Update on the development of the Metropolitan Police Service Anti-Violence Strategy

Report: 9
Date: 17 March 2011
By: Assistant Commissioner, Territorial Policing on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

This report sets out the progress made with the implementation of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Anti Violence Strategy since the last report to the Committee on 14th October 2010.

A. Recommendation

That

1. Members note the contents of this paper and make any comments.

B. Supporting information

1. The report to the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) of the 14th October set out how the Anti Violence Strategy is to be implemented and sets out the three strands. These were:

1. Implementation of a ‘Reassurance; Intelligence; Prevention; Enforcement (RIPE)’ delivery plan with work-streams reflecting the acronym’s component parts;
2. Development of an anti violence performance management framework; and,
3. Engagement of strategic partners in the development of an anti-violence strategy for London

Update on Anti violence Strategy

Implementation of a ‘Reassurance; Intelligence; Prevention; Enforcement delivery plan

2. The MPS has completed the work required to ensure that MPS Intelligence Units with Area Command, Borough and relevant specialist Operation Command Units (OCU) use best practice methodology to develop anti violence Intelligence.

Work continues to identify and tackle the linkages between violent crime types using the Victim Offender Location Time (VOLT) model and the use of random choice theory and the Scanning, Analysis, Response, Assessment (SARA) risk assessment model. Work is also on going to develop robust processes to prioritise the most dangerous offenders, most vulnerable victims, and most challenged locations. This work involves the Business Groups, Metropolitan Police Intelligence Bureau (MIB) and the Intelligence Standards Units (ISU) all of whom are working together to achieve the objective.

3. Developing the sharing of intelligence between partners is a key strand. A strategic group representing key partners (Association of London Directors of Children Services, London safeguarding Children’s Board, MPS, GLA, NHS London, and London Probation) has been formed. They have agreed that a framework of best practice be built to help boroughs learn from each other’s experiences in the work already done on this subject and allow adaptation to the local environment. It will also allow central guidance and evaluation to achieve commonality across London. Currently the MPS has one officer assigned to this project, who is being assisted by the London Safeguarding Children’s Board.

4. The ALDCS has been instrumental in suggesting ten boroughs that would be interested and well placed to take this forward. Those boroughs were invited to an opening event t on 28 February at City Hall. They were asked to identify blockages and good practice in overcoming those problems. This will form the basis of the framework, and these boroughs will be invited to consider piloting this project. Early indications suggest that there will be some collaboration between boroughs. In particular they identified the co-location of partners and common process as key to implementing this initiative. The ten boroughs are:

• Westminster;
• Hackney;
• Hammersmith and Fulham;
• Tower Hamlets;
• Kensington and Chelsea;
• Waltham Forest;
• Lambeth;
• Harrow;
• Southwark; and
• Brent.

5. There appears to be significant appetite at the local level to progress, with the example of Hackney’ Partnership Triage Unit and Devon’s Multi Agency safeguarding Hubs (MASH) highlighted as good practice to be built upon. The strategic group is meeting again to decide on the next steps, from which clearer timescales will be achievable. As a key partner, Health is being engaged by Professor Sir George Alberti, of Kings College Hospital and NHS London. With the changes to the health landscape, engagement through the Health and Well Being Boards, and directly with GP consortia, offers the opportunity for greater health involvement at the local level. In addition the Service Director for the largest Children’s and Adolescent Mental Health Services in the country has indicated a willingness to sponsor this initiative within the South London and Maudsley (SLAM) trust.

6. As a part of the reassurance strand, plans to record the experiences of a significant violent criminal who is anxious to become a role model to divert young people from violence are progressing. The Design Studio, Editing Suite, Directorate of Public Affairs, the Directorate of Legal Services and Procurement Services are all providing support and assistance for this project. It is anticipated that “David’s Story” will be completed by the spring.

David's story in Strathclyde is deemed to be a success in galvanising the partnership drive to tackle violence. It is accepted that violence is solvable, but not by the police or any one agency alone. Therefore any response needs to be focussed and consider 'what works' or example, early years intervention.

The London equivalent is being progressed to cement partnership progress in line with the 4 strands of the nearly created Anti-Violence Partnership.

There may then be roll out of the presentation, with the appropriate marketing strategy. At this stage more work will be done with communities in London to ensure that the message is adapted to the audience.

Development of an anti violence performance management framework

7. Repeat callers are now being monitored weekly with record level data being produced and published by Performance Information Bureau (PIB) on their Intranet site for use by all Borough Operational Command Units (BOCUs).

In relation to repeat victims of violence against the person, robbery and burglary and sexual offence, these are now monitored in the two week period of the report and are checked to see whether the person has been a victim of that type of crime within the last year.

Repeat missing persons are being monitored on a monthly basis with the information being broken down to BOCU level. The data also provides information on whether individuals have been missing on more than one occasion during a particular month.

For repeat offenders, performance is monitored for all offences excluding drugs over a two week period as per the frequency of the report. Due to the volume this looks at PNC ID number of offenders who have offended four times or more within the last year and at least once within the last fortnight.

Finally, the record level data is now made available in the fortnightly Strategic Performance Package for all BOCUs to take action as appropriate.

Engagement of strategic partners in the development of an anti-violence strategy for London

8. Since the initial workshop on 1st November 2010, partners have been working together to develop a proposal for a London Anti Violence Partnership. This offer was taken to the London Crime Reduction Board (LCRB) on 7th December, where agreement was given for further development of the board and the proposed strands. An update on this work was provided to the LCRB executive on 18th January 2011.

9. Currently there are four strands to the work of the partnership:

• Delivery of a multi-agency approach to troubling families where youth violence and adult behaviours creates a safeguarding issue
• Developing closer strategic coordination between safeguarding children, safeguarding adult and public protection approaches
• Coordination of violence focused interventions
• Supporting the economic case for investment in early years interventions and the commissioning of evidence based interventions across the piece, including violence

10. In addition is the role of Operation Connect, a practical example of putting the principles into action. The operation will focus on reducing gang related violence by concentrating on the high harm gangs and individuals in those locations most affected. The MPS is committing dedicated resources to conduct covert and overt enforcement activity. The operation will dovetail into existing partnership activity in the relevant boroughs and will provide enhanced pathways opportunities based on best practice and evaluation.

11. Success will be achieved through the effective coordination of partnership activity and violence based interventions to ensure an ongoing reduction in violence in the location after the enforcement activity has finished. The learning from the ‘Pathways’ pilot programs will be utilised to ensure local communities are fully involved whilst partners are committed to provide both help for individuals to exit a gang lifestyle and robust enforcement opportunities are fully supported. There is an obvious link to key elements of the ‘Time for Action’ program.

12. Progress has also been made on the strand to deliver closer strategic coordination between safeguarding children, safeguarding adults and public protection. The work on this reflects aspirations of a joint Home Office and Ministry of Justice Ministerial note being drafted on public protection and safeguarding practice guidance.

13. Initial meeting with strategic partners has been set for February involving safeguarding adults, children and public protection. A pan London policy and procedure is being launched to safeguard adults from abuse and signed off by the MPS. There are opportunities for utilising this new document in shaping progress both within MPS and across partnerships.

14. Within the MPS, Commander Simon Foy is arranging a meeting between Territorial Policing and Specialist Crime Directorate to explore opportunities for closer cooperation and working. A recent review of MPS adult safeguarding has identified a need for a performance management framework and the identification of vulnerable adults which will also be explored. There are clear overlaps with the issues relating to violence against women.

15. To coordinate violence focused interventions, Oracle is being used as the vehicle to ensure consistency in providing the evidence of what works. In addition, MPS children and young person delivery plan is being developed to align with the Association of Chief Police Office (ACPO) strategy to enable coordination of targeted and specialist interventions through the violence partnership. Waltham Forest has started a process of identifying who is being placed on interventions to ensure synergy with families most at risk of serious violence. When fully developed, this model will be rolled out to support Operation Connect (two year plan to address violence and gangs) for implementation on other boroughs that will be supported by this operation.

The 'safer learning' partnership is being developed to enable better targeting of resources and problem solving approaches to education establishments (primary, secondary and colleges) at highest risk.

16. Work is underway with leads of a number of practitioners’ networks to explore opportunities for coordination and collaboration, utilising Oracle as the central hub.

17. To support the economic case for investment in early years interventions, and the commissioning of evidence based interventions across the piece including violence, it is noted that the Graham Allen Review (Stage 1) has recently his findings. The MPS will be attending a meeting hosted by GLA to discuss the recommendations. We anticipate that the report’s recommendations will form the basis of the joint AV /Mayors Health and inequalities delivery plan.

C. Other organisational and community implications

Equality and Diversity Impact

1. The Equality & Diversity implications are set out in the report presented to this Committee on 14th October 2010. The key issues are:

It has been agreed that the Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) will continue to be developed as a high level document for the purposes of the strategy. A substantial body of evidence exists and continues to be developed through analysis which demonstrates that some communities are disproportionately represented as the victims of, or as those suspected of violent crime. By example, young males feature within both categories. The emergent EIA at strategic level seeks to describe the anticipated pan London impact as well as the MPS internal impact of the implementation of the strategy with reference to age, disability, faith, gender, race, sexual orientation and beyond. Consideration will be given to the impact of the strategy upon those communities to ensure that it is neither inappropriate nor unjustified. Consultation has commenced and to date has involved the Communities and Police Engagement Group (CPEG); Black Police Association (BPA) and Territorial Policing’s Chief Officer Group. The EIA will provide an evidence base on which to develop appropriate and timely plans to mitigate any identified adverse consequences. As individual strand leads for the delivery plan develop their work streams further they will be required to commission detailed EIAs focussing on the specific issues which will arise through the transition from a new strategy, through implementation and into the delivery phase.

Consideration of Met Forward

2. The anti-violence strategy directly supports the MPA Met Forward goals. It particularly impacts on Met Streets, Met Specialist and Met Partners:

Met Streets - the anti violence strategy has been crafted to delivery against the VOLT model. This will see intelligence led activity prioritised on delivering greater safety and better outcomes for the most vulnerable of victims, and tackling the offenders who pose the greatest threat including violent members of gangs and those that possess guns or carry knives. The strategy will also drive policing and problem solving activity into those locations where there is the greatest risk of harm and see the level of policing activity better attuned to the problem. This means delivering more officers (and members of the wider policing family) when they are needed most.

Met Specialist - the Anti Violence Strategy has been jointly developed and will be jointly delivered through all operational Business Groups. It is tied with governance, accountability and performance management being drawn together through a single Board. This will ensure that activity is both coordinated and efficient. The strategy itself is widely drafted, specifically encompassing Serious Sexual Offences where specialist skills are often routinely required. The MPS, through the Intelligence and Performance Review program, is reviewing the process for coordinating activity against prolific and harmful offenders to improve the interaction between local interventions and pan-London operations.

Met Partners - a detailed scoping exercise has been completed in the development of the strategy thus far to establish the holistic picture of partner engagement from statutory to third sector in prevention activity. Whilst this is merely a snapshot in time it demonstrates the true magnitude of support provided in this work domain at a tactical level. As reported above, it is the aspiration of this project that ultimately a London wide AVB should be established in cooperation with strategic partners to ensure efficient delivery against a shared agenda in delivering London as one of the most if not the safest major City in the World.

Met Connect - Violent crime is repeatedly identified as one of the most significant concerns of people in London. The Anti violence strategy is in part a recognition of this in drawing all dimensions of policing activity together, using shared police and partner intelligence in a new and enhanced way to drive the most efficient use of resources in tackling violence. A communications plan has been developed to ensure that as the Strategy metamorphoses from document to delivery, the public and partners are kept informed of progress. Outcomes will be reported in the shape of both performance outcomes and newsworthy successes in the fight against violent crime.

Financial Implications

3. Since the paper dated 14th October 2010, £4.7m (£2.7m 2011-12; £2m 2012-13) has been made available in the Policing London Business Plan and Budget for 2011-14 to support Operation Connect that will be key to the delivery of the strategy.

Legal Implications

4. This is a performance monitoring report, therefore there are no direct legal implications arising from this report.

Environmental Implications

5. There are no known environmental implications of this report.

Risk (including Health and Safety) Implications

6. These remain as described in the report of 14th October 2010.

D. Background papers

• Update on the development of MPS Anti Violence Strategy paper submitted to Strategic and Operating Policing Committee 14/10/10

D. Contact details

Report author: Detective Superintendent Martin Rusling - Crime and Customer Strategy Command, MPS

For information contact:

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

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