Headline performance report 12 months to August 2009

Report: 7
Date: 15 October 2009
By: Deputy Commissioner on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

This report provides an overview of progress against targets set for Critical Performance Areas and other corporate measures featured in the Policing London Business Plan 2009–12.

A. Recommendation

That members note the latest performance against the Policing Plan and the MPS’s activity underway to improve outcomes.

B. Supporting information

Introduction

1. This report provides an update on progress against our key areas of performance. The Policing London Business Plan 2009-12 highlights how the MPS, supported by the MPA, will deliver the two key outcomes of improved safety and improved public confidence (along with ensuring that we do so efficiently and with a clear focus on productivity). Our Policing Plan, underpinned by the 5Ps, has been developed to sustain the crime reduction that has been achieved over the last ten years and, at the same time, increase public trust and confidence in the MPS.

2. In September we highlighted some key issues such as serious sexual offences, most serious violence, gun crime and residential burglary, and we continue to focus on these.

3. As usual, our aim is to focus discussion on areas we are looking to improve. The following paragraphs report performance by exception against those indicators where this month it appears there is greatest need for action.

Technical note

4. A proforma detailing the indicators to be reported within the Headline Performance report throughout 2009/10 was presented and approved at the June Strategic and Operational Policing Committee. This report provides data for the rolling year to August 2009 in the format agreed. Public confidence and user satisfaction data is published quarterly. Where the data is the same as the previous report that will be indicated by “data unchanged since last report”.

5. The report comprises two main sections:

• 'Critical Performance Areas' (CPAs) - the corporate ‘critical few’ measures highlighted in the Policing Plan (Appendix 1).
• Other Corporate Policing Plan Indicators – all non-CPA corporate measures featured in the Policing Plan (Appendix 2).

6. Where possible, performance for the rolling year to August 2009 has been shown. Rolling 12-month figures are used as these help smooth distortions attributable to seasonal factors. Year to date performance reflects the period from April to August 2009 compared to the same period last year. Performance is shown against the 2009/10 targets and assessed using a red, amber or green traffic light.

• ‘Green’ status indicates performance on or above target.
• ‘Amber’ status indicates performance marginally below target.
• ‘Red’ status indicates exceptions where performance is well below target and appears at risk unless remedial action is taken.

No traffic light status has been shown for those indicators where there is no data relating to the current performance year e.g. Confidence in local policing, which uses British Crime Survey (BCS) data to March 2009.

Current performance focus

Most serious violence (MSV)

7. MSV has increased by 0.5% over the period April – August 2009 compared to the same period in 2008. Comparison is only available over the year-to-date due to the changes in MSV recording practices brought in by the Home Office from April 2008. The combined measure of MSV and Assault with Injury (AWI) has increased by 1.7% over the same period and there has been an increase in gun crime, as detailed in a section below. However, within MSV, homicides have reduced by 36 offences (46%) over the five month period. There are also reductions within serious youth violence (down 5.9%, 181 fewer victims) and knife crime (down 5.5%, 303 offences) over the same period.

8. A recent report on MSV highlighted that 13% of MSV resulted from domestic violence (DV), while drink is involved in nearly half of non DV MSV. Knives are used in about a quarter of MSV and 4% involve shootings. This detailed analysis prompted a variety of questions and recommendations which will be used to ensure our response to MSV is optimal.

9. As reported in the last Headline Performance report, Operation Verano commenced on 6 July 2009 and was scheduled to run until 4 October. Judging the centralized intelligence and fast time operational response to be effective, the MPS has decided to extend Verano into January 2010.

Serious Acquisitive Crime

10. Serious acquisitive crime comprises residential burglary, robbery and motor vehicle crime. As a whole, serious acquisitive crime is down 5.1% over the rolling year.

11. This reduction, however, masks a 2.6% increase (1,573 offences) in residential burglary over the same period and 8.3% for the year to date. As previously reported some of this increase accounts for an uplift in residential burglaries where the only property taken is the vehicle. There are a number of proactive operations being undertaken to address this criminality, including 8 cross border operations targeting car key burglars that are driven by organised criminal networks.

12. The residential burglary trends for 2008/09 were approximately comparable with those for 2007/08, until December 2008 when they began to rise. There is scope to achieve a reduction in residential burglary for 2009/10 if the MPS can minimise the seasonal rise that usually occurs in the autumn and winter through the initiatives (e.g. Operation Bumblebee) being undertaken.

13. Motor vehicle crime remains on a downward trend (-9.3%) and is at its lowest level in any 12 month period since at least 1998/99. Over the year to date robbery also rose by 2.3%. Robbery amongst school age victims has decreased but there is a slight increase in the over 17s mostly during Friday and Saturday nights.

Serious sexual offences sanction detection rate

14. Over the 12 months to August, the sanction detection rate (SD) for serious sexual offences was 28.1%, against a target of 31% for 2009/10. Whilst the SD rate improved by over 5% points between 2007/08 and 2008/09 (from 25.0% to 30.1%), it has since fallen.

15. Information was requested at the last meeting on the conviction rate for serious sexual offences. The Offences Brought To Justice (OBTJ) rate is almost the same as the conviction rate because there are very few OBTJs for this crime type that do not result in convictions. Police forces are dependent on the Government for OBTJ information because the data comes from the courts. As a result, the MPS uses SD rate as a proxy measure.

16. The latest available Home Office’s data shows the OBTJ rate for those offences for the MPS is 24.8% and the MPS is fourth in its Home Office group of three other Most Similar Forces (MSF).

17. A number of activities are underway as reported last month. Most significantly the new SCD2 Sapphire OCU was established on 23 September 2009. When Sapphire was first launched in 2001, it revolutionised the way the Met investigated rape and sexual assault. This latest change follows an in-depth assessment of our response as we continually look for ways to improve.

• There will be greater consistency of service delivery thanks to a single command structure and emphasis will remain on local delivery to ensure victims receive the earliest and most appropriate support possible. The new Sapphire teams will be based at 18 sites across London, enabling more effective deployment and a 24-hour capability.
• The new structure will enable greater co-ordination between investigation teams, including quicker and easier information sharing.
• A new intelligence unit is being developed, subject to funding, to be fully functional from April 2010 to share information between the Sapphire teams, the rest of the MPS and partner agencies.
• A 'Continuous Improvement team' has been set up to review and inspect working practices and make recommendations to improve constantly.

Police officer recruits from minority ethnic groups

18. The proportion of BE recruits is 14.9% over the rolling year, against a target to increase to 20%. This proportion has reduced since the 2008/09 year end, when the figure stood at 16.2%.

19. A total of 386 BE police recruits joined the MPS during the 12 months to August 2009. Our current application pool would have delivered the necessary level of BE appointments but for having to re-profile the deployment plan due to our significantly reduced wastage. This has severely impacted upon our opportunity to change how the organization looks.

20. BME police officer strength has increased from 2,624 in August 2008 to 2,986 in August 2009, an increase of 362 officers. This represents 9.0% of the total police officer strength of 33,193 and is the same as last month which was the highest level ever recorded within the MPS.

Gun crime

21. For the year to date there has been a 13.9% increase (174 offences) in reported gun crime. This short term performance, however, must be viewed in the context of the 25.8% decrease achieved over the whole of 2008/09. The largest percentage rise in the year to date is in MSV which went up by 72% (113 offences).

22. Within this overall rise, there have been 88 more SCUD Trident gun crime offences, which whilst relatively small in actual numbers, represent a 120% increase in the number of offences for the same period last year. However last year saw significantly lower levels of offences across the MPS in comparison to most previous years. The offences measured within 'gun crime' as a category include those charged for possession of a firearm with intent. These charges directly reflect police proactivity. Notably, between April and the end of August 2009 SCUD Trident seized 44 firearms, an increase of 29% on the previous year.

23. The biggest increase in gun crime in numbers for the year to date is robbery with 137 more offences (23.3%). Robberies currently account for over half of recorded gun crime and it is important to note that in very few of these cases is a firearm discharged. Moreover, in a significant percentage of cases, the presence of a firearm is intimated by offenders who convince their victims that they are armed. The methods used by SCD7 in partnership with Boroughs and the industry on commercial robbery are recognised nationally as best practice and deliver strong detection and conviction rates, and this work is being constantly developed to enhance performance.

Serious Acquisitive Crime SD rate

24. The rolling year SD rate is 10.0%, against a target of 11.8% and a rate of 11.2% for the preceding 12 months. The main drop is within residential burglary – down 2.4% points over the last year (12.2% over the RY to July 09, compared with 14.6% for the previous twelve months. Our approach to addressing this performance area is encompassed in our overall approach to tackling Serious Acquisitive Crime (SAC).

Assets Recovered

25. The value of assets recovered has moved from green to red. This is mainly because August 2008, in which £12.7m was recovered, is no longer in the rolling 12 months. The average value of assets recovered April - August 2009 was £2.6m against target monthly average of £3.75m. There is considerable monthly variation - in the last 12 months the range is £9.6m - £1.3m.

26. The MPS is seeking funds through the London Criminal Justice Board for more asset recovery activity. The proposal is with the Home Secretary. A review of the MPS’s programme to mainstream the proceeds of crime act (POCA) is underway. It has a number of recommendations to improve POCA performance and they will be considered by the Payback Programme Board chaired by AC Dick.

Criminal Networks

27. There will be more criminal network disruption panels during the autumn (only three were held during August, the peak summer holiday period), which should lead to an improved performance going forward. Eleven panels were held during September and five are planned for October. An average of 12 criminal network disruption claims/panel are considered.

MPS refreshed approach to Performance Management

28. As mentioned last month, we have continued to consolidate our overall approach to managing performance through the development of our refreshed Performance Management Framework. One of the themes around which this framework is built is “Ensure performance analysis effectively informs senior level decision-making.” As a result, a series of in depth analyses and discussions surrounding performance issues have been commissioned. Topics include MSV, gun crime and burglary.

C. Race and equality impact

Implications of performance against individual targets relating to race and equality issues are considered in in-depth performance reports throughout the year. This report notes exceptions in strategic disproportionality indicators where applicable.

D. Financial implications

The content of this report raises no additional financial implications beyond forecasts and estimates previously presented to the authority.

E. Legal implications

1. There are no direct legal implications arising, as this is a performance monitoring report.

2. The MPA has a duty to secure the maintenance of an efficient and effective police force for its area and a duty to hold the chief officer of police of the force to account for the exercise of his functions and those persons under his direction and control, under s6 of the Police Act 1996.

3. The MPA also have a specific duty to monitor the MPS’s performance against the Policing Plan under s6ZA of the Police Act 1996, as inserted by paragraph 8, Schedule 2 of the Police & Justice Act 2006 and the Police Authorities (Particular Functions & Transitional Provisions) Order 2008.

4. The Committee is the relevant committee to receive the report as its terms of reference set out it is responsible for considering and maintaining police performance against the Policing Plan targets and any performance indicators set locally or by external organisations.

F. Background papers

• None

G. Contact details

Report authors: Katy Tuncer, Neeraj Sharad, David Dibble, Sarah Hedgcock, Worth Houghton, MPS Strategy and Improvement Department

For information contact:

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

Acronym List

AC

Assistant Commissioner

AWI

Assault with Injury

BCS

British Crime Survey

BE

Black and Minority Ethnic

CPAs

Critical Performance Areas

DV

Domestic Violence

MIB

Met Intelligence Bureau

MPA

Metropolitan Police Authority

MPS

Metropolitan Police Service

MSF

Most Similar Force

MSV

Most Serious Violence

OBTJ

Offences Brought To Justice

OCU

Operational Command Unit

POCA

Proceeds of Crime Act

SAC

Serious Acquisitive Crime

SCD

Specialist Crime Directorate

SD

Sanction Detection Rate

SOP

Strategic and Operational Policing

SPI

Statutory Performance Indicator

TP

Territorial Policing

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