities. Trident’s campaign ‘Respect – You don’t need a gun to get it’ will have been launched on 10 November, continuing the partnership and youth engagement activity with workshops, TV and radio activity, online activity and mobile phone messaging.

13. There are currently 2,523 Metropolitan Special Constables and work is in hand to recruit 1,200 specifically for deployment on Safer Transport hubs across London over the next two years. These officers will augment the teams comprising one Sergeant, one PC and seven PCSOs which are already in place in Haringey, Croydon and Newham with the remaining 29 transport hubs rolled out in 2009.

14. Other recent initiatives include:

• During October NSPIS case preparation was delivered to the final two boroughs – Westminster and Lambeth, marking the completion of the MPS wide rollout. All MPS boroughs now have the ability to electronically share information from the custody record with other criminal justice organisations including the Crown Prosecution Service.
• The Directorate of Information has worked in partnership with Crimestoppers to develop a new capability that enables police officers across the MPS to upload video evidence onto the Crimestoppers website to assist in the identification of unknown offenders, which went live in October. The availability of this information in the public domain means critical evidence can be easily accessed and shared helping the MPS to quickly and effectively identify suspects, meaning more criminals can be brought to justice
• Central Operations has implemented a dedicated Sex Offenders unit within the Cab Enforcement Unit designed to target sex offenders working within the licensed and unlicensed cab trade

Objective: Disrupt more criminal networks and reduce the harm caused by drugs

How we monitor our performance

15. In the absence of nationally defined SPIs, we monitor our performance using a combination of internal measures. The measures attract some very specific terminology and definitions:

• Criminal network: a network of individuals involved in ongoing criminal activity for some form of personal gain (usually profit, but can also be for social standing).
• Harm: where the consequence of pursuing an activity is seen to have an adverse effect on the social, physical or economic well being of individuals or a community.
• Disruption: a disruption has been achieved when a network is unable to operate at its normal level of activity for a significant amount of time.

Progress summary

Indicator Target Rolling Year Trend

• Good progress is being made in disrupting criminal networks – achieving over 30 disruptions each month through the deployment of proactive teams acting on intelligence. The total number of drugs criminal networks disrupted has risen from 66 in 2006/07, to 152 in 2007/08 and 142 year-to-date
• The MPS are above target for the number of cases where assets are seized. The value of assets identified by court order for seizure for the first five months of the year (Apr - Aug 08) is £24.6m. Another indicator of performance in relation to asset confiscation is the ‘Payback Index’ – a single composite metric showing performance against ‘value’ and ‘volume’ targets. The MPS target was to double its score on this index by 2009/10 to 2,936. Reflecting a large investment in financial investigators to build capability and capacity, this target was reached at the end of September 2008 when the index reached 3,159.
• The number of sanction detections for trafficking shows a small increase on the corresponding period last year. In 2006/07 the MPS achieved 2149 sanction detections for Class A drug trafficking. This rose to 2,529 for 2007/08 and April to September this year stands at 1,317. If performance is maintained at the current level, the projected end of year outturn would be 2,634 sanction detections.
• Our drugs strategy requires us to monitor performance against the main Class A drugs of heroin and cocaine separately. The data shows that there has been an improvement in sanction detections for Class a drugs and cocaine and heroin individually compared to the corresponding period ending August 2007 (monthly averages of 205,130 and 39 respectively).
• At the ACPO Drugs Conference on 17 November the MPS will have four award winners for outstanding work in reducing drug related offending. These include close partnership working in Southwark, a Territorial Support Group proactive unit supporting boroughs carrying out test purchases and the work of the MPS Dog Section, Passive Scan Drug Dog (PSDD) handlers.

16. HMIC has recently published a thematic report on the Police service’s response to Serious & Organised Crime – ‘Getting organised’. This is particularly focused on Forces’ capacity and capability to assess and address the threat of organised criminal groups (OCGs). Clearly London hosts a concentration of OCGs and the MPS has led the way in tackling criminal networks. HMIC drew heavily on MPS experience when compiling their report and, whilst not mentioned specifically, much of the good practice evidenced comes from Specialist Crime Directorate. The MPS is also actively supporting the current work of ACPO in providing a Service – wide response to the report, which is due by the end of this month.

Objective: Enhance our counter terrorism capability and capacity

How we monitor our performance

17. There are currently no nationally defined SPIs for counter-terrorism. Work is being undertaken by the Home Office to develop a range of indicators for inclusion within the APACS framework. The MPS is fully engaged in this work. Clearly, the sensitive nature of the work will make it impossible to report on all activities publicly.

18. The MPS continues to report its performance in relation to counter-terrorism to the newly formed MPA/MPS Counter Terrorism Oversight committee, chaired by Lord Toby Harris. The next meeting of this group is on 27 November 2008. Internally reports are also regularly provided to MPS Performance Board.

Progress summary

19. Terrorism and domestic extremism remain a significant threat to the United Kingdom. To address this threat significant capacity has been grown within the MPS to deliver the Government counter terrorism strategy (Contest). Additionally, Chief Constables have unanimously agreed proposals to develop national co-ordination of counter terrorism assets in England and Wales.

20. Data from the MPS Public Attitude Survey (PAS) consistently indicates that the public still believe our counter-terrorism policing activity is important. The data also highlights that the public consistently believe the MPS is doing well in this respect. Survey data relating to the last two financial years, and the first quarter of the current year is provided in the table below.

Data from the MPS Public Attitude Survey (PAS)

21. Whilst efforts in relation to all four strands of our Counter-Terrorism strategy is being maintained (i.e. To stop people becoming or supporting terrorists or violent extremists (Prevent); To stop terrorist attacks through detecting, investigating and disrupting terrorists and their networks (Pursue); To strengthen the overall protection against terrorist attacks (Protect); To mitigate the impact of terrorist attacks where we cannot stop them (Prepare)) greater focus is being directed towards embedding Prevent activity at both a local and corporate level.

22. Through the use of CSR funding additional staff have been recruited within four priority sites (Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Newham and Hounslow) and there has been an increase in resources centrally. Together, these provide the capacity and opportunity for effective local engagement and ensure that relevant intelligence is made available to support and inform partnership activities related to Prevent. Learning from these sites will be used to inform the wider implementation of Prevent across the rest of the MPS.

Objective: Plan for, and effectively police, major events in London and prepare for the 2012 Olympics

How we monitor our performance

23. There are no SPIs for this corporate objective, which in itself is linked to the wider milestones for delivering the national Olympic Security programme that goes beyond policing and are the responsibility of the Home Secretary. The MPA maintain oversight of the MPS involvement. The Olympic Security Directorate (OSD), the costs of which are met by the Home office currently has dual reporting routes to both the Home Office and MPS. It is responsible for coordinating the activities needed to deliver the Olympic Security Programme and the Security Strategy for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The OSD reports on progress for this planning to the Director of Olympic Safety and Security in the Home Office and last updated the Olympics Oversight Committee on 10 July 2008.

24. Key milestones for 2008/09 include:

1. October 2008 - OGC gateway review noted significant progress and rated the programme delivery status at Amber-Red, previously assessed as Red
2. October 2008 – Delivered a draft Costed Security Plan (CSP) into programme governance. The MPS and MPA will be formally consulted on the further development of the plan during December and January prior to finalisation. A baseline version of the CSP will be presented to Ministers on 3 February 2009

Progress summary

25. The priority for the OSD throughout the summer has been working with the Home Office to produce the CSP. This included the production of Project Initiation Documents (PID’s) and Business Cases, incorporating known current costings for each of the proposed solutions.

26. Production of these documents was followed by a series of ‘challenge panels’ where representatives from the authority, government departments, other agencies and partners critiqued the proposals; in the main feedback was very constructive and a number of recommendations from partners have been incorporated in the latest iteration of the Business cases and PID’s.

27. When delivered the CSP will provide a firm financial base for the Olympic security programme to work to, and clearly identify what will, and will not, be in scope. The CSP is due to be presented to ministers at the NSID(PSR) meeting on the 24 November.

28, A number of staff from the OSD attended the Beijing Olympic Games to learn transferable lessons from the delivery of the safety and security operation in China. A considerable amount of work went into the preparation for their attendance to ensure that maximum benefit was achieved during the visit, and a significant amount of data was collected. Debriefing and follow up activity continues.

29. Knowledge gained from our planning and support for the Notting Hill Carnival is being applied to preparations for the 2012 Olympics. We will need to familiarise ourselves with 35 venues and 96 training grounds in London. There will be up to four feeding/briefing/deployment centres. We will need to provide temporary accommodation for up to 10,000 officers during a 6 week period around the 2012 London Olympics. Also helicopter pads, armouries and a radio battery charging station will need to be made available. A photomontage has been assembled of what this might look like in reality and has helped inform the final decision not to build tented cities but rather to look at using existing university/hotel accommodation.

30. Members will receive further updates via the Olympics Sub-Committee and briefings to the Strategic and Operational Policing Committee as required.

Stockwell Inquest

31. The inquest into the death of Jean Charles de Menezes commenced on Monday 22 September 2008, at the Oval Conference centre. Evidence has been heard for the first time from the principal firearms officers, and other key individuals such as the firearms tactical advisors, the Silver Firearms Commander, and civilians on the tube train. Witness evidence will be complete by end Monday 10 November 2008, after which the Jury will not be required to re-attend until the first week in December, when the Coroner will sum up and they will be asked to consider their finding. No result is likely before 4 December. The interim period is set aside for administration, which will include oral submissions to the Coroner from Counsel for interested parties during 20 and 21 November.

32. The MPS July Review group has been closely monitoring proceedings and provided a briefing to members on 25 September on the purpose of the Inquest and potential outcomes. Once the Inquest is complete, the evidence presented will be reviewed and the Jury’s finding, in conjunction with any narrative from either the Jury or the Coroner, will be fully considered.

Our organisation: managing the business

Continuous improvement

33. To achieve our mission, the MPS are committed to embedding continuous improvement processes that promote incremental advances in service delivery, encouraging everyone to support organisational change in line with our values.

34. The Service has a good record on delivering efficiencies and a key area we are currently focussing on is delivering sustainable development, equalities and health improvements. The MPS 5 year Environmental Strategy contains a number of environmental objectives covering a range of environment issue areas. Annual targets are set as part of the Environmental Management Programme (EMP) and monitored quarterly at the Environmental Strategy Steering Group Meeting, which is chaired by the Director of Resources who is also the MPS Environmental Champion.

35. The following progress was reported against EMP targets for Quarter 2 2008/09

Our people

36. There has been much focus recently on the impact of the Black Police Association boycott on recruitment. Human Resources Directorate has been closely monitoring activity to assess impact on recruitment numbers and diversity at various stages of the recruitment process. A whole range of indicators across all areas of recruitment including registering and attending events and the receipt of applications all indicate that there has been no discernible impact. A more detailed breakdown of recruitment applications from April to October 2008 is attached at Appendix 2.

Our Business Planning and Budget

37. The Service is well advanced on the preparation of its 2009-12 budget and business plan. The Mayor published his budget guidance on 22 July 2008 and the MPA/MPS has been asked to prepare its budget within the following guidelines and assumptions.

• For 2009/10 increases in net revenue expenditure of 1.75% over the 2008/09 amount of £2,595m presented in the Mayor’s published budget and annual increase of 1.25% in 2010/11 and 2011/12.
• There is no addition to the GLA council tax precept for Olympic security costs.
• Alternative options be prepared on the assumption to increase net revenue expenditure in 2009/10 over 2008/09 of 0.25% or less than the above guidelines including the impact on service levels over the three years.

38. The Service is, therefore, preparing its budget, in consultation with the Authority, on the following basis:

39. The Authority, at a joint meeting of the former Finance and Planning Performance and Review Committee on 18 September 2008, agreed the Authority’s interim budget submission. At that time, the overall financial position as stated in the submission identified a budget gap of £76m in 2009/10 rising to £177m in 2011/12 against the Mayor’s guidance. The Service is working with the Authority to complete the draft budget and business plan submission for consideration by the Finance and Resources Committee on 20 November and the Full Authority on 27 November 2008.

40. In reporting the financial position to the end of August 2008 the Service forecast a revenue underspend this year of £22 m. The main reason for the increase of £8.5m in the forecast is the conclusion of successful negotiations with HMRC on the tax liability on the ATOC deal for free travel to police officers.

41. On 7 October 2008 the Service informed the Authority that £30m was on deposit with Landsbanki Bank when its assets were frozen by the Icelandic Government. The action by the Icelandic Government was taken to support their own position unlike other governments that have since supported their banks. We are working with the Treasury as are a number of other forces and police authorities to reach a solution in relation to these investments.

The MPS response to the murder of Baby P

42. On 3 August 2007 police were informed of the death of 17 month old Baby P, who was on the Child Protection Register at the time. The Child Abuse Investigation Command investigated the death. The child’s mother, her partner and Jason Owen were all found guilty of allowing or causing the death of the child on 11 November 2008 and will be sentenced on 15 December. Other family and criminal proceedings are pending and there are reporting restrictions to protect the identities of children and to ensure a fair trial in April 2009.

43. Due to the very significant level of public and political interest in this case, a two week Joint Area Review of Safeguarding in Haringey by a tri-agency inspection team was announced by the Secretary of State. This commenced on 17 November to report by 1 December. The terms of reference are awaited and Specialist Crime Directorate is actively co-operating with the HMIC.

Audit and inspection

44. Between April and June this year, both HMIC and the Audit Commission undertook planned inspection work looking at how the MPA/MPS manage resources. This inspection was the first of its kind in that it involved the two inspectorates coordinating their assessments. The Audit Commission conducts an annual Use of Resources Evaluation (called PURE) for every Police Authority. The Deputy Commissioner invited HMIC to conduct its inspection, which focused on how we attract resources, allocate resources and ensure they are used effectively. Both inspectorates have now issued their reports and have provided copies to the MPA.

45. The Audit Commission has assessed the MPA/MPS as achieving adequate performance Level 2) overall for 2007/08. Our previous score has been maintained, however, the bar for performance at each level was lifted this year so overall we can be considered to have performed better. The scores for all five themes the Commission looked at (Financial Reporting, Financial Management, Financial Standing, Internal Control and Value for Money) have been assessed as the same as for 2007. However, the Commissioner’s view is that, while the scores are the same, the underlying direction of travel is positive and arrangements are generally stronger than a year ago. For the first time, no sub-theme was assessed as below minimum requirements.

46. The Audit Commission made a series of recommendations, including the following actions set out for Police Authority Members in ensuring a continued focus on effective use of resources:

1. Encourage further integration of financial and business planning
2. Foster the development of integrated financial and operational performance information.
3. Maintain effective scrutiny of the overall system of internal control
4. Review the MPA/MPS research to better understand costs and to benchmark these costs with similar organisations.

47. HMIC summarised the MPS’ position in relation to ‘resource leverage’ as follows:

‘The medium term financial prognosis for the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) is challenging notwithstanding the levels of efficiency gains which have previously been achieved. The MPS is actively developing its business capability to respond to this challenge and recognises the need to demonstrate that costs can be controlled and that a clear plan exists to optimise the use of resources to close any potential budget gap.’

48. Five recommendations have been made in the inspection report. The recommendations are:

1. The MPS supported by the MPA should set out an agreed and shared ambition for resource leverage in the medium term. (MPS/MPA)
2. The MPS should progressively develop ‘Business Intelligence’ indicators that benchmark MPS costs. (MPS)
3. Reliable benchmarking information facilitated by the Home Office would be of assistance to the MPS and other Forces when making comparisons on costs and overheads. (Home Office)
4. To help maximise the use of resources the MPS should provide senior managers with appropriate resource management skills and awareness training. (MPS)
5. The MPA should review its oversight and expectation in the way the MPS applies resource leverage. (MPA)

49. In addition to these recommendations, HMIC have highlighted areas for improvement as well as examples of notable practice.

50. An action plan will now be developed to take forward the recommendations and areas for improvement set out in the two reports. Wherever possible it will link to work already underway, for example, many of the projects included in the Service Improvement Plan will be relevant. The action plan will be shared with the MPA.

Glossary of Terms

APACS

Assessment of Policing and Community Safety – performance management framework which will provide the Home Office and its partners with the capability to monitor and assess performance in policing and community safety

ATOC

Association of Train Operating Companies

BCS

British Crime Survey – a long established Home Office managed survey designed to capture levels of crime and public attitudes to crime as well as other criminal justice issues. The results play an important role in informing Government policy. The survey captures the views of approximately 48,000 citizens across England & Wales annually – approximately 3,000 within London. Survey results are published quarterly and relate to a rolling 12 month period.

CPA

Critical Performance Areas - the suite of MPS corporate measures used to track progress against the delivery of corporate objectives

CSR

Comprehensive Spending Review

CT

Counter Terrorism

HMRC

Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs

IPCC

Independent Police Complaints Commission

NPIA

National Police Improvement Agency

NSID

Ministerial Committee on National Security, International Relations and Development

NSID (PSR)

Sub-committee on Protective Security and Resilience

NSPIS

National Strategy for Police Information Systems

OGC

Office of Government Commerce

Sanction detection [SD]

A police generated detections of a crime. SDs include charges, cautions, fixed penalty notices [FPN], taken into considerations [TIC], summons and cannabis warnings Serious acquisitive crime. Includes residential robbery, burglary and motor vehicle crime

SPI

Statutory Performance Indicator

TIC

Taken into consideration –the clear up of multiple crimes attributable committed by one criminal e.g. multiple burglaries

Victim Focus Units

Units located in every MPS Borough dedicated to updating victims of crime on the progress of their investigations in-line with the Victim Code of Practice

C. Race and equality impact

1. There are no specific race and equality implications arising directly from this report. However, there are key areas of specific activity in relation to equalities which demonstrate our commitment to diversity and are essential to the success of the MPS. These include improving the quality of service provided to victims of hate crime, ensuring that a consistent and effective service is provided to London’s diverse communities; improving performance against domestic violence, ensuring a consistent level of service across all communities and minimising disproportionality issues; increasing community trust and confidence in the police use of stop and search ensuring it is used fairly and proportionately; continuing to develop a workforce that reflects the diversity of London and improving the progression of women within the police service.

D. Financial implications

The key financial implications are set out in paragraphs 37 to 41 of the report.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author(s): Director of Business Strategy, Michael Debens

For more information contact:

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

Appendix 1

The police service in England and Wales support law abiding citizens and pursue criminals relentlessly to keep you and your neighbourhoods safe from harm we will

1. Always treat you fairly with dignity and respect ensuring you have fair access to our services at a time that is reasonable and suitable for you.

2. Provide you with information so you know who your dedicated Neighbourhood Policing Team is, where they are based, how to contact them and how to work with them.

3. Ensure your Neighbourhood Policing Team and other police patrols are visible and on your patch at times when they will be most effective and when you tell us you most need them. We will ensure your team are not taken away from neighbourhood business more than is absolutely necessary. They will spend at least 80% of their time visibly working in your neighbourhood, tackling your priorities. Staff turnover will be minimised.

4. Respond to every message directed to your Neighbourhood Policing Team within 24 hours and, where necessary, provide a more detailed response as soon as we can.

5. Aim to answer 999 calls within 10 seconds, deploying to emergencies immediately giving an estimated time of arrival, getting to you safely, and as quickly as possible. In urban areas, we will aim to get to you within 15 minutes and in rural areas within [20] minutes.

6. Answer all non-emergency calls promptly. If attendance is needed, send a patrol giving you an estimated time of arrival and:

• If you are vulnerable or upset aim to be with you within 60 minutes.
• If you are calling about an issue that we have agreed with your community will be a neighbourhood priority (listed below) and attendance is required, we will aim to be with you within 60 minutes.
• Alternatively, if appropriate, we will make an appointment to see you at a time that fits in with your life and within 48 hours.
• If agreed that attendance is not necessary we will give you advice, answer your questions and / or put you in touch with someone who can help.

7. Arrange regular public meetings to agree your priorities, at least once a month, giving you a chance to meet your local team with other members of your community. These will include opportunities such as surgeries, street briefings and mobile police station visits which will be arranged to meet local needs and requirements. Your local arrangements can be found below.

8. Provide monthly updates on progress, and on local crime and policing issues. This will include the provision of crime maps, information on specific crimes and what happened to those brought to justice, details of what action we and our partners are taking to make your neighbourhood safer and information on how your force is performing.

9. If you have been a victim of crime agree with you how often you would like to be kept informed of progress in your case and for how long. You have the right to be kept informed at least every month if you wish and for as long as is reasonable.

10. Acknowledge any dissatisfaction with the service you have received within 24 hours of reporting it to us. To help us fully resolve the matter, discuss with you how it will be handled, give you an opportunity to talk in person to someone about your concerns and agree with you what will be done about them and how quickly.

We want to do our best for you but if we fail to meet our Pledge we will always explain why it has not been possible on that occasion to deliver the high standards to which we aspire and you deserve.

Appendix 2

Impact of the Black Police Association Recruitment Boycott

Since the announcement of the Black Police Association (BPA) boycott of recruitment, HR has been closely monitoring activity to assess impact on recruitment numbers and diversity at various stages of the recruitment process.

A whole range of indicators across all areas of recruitment have been identified. In relation to registering and attending events and the receipt of applications, all point to the same conclusion. At this time there has been no discernable negative impact and in relation to large events such as Eid and Diwali, registrations of interest have increased significantly.

A number of key events support this assessment and in particular the large PCSO Recruitment Event at the Camden Centre over the weekend of 18th / 19th October where 671 members of the public attended and registered for an application pack, of whom 44% were BME male and 17% BME female.

Application Details to 26 October 2008

• PCSOs 566 apps 33% BME
• Police Officers 801 apps 18% BME
• Transferees & Rejoiners 71 apps 10% BME

All are in line with our projections for the year.

Traditionally the presence of the Recruitment Bus at events like Eid and Diwali has been an opportunity for the MPS to actively demonstrate support for minority communities during important religious celebrations, and in relation to Diwali, this year the increase in BME registrations of interest has been a massive 164%.

These large and high profile events in Central London continue to provide a valuable indicator and assessment of the pre-employment situation and equally taking into account the ongoing application data, there has been no significant impact

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