SCD2 implementation update report

Report: 7
Date: 4 March 2010
By: Assistant Commissioner Specialist Crime on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

SCD2 took responsibility for investigation of rape and serious sexual assault on 23 September 2009. This report updates members on emerging issues since the last Committee meeting on 15 October 2009.

The report describes the various current and planned reviews. It highlights the increases in recorded offences and workloads and the decrease sanction detection rate. There have been some notable investigative successes. Recruitment and training have continued as planned. The new intelligence unit will be fully operational in April 2010. Community engagement and partnership working is strong.

A. Recommendation

That

1. Members note the content of this report.
2. This report be submitted as the update from the last meeting on 15 October 2009.

B. Supporting information

Introduction

1. Since 23 September SCD2 has undertaken 1400 new investigations, of which 961 are rapes, in addition to previous allegations handed over from Territorial Policing. The new structure is providing a 24 hour investigative response to allegations and deployment of SOITs to victims of all serious sexual offences.

2. The number of rapes recorded across the MPS has risen by 28.4% year to date, being an additional 513 offences, whilst the sanctioned detection rate for rape is 25% against 33% the previous year to date. This equates to 577 charges this year, 23 less than last year. The increase in offences is placing unpredicted demands on staff within the Command, the greatest pressure being on SOITs of which there are currently 119 posts.

3. The newly formed intelligence unit is on track for full capability by April 2010 and has already enhanced the MPS’s ability to identify more quickly linked series of offences and daily to review all new cases against a risk matrix, to help manage and track cases of specific concern. SCD2 has also accepted responsibility for all outstanding wanted rape suspects and with specialist support, is actively progressing enquiries to locate and arrest dangerous individuals.

4. The Crime Academy continues to deliver the new Sexual Offence Investigation Course, plus SOIT training for new SCD2 staff. Recruitment to replace the 90 TP officers who were on six month attachments until April 2010, is continuing. The command has had an average of 12 vacancies since September but full staffing is expected from April. SCD1 continues to support SCD2 and has accepted three separate linked series rape investigations since October 2009 and assisted with suspect identification and arrests.

5. Community engagement continues to develop and the Haven partnership is strong and adapting to the increased reporting by victims.

6. SCD2 is undergoing a series of planned reviews to assess the capability required to manage the unprecedented rise in recorded rape offences and to identify the full range of benefits delivered by this major change project.

Planned reviews

1. Since October 2009 the Sapphire Command, Specialist Crime Directorate 2, (SCD2) has initiated a variety of reviews which seek to assess the command’s current performance, improvements in operational delivery and victim management. The following is a summary of those reviews:

SCD2 Continuous Improvement Team (CIT) reviews (ongoing)

2. The SCD2 CIT is currently working to a timetable of independent reviews of each SCD2 investigation team. The team utilises a template of investigative and victim management criteria to assess how each team is performing and what working practices need further development in order to ensure compliance with SCD2 standard operating procedures. The CIT report their findings to the two-weekly senior management team meetings. Findings from each inspection are fully recorded and stored within SCD2.

3. The CIT has also undertaken a staff exit survey of Territorial Policing (TP) officers who are on attachment to the command until 31 March 2010. This has provided an opportunity to identify what factors may help attract officers to join SCD2 in the future.

MPS Performance Improvement Unit (PIU) debrief (7 January 2010)

4. The PIU recently held a debrief of those involved with the implementation of SCD2. The findings, yet to be published, will be used to inform future MPS projects.

SCD20 (2) Specialist Crime Review Group (SCRG) inspection (early February 2010)

5. The SCRG will review a variety of rape investigations to identify where SCD2’s investigative processes can be improved, and also to identify and share best practice.

The ACPO Rape Support Team (week commencing 8 February 2010)

6. Representatives of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) Rape Working Group will review CPS London and SCD2’s compliance with the joint ACPO/Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) 2009 guidelines. This will apply to both the investigation teams and the new Intelligence Unit.

MPS Performance Board (23 February 2010)

7. The Board will consider an In Depth Review (IDR) similar to the Most Serious Violence IDR in 2009. The report will utilise a variety of empirical data to identify what factors impact on SCD2’s ability to perform its key functions to a high standard. It will also provide options to improve performance where relevant.

MPS Strategy and Improvement Department (SID) review (February - April 2010)

8. The SID will assess both the transition process between TP and SCD2 as well as the organisational learning from the movement of responsibility of a crime-type from a generalist to a specialist function.

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) review of SCD2 (anticipated in late 2010)

9. This review is likely to concentrate on the transitional arrangements, compliance to national policy and how the MPS is performing in a national context.

The SCD2 performance management framework and its effectiveness

10 Performance management within SCD2 is achieved through a variety of processes. On a daily basis all crimes are reviewed by the SCD Crime Management Unit (CMU), who quality assure the standard of crime reports in line with the National Crime Reporting Standards. The CMU also ensure the correct allocation of recorded sexual offences within MPS units according to remit and quality assures all ‘no crime’ and Crime Related Incident (CRI) recording decisions. Crimes and intelligence from the previous 24 hours are reviewed in the SCD2 Daily Management Meeting, which is chaired by the SCD2 Chief Superintendent. This ensures daily scrutiny of operational activity, risk identification and management.

11. SCD2 detection and recorded offence data is documented within a monthly and weekly Sexual Offences Report which reports on all sexual offences across the MPS by geographic location and investigating unit. Some elements of this data are also reproduced within the Monthly Public Protection Report. Both of these products are published by the MPS Performance Information Bureau (PIB). SCD2 performance and resource demand is managed through the two-weekly Co-ordination and Tasking Meeting and Management Meeting, both chaired by the OCU Commander.

12. Performance data relating to sickness, compulsory training, budgets and other management data is provided by the SCD1/2 Business Support team in a Monthly Management Report. This is reviewed by the SCD2 senior management team and any resulting actions are raised and tracked through this monthly meeting.

An overview of SCD2 performance and actions to address performance needs

13. SCD2 does not currently have specific detection or crime reduction targets, though it does contribute towards the MPS’s current rape detection rate target of 36%. Future performance measures for SCD2 are currently under review, which may include prosecution attrition rates, the timeliness of a SOIT officer contacting victims after they first report to police, victims’ satisfaction in the service we provide and their confidence and willingness to report offences.

14. Table 1 provides SCD2 rape offence detection data across all the teams between October and December 2009, compared with the period the previous year when Sapphire investigations were undertaken by TP.

Table 1. SCD2 Performance between October and December 2009

15. The table identifies that SCD2 has investigated 69% more offences than TP did in the same quarter of the previous year. This is especially relevant as SCD2’s staffing allocation was based upon recorded crime figures in 2008/9 which now appear to be unrepresentative of demands currently placed on the MPS. The number of detections and the percentage detection rate, are both lower than in the previous year, being 25% against 33%, which equates to 577 charges, 23 less than last year. There are a variety of reasons for this decrease in detections. Firstly, the increase in recorded rape offences has put significant additional demands on investigators. Secondly, creating a large operational command may have impacted on early performance as teams form and relationships with the CPS develop. Finally, many of the crimes investigated by SCD2 since September 2009 relate to suspects who are yet to be charged. As such, the number of SCD2 detections will increase over time and a more valid indication of future detection rates will become clearer in the medium- term. Within this rise in offences, intimate offences - where the suspect and victim are in a relationship - have risen by 36%. These offences pose a particular challenge to investigators and prosecutors alike where issues of consent and a lack of independent witnesses are central to the case.

16. Despite these challenges, the command has achieved some significant successes in securing 207 detections for rape and 92 additional charges for other serious sexual offences.

17. There have been a number of notable successes in charging suspects for linked series crimes, including a case dating from 2008 with 42 linked crimes of minor sexual assault on schoolgirls, for which the suspect was arrested and remanded in February 2010, through joint working led by SCD2 with staff from SCD1 and TP Boroughs; a case involving two separate investigations into two linked rape and attempted rapes in October 2009 in West London, where the suspect was identified through a separate investigation into the rape and burglary of an elderly woman in January 2010 and again, is now charged and remanded in custody.

18 The data in Table 1 shows a significant rise in recorded rape offences between the two periods. The reasons for this rise have been analysed by the Met Intelligence Bureau (MIB) (as outlined below). 40% of the rise is attributed to improved crime management. This improvement has had a negative impact on the rape detection rate as recorded offences are higher than they would have been, if the CMU hadn’t performed that function. As such, it can be inferred that the performance framework is delivering improved crime management.

19. 5% of the rise is a result of increased reporting from the Havens which could be a result of the ongoing SCD2 / Haven partnership media campaigns which has resulted in increased victim awareness. Such higher levels of reporting are very positive outcomes for SCD2 and the Havens partnership.

20. SCD2 will continually seek to improve its performance through both detection and victim management. The reviews undertaken during Spring 2010 will inform future decision-making about how the command can further improve its working practices, manage the unprecedented rise in recorded rape offences and meet future performance objectives.

SCD2 staffing levels, attendance at SCD2 training and resource management

21. SCD2 has been running with approximately 10 DC vacancies since 23 September 2009. There have been no long term vacancies in relation to Sexual offences Investigative Trained officers. From 1 April 2010, SCD2 will have a total budgeted strength of 408 officers and staff (of which 24 posts are new establishment for the Intelligence Unit). Trained Sexual Offences Investigative Techniques (SOIT) officers have been recruited and others are being trained prior to filling vacancies. The command is fully recruited to fill all projected vacancies from April 2010 except for 20 Detective Constables (DCs) and 1 intelligence post. A recruitment plan is in place to address this.

22. All SCD2 officers are already either trained detectives or trained SOITS before they join the OCU and undertake the SCD2 course. The SCD2 Course dates have been set for 2010. As at 7 February 70% of SCD2 staff have either completed the training or been allocated a course date. The remaining staff will be allocated training once a course date becomes available.

23. Wider resource issues beyond the control of SCD2, such as accommodation, equipment and support from TP offices, are reviewed within the SCD2 Project Board meetings and SCD2 management meetings.

A rationale for the increase in reporting, its trends and management by SCD2 teams

24 The MIB Serious Sexual Offences Desk has published analysis of four years of recorded sexual offences data. The report (dated 8 January 2010) identifies that since June of this financial year recorded rapes have been higher every month than they were in 2008/09 and are at the highest monthly levels for four years. Figure 1 indicates that this trend appears to be growing with the last two reported months (September and October) recording a 75% (n=+117) and 68.9% (n=+113) rise over the same months in 2008/09. For the year to date up to and including October the MPS is currently recording a 24.9% (n=+329) rise in rape.

Figure 1 - see supporting material

25. MIB’s research also indicates that rape offences recorded as a proportion of all sexual offences, are increasing. Additionally, the level of recorded rapes is rising faster than the level of other sexual offences. Between June and October 2008 922 rapes were recorded in London compared with 1,266 in the same period in 2009. This is an increase of 344, or 37.3%. Within this comparison, stranger 1 offences (where the victim has had no prior contact with the suspect) have shown the greatest rise (67%), followed by familial offences (offences within the family group) (45%). Intimate offences (where suspect and victim are in a relationship) have shown a slower rise at 36%.

26. The cause of the increase in rape offences since June 2009 can only be partially explained by the analysis. Just under half of the recorded rise in rape can be attributed to the reduction in ‘no crime’ recording (32%), the rise in Haven reporting (5%) and a reduction in rape offences being downgraded (8%) following initial classification as a rape. Analysis cannot identify the cause of the remainder of the rise, but it is likely to be attributed to factors such as increased offending (causing a rise in reports), a rise in reporting influenced by awareness campaigns and high profile media coverage of recent rape trials, or both. The suspect and victim profiles have not fluctuated greatly, though the levels have increased, in proportion. The changes of note are a small increase in multi-perpetrator suspects and victims with mental health needs, both of which are topics included in the SCD2 training course, as is the issue of considering the use of intermediaries for interviews with our most vulnerable victims.

27. The reviews this Spring will assist in identifying how SCD2’s configuration and working practices can be managed in order to best manage this significant rise in reporting.

Developments in relation to partnership working with Havens, CPS and voluntary sector partners

28. The SCD2 Sapphire Partnership Team continues to lead the MPS response to victim care through the Havens Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs). In addition to chairing the Haven Strategic Board, the MPS links with surrounding police areas through leadership of the South East Regional SARC Group. National ‘good practice’ and policy is promoted through SCD2 membership of the National SARC steering group and Department of Health National Support Team (NST).

29. During the latter part of 2009, the Haven Communication Group delivered an awareness campaign. This included radio adverts aimed at both genders. A new poster campaign has been delivered across the London Transport network at key hubs, public spaces and gyms. A carefully targeted campaign focussing on gay male victims has been delivered in club washrooms. All the campaigns focus on the Havens website and text service. Considering the 5% increase in rape reporting from the Havens, it could be inferred that increased media and awareness has been successful.

30. In October 2009 the Havens won the Partnership Award at the National Justice Awards for the joint working of the NHS, MPS and CPS and the Havens Asian Development Worker, Harpreet Sihota, was a finalist in the Daily Mirror People’s Award for her commitment for developing services for South Asian women.

31. The MPS continues to work with Criminal Justice Agencies to develop working practices. All Sapphire DIs have established regular meetings with their local CPS Branch Crown Prosecutors. The meetings will review local performance against nationally agreed protocols. At a strategic level, a new Serious Sexual Offences Working Group is being formed to take over from the London Criminal Justice Board Rape Convictions Working Group. This new group will be chaired at MPS ACPO level.

32 The overall role of the group will be to identify and look at ways of:

• Reducing the attrition rate in prosecutions
• Managing the risks in cases where prosecution is not an outcome
• Securing more successful outcomes in the courts
• Getting cases through the process quicker (arrest to disposal)
• Improving the overall service provided to victims and witnesses

33. Additionally, the CPS is currently developing plans to form a team of dedicated rape charging lawyers. This team will seek to provide greater consistency in the advice and decision-making process during the charging process. Current data indicates the need for such improvements. For example, comparisons have been made between the MPS and ‘most similar forces’’ ‘offences brought to justice’ (OBTJ) rates as well as ‘unsuccessful outcomes’ rates within the criminal justice system. These comparisons show that there are opportunities to improve overall performance which regard to rape and serious sexual offences within the criminal justice system.

The implementation of the SCD2 community engagement strategy and feedback from victims

34. The SCD2 Community Engagement Strategy is being implemented at three levels. The first is a police engagement network, within MPS business groups and other police areas. The second level is through established partner agencies. The final level is with identified community groups to be included in the Sapphire Reference Group. The Reference Group will meet regularly and has set out a planned time table for addressing four ‘cross-cutting issues’. The identified areas for 2009 are; learning disabilities, young people, domestic and honour based violence and new communities. The first of these meetings will be held in February 2010.

35. At a local level all Sapphire DIs have objectives to develop local Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Forums in order to build upon the good work developed in Boroughs, such as Tower Hamlets. The MPS is also examining the concept of undertaking victim surveys during investigations, as well as at the conclusion (as happens at present), in order to assess and improve our quality of service to victims.

The creation of the intelligence unit and related issues

36. The deadline for the completion of the SCD2 Intelligence Unit project is 1 April 2010. The unit will provide tactical intelligence support to investigation teams whilst linking to the strategic work of the MIB Serious Sexual Offences Desk. A variety of developments have been successfully trialled. In particular, the learning from Operations Danzey and Anflora has been incorporated with regard to the design and use of a linked series identification and tasking process. The unit has almost completed recruitment and training of staff and is well advanced in designing its systems and processes, which are being trialled on some live cases.

37. The SCD2 intelligence lead also chairs the MPS Sexual Offences Intelligence Working Group (SIWG). The SIWG is formed from representatives from all the MPS commands which manage sexual offences intelligence. Its function is to review all the MPS intelligence processes which relate to this crime type with a view to improving their effectiveness and reducing public protection risks. This has led to a variety of improvements in working practices.

Additional information

38. The creation of the Sapphire Command with its dedicated Senior Management Team and their daily review of all new crimes, has raised the profile, understanding of and focus on Rape and Serious Sexual Offences within the MPS. Their daily appreciation of the severity and extent of offending and their single focus on ensuring that the most severe risks are identified, assessed and managed, has reduced the risk to the MPS of repeat offending going unnoticed or poorly investigated. The number of high risk cases and the extent of the harm caused to many victims, pose greater challenges than was anticipated and the wider support from other SCD and Borough teams has been essential in managing the transition from TP to SCD and the increase in reporting, without mishap.

39. The increase in reporting and compliance with crime recording standards must be seen as a positive outcome of the new Command. The MPS recognises that the resultant increase of demand on Sapphire teams must be appropriately resourced in order to deliver the standards that have been set out for the Command in respect of victim care, investigation quality and prosecution effectiveness.

40. Since September 2009, SCD2 has accepted three linked series investigations from TP and in addition, has worked with the MIB to identify six further series of crimes, of which offenders have now been charged in four of these cases. The two most complex of these nine linked series, have now been passed to SCD1 for investigation.

41. Appendix 1 - an organisational chart which incorporates the SCD2 command structure.

C. Race and equality impact

1. The majority of reports of rape within London are from female complainants (96% female) with an over-representation of black victims (23%) and under-representation of white (59%) and Asian victims (7%). A third of complainants are under 18. From British Crime Survey data it is acknowledged that all rape and sexual offending is under reported by as much as 75-80%.

2. The high proportion of young victims is of particular concern and youth is an acknowledged additional vulnerability factor when assessing the risks posed to a victim on reporting and the risks to the likelihood of a successful prosecution. As a result, additional support through the Haven’s youth workers, Victim Support, Children and Young People’s Services and other local authority support services will be offered wherever possible.

3. Women are understood to be disproportionately more likely to be victims than men, which helps to explain why they experience greater fears about rape than any other offence. This fact continues to support a gender inequality in this category of offending and inevitably links it to related offending such as domestic violence, forced marriages, honour based crimes, female genital mutilation and prostitution.

4. It is also acknowledged that under-reporting applies to the rape of both male and female victims. To improve the MPS support for all victims, SCD2 has developed a new Community Engagement Strategy, an element of which is the establishment of a Sapphire Reference Group. Its remit will include:

• Harnessing the views of external stakeholders representing victim interests
• Helping to improve service delivery to victims and to increase public confidence
• Assessing the impact of policing or policies in relevant communities
• Providing support to critical incident reviews and ‘Gold Groups’ at the request of the OCU Commander.
• Identifying multi-agency action to support the most vulnerable groups such as young people, the elderly, those with mental health issues, drink and drug addictions.

5. The Reference Group will meet on 22 February 2010 and run the first of a series of ‘cross-cutting’ themed sessions which is based on learning disabilities.

6. A ‘listening session’ took place on 25 October 2009 to gather feedback on actions to date, to review the community engagement strategy and membership of the new Reference Group. A briefing on its findings was given to SCD2 Project Board on 18 January 2010 and will be progressed by the CIT.

7. SCD2 will also become a key member of the SCD Diversity Plan and is currently devising a Diversity Plan for the new OCU with the support of Ann Middleton, the SCD Diversity lead.

8. The gender mix of staff within SCD2 is currently 59% female, of whom seven police officers are currently on maternity leave. The SCD Diversity lead will closely monitor staffing issues for impact on operational capability, supervision standards, caseload of teams and budgetary implications.

D. Financial implications

1. The activities outlined above are all delivered within the agreed budget transfer from Territorial Policing of £11.75m for the 6 months to the end of the current financial year. This will increase to £23.5m for the full year of 2010/11. An additional £1.3m budget will also be allocated to SCD2 from 2010/11 to enable the set up and running of the intelligence unit.

E. Legal implications

1. There are no direct legal implications arising, as this is an information report.

F. Background papers

None

G. Contact details

Report author: Detective Superintendent Jason Ashwood SCD2, MPS

For information contact:

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

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