Update on the Safer Neighbourhoods operating model

Report: 6
Date: 13 October 2011
By: ACTP on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

This paper provides an update on progress towards implementing the Safer Neighbourhoods operating model. This revised model was set out in the SN Review paper presented to the MPA in June 2011.

A. Recommendation

That Members note the progress made towards implementing the revised SN operating model.

B. Supporting information

Background

1. On 30 June 2011, the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) Full Authority meeting endorsed the recommendations of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Safer Neighbourhoods (SN) Review. The review set out a revised operating model for SN policing across London. The review recommendations are set out in full in Appendix 1.

2. Following this meeting, the Boroughs, with the support of the TP Development Programme undertook a Business Change Impact Assessment (BCIA), covering each of the recommendations. This BCIA assessed what changes would be needed locally to implement the revised SN Operating model and to deliver the required benefits to Londoners and to the MPS.

3. Drawing on this assessment, Boroughs devised a local implementation plan. The TP Development Programme provided central support in relation to communication and engagement with the public, key stakeholders and MPS staff. The SN Project team developed the corporate protocols and systems needed to support local change.

4. Key milestones for the SN implementation plan were/are:

• 22 August 2011 - Boroughs to complete and submit BCIA, setting out revised local model.
• 10 October 2011 - Meeting of TP Chief Officers to consider revisions to SN Deployment protocol, Performance Management Framework, and new Flex monitoring system.
• 24 October 2011 - Corporate Posting date for displaced SN sergeants to non-SN roles, enabling ‘go-live’ for shared supervision model.
• December 2011 - completion of Borough SN demand profiles for SN shift patterns.
• March 2012 - Final implementation of local SN shift patterns

Implementation and Business Change

5. The BCIAs are designed to highlight particular issues at a local level. They are intended to identify any themes that require corporate consideration. Key themes from the BCIAs are as follows:

• Many Boroughs have achieved their reductions in ward sergeants through a combination of vacancy factor and voluntary opt-out by sergeants, with few boroughs requiring a full selection process.
• Boroughs are developing new intelligence products and processes to inform SN activity towards reducing crime and ASB.
• Boroughs are working with the corporate Shift Pattern team to develop a cluster based demand profile for the ward teams
• At the time of this report, the majority of Boroughs have developed their revised SN model – confirming which wards will come under shared supervision.
• All Boroughs have developed and implemented a local engagement strategy to communicate the changes to, key Strategic Partners, Ward Panels, and Key Individual Networks and ward residents. Paragraph 10 provides a selection of examples on Borough Activity.

SN Deployment Protocol

6. MPA members expressed particular interest in monitoring and understanding the exercise of increased flexibility by SNTs. Formerly known as the SN Abstraction Policy, the SN Deployment protocol has been comprehensively redrafted to define the conditions under which SN resources will be flexed across ward boundaries to support problem solving activity, and the process for ensuring that the use of flex is appropriately approved and regulated at Borough level.

7. The deployment protocol and associated monitoring mechanisms were considered by TP Chief Officers Group on 10th October. It was agreed that the SN Deployment Protocol will 'Go Live' on 24th October. To support the policy PIB will publish a revised SNT Abstraction Report which includes 'Authorised SNT Flex' during the first week of December and will cover the period 24th October - 30th November. PIB will then continue to publish the report each month thereafter and it is intended that this is fed into the Commissioners monthly MPA report.

Appendix 2 - SN Deployment and monitoring protocol

Local Consultation on Shared Supervision Arrangements

8. The SN Review Business case specified that Borough Commanders would have the operational discretion to decide which wards would come under shared supervision, and recommended that considerations should include the level of SN demand based upon TNO count and ASB CAD calls, as well as local factors which may influence the workload of a ward, such as the presence of a hospital, college or nightclubs.

9. Appendix 3 outlines, on a Borough by Borough basis, which wards will share supervision.

10. A sample of the consultation work undertaken by Boroughs includes:

• Enfield Borough: Proposal paper with rationale circulated to ward panels, KINs, the local authority, MPA link member and local MPs seeking feedback on proposals based upon demand analysis and local factors including SN base locations.
• Southwark Borough: Strategic engagement by SN Ch Insp, with local authority Community Safety Partnership lead, MPA link member and three local MPs; local level engagement by SN Insps with local councillors and KINs. Decisions based upon ward demand data, and alignment with Safer Southwark Partnership areas.
• Hammersmith and Fulham Borough: Borough Commander consulted with local authority community safety lead and local MPs. Convened a meeting with all 16 ward panel chair people to set out rationale for proposals based upon demand data. Email seeing feedback circulated to KINs and ward residents.
• Croydon Borough: Borough Commander consulted with MPA link member and Local Authority Ch Exec to devise options based upon demand data, shared SN bases, and ‘Fairness’ of distribution of sgt reductions across the Borough.
• Newham Borough: Engagement of SN sergeants and Insps to review all wards based upon knowledge of local demand factors in addition to TNO/ASB demand data, and taking into account shared SN bases. Proposals circulated to local authority and councillors for feedback. Feedback supportive and understanding of rationale.

Stakeholder Communication

14. ACTP has written to London MPs and local authority chief executives and leaders on several occasions over the last year outlining progress and decisions made. The most recent letter confirms which Safer Neighbourhoods Teams on each borough will share a Sergeant and was sent on Tuesday 11th October.

Implementation of Revised SN shift patterns

15 As part of the BCIA process, Boroughs were asked whether they would prefer to have SN shift patterns based upon a ward-level, cluster-level or Borough - level SN demand profile. The majority of Boroughs elected to have their SN demand profile created on a cluster basis and so Boroughs were asked to submit their revised SN ward clusters to the TP shift pattern team.

16 Demand profiles are being generated for each cluster on each Borough to inform the development of shift pattern options which meet the demand pressures on local teams and which also meet the need for the visibility of SN officers in the evenings and at weekends.

17. Demand profiles and associated shift options will be completed by December 2011. This is designed to enable Boroughs to consult locally on the desired shift pattern, comply with statutory notice periods, and implement the new shift patterns in time for the new financial year.

PCSO Deployment

18. The MPS Workforce Deployment Unit leads on the corporate PCSO posting process, to transfer PCSOs from posts which no longer attract funding or where funding has been reduced, such as Safer Transport, into vacant SN posts. The movement of staff takes into account business need, workplace location preferences, and the rate at which the BOCU losing PCSO posts can take up the existing workload. Recruitment for police officers combined with the timing for the release of PCSOs from other functions in the MPS into neighboroughood positions creates a challenge for the MPS to ensure strengths can be maintained in the short terms across all boroughs. This is tracked and managed through the Workforce Planning process and meetings in TP.

Safer Schools Officers

19. The Metropolitan Police Authority Policing London Business Plan 2011-20 outlines the future plans for the Safer Schools Initiative which currently involves 183 Police Officers and 102 Police Community Support Officers. Within this financial year we will increase the Police Officer posts by 70 making a total of 253 Police Officers. Each borough is responsible for deciding which educational establishments are in most need of having a dedicated Safer School Partnership (SSP) police officer. These will include secondary schools, pupil referral units and colleges of further education. It is recommended that through local partnerships a needs analysis is carried out to identify which establishments gets a SSP Police Officer, the following criteria has been provided for local consideration:

• Deprivation
• Attainment rate at GCSE grade A-C
• Permanent exclusion rate
• Amount of unauthorised absence
• Provision of free school dinners (as an indicator of social depravation)
• Recorded rates of Anti Social behaviour around the school area
• Recorded rates of Crime around the school area
• Serious Youth violence
• Amount of first time entrants to the Criminal Justice System
• Amounts of victims of crime
• Intelligence on gang related incidents attributed to the school
• Intelligence on weapon related incidents attributed to the school

20. This list is not exhaustive and local partnerships may feel that there are other areas which should be taken into consideration in the analytical process, but the above areas should form the basis of any discussions. Other areas that could be considered could be amount of Common Assessment Referrals (C.A.F) generated from the school, Ofsted grading on behaviour, number of managed moves between schools, number of reported incidents of bullying and levels of confidence in local policing and schools as a result of existing surveys but local partnerships could agree other local suitable criteria.

21. Once decisions have been made locally it is important that a process of regular review is undertaken and it is recommended that the allocation of resources is reviewed annually and is reviewed in conjunction with the wider Safer School Partnership protocols in place in each Borough.

22. PCSO’s in the affected school PCSO posts are being redeployed to Safer Neighbourhoods Teams which will be completed within this financial year.

Role of Safer Schools Officers

23. The Safer Schools Partnership Programme provides a very focused approach to the high level of crime and anti social behaviour committed, both by and against children and young people, in and around schools. It encourages the police, children and young people to build good relationships, trust and mutual respect with specific objectives of:

• reducing offending behaviour
• identifying and working with children and young people at risk of becoming victims or offenders
• reducing truancy rates and total absences
• providing safer school environments and safer routes to and from school
• resulting in pupils and staff feeling safer since the introduction of the programme

Location of the additional 70 Police Officers

24. The 70 Safer Schools Officers are allocated based on a range of data sets within para 19 above. This approach will augment the existing Safer Schools PCs and there are no plans to redistribute existing posts. This approach ensures that no school that currently has a Safer Schools PC will lose their allocated officer.

25. The workload of the 102 Safer Schools PCSOs will remain the overall responsibility of the relevant ward team – supplemented by the work of the new officers. Any secondary school, primary school, special school or other education establishment that is not one of the SSP schools has a nominated point of contact, Police Officer or PCSO, within the relevant SNT who is responsible for building relationships, improving confidence and providing that important visible and familiar presence.

Safer Schools Officers - Operation Protect

26. Under the umbrella of Operation Target, that aims to prevent and disrupt priority crimes for London. Operation Protect deals exclusively with young people, the primary aim being to ensure the safety of young people both within school and whilst they are travelling. The focus is upon violent crime by and towards young people and tactics ensures that a hostile environment is created for those who choose to commit offences against young people. An integral part of Operation Protect is working alongside The Safer Learners Partnership (SLP). The SLP is led by the Greater London Authority working in partnership with Metropolitan Police, Transport for London, Local Authorities & Youth Justice Board. The SLP considers a range of themes including positive engagement, safer travel, information sharing both for long term and fast time incidents impacting on the safety of young people, visible policing and critical incident planning. Examples of police activity in support of these themes is outlined under para 28.

27. Together with Safer Neighbourhoods teams and colleagues from specialist units across the MPS, Safer Schools Partnership Officers dedicated to the role of schools policing, play a crucial role in supporting both the operational objectives and Head teachers to ensure pupil safety.

28. The adopted tactics under the operation include a variety of enforcement and prevention interventions, some examples follow:

• Analytical products to identify risk areas for both crime and victim profiles
• Increased patrols and visibility outside school gates and on public transport routes at key times
• Localised ground search operations within the environs of schools to ensure weapon free zones. These may or may not include the use of screening arches and search wands on the approach to school.
• The use of weapons sweeps using local knowledge by SSPs and Safer Neighbourhoods staff more widely, in areas frequented by young people where there are existing or potential flashpoints.
• Proportionate use of stop and search powers.
• Close liaison with schools and Safer Transport staff, to ensure a co-ordinated approach and to ensure a police presence to and from school.
• With the support of Head Teachers, mass registration of mobile phones using IEMI number readers to send a clear message to offenders that they are likely to be caught if they steal a mobile phone and to aid recovery for the victims.
• Focussed activity on the lead up to the school break, prior to the autumn nights period and upon the return to school

SN Performance Management Framework (PMF)

29. To drive SN performance in relation to community confidence and satisfaction, and to incorporate an assessment of SN contribution to reductions in crime and ASB, a revised corporate PMF for SN is being developed. Working with the TP Performance Unit and Performance Information Bureau (PIB), a draft PMF has been generated, aligning SN performance to corporate KPIs. This paper was presented to the TP Chief Officer Group in Oct 2011 and agreed in principle. Copy of the paper attached under Appendix 4 for information.

C. Other organisational and community implications

Equality and Diversity Impact

1. EIA summary: an initial screening was carried out as part of the SN review and remains in place and updated along the life cycle of this project. The following issues were originally identified as part of the EIA.

• Internal: Issues relating to changes in the SN abstraction policy, shift patterns and increased management responsibilities which were highlighted within the initial screening of the EIA have been dealt with under the deployment protocol and shift pattern sections of this report.
• External: several potential issues were highlighted in the EIA relating to targeted and appropriate engagement mechanisms outside of the current ward panel structure. As a result a joint MPS/MPA review is now underway to look at the role and function of ward panels.
• All Boroughs have completed a BCIA which has outlined local consultation processes.

Consideration of Met Forward

2. The SN Review primary supports the Met Streets strand of the Mayors Met Forward programme and contributes towards four of the remaining seven strands. The recommendations outlined in the original review are aligned with the Mayors commitment that SN teams will continue to act as bedrock of local crime fighting. This report builds upon our problem solving and preventative approach which remains core to Safer Neighbourhoods.

Financial Implications

3. Detailed financial implications for the Safer Neighbourhoods Operating Model were included within the ‘Proposals arising from the review of Safer Neighbourhoods’ report, which was presented to the MPA Strategic and Operational Policing Committee on 16 June 2011.

4. For pay purposes, the revised shift patterns referred to in this paper are largely consistent with existing shift patterns and as such will have no material impact upon the costs incurred through payment of PCSO shift allowances. Should any BOCU wish to significantly vary the local shift pattern, costs associated with this will be met from existing TP BOCU budget allocations.

5. Funding for the increase in 70 Police Officer posts as part of the Safer Schools Partnership Programme is met by the reduction in 102 dedicated Safer Schools PCSO posts; this activity was incorporated within the MTFP as part of the 2011-14 business planning process.

6. There are no further direct financial implications arising as a result of the recommendations contained within this report.

Legal Implications

7. This report is for information only, therefore no direct legal implications arise at this stage.

8. Any significant departure of the SN Model from the present model will be subject to consultation and any relevant priorities set out in the Policing Plan.

9. This report indicates consultation has taken place with relevant stakeholders, and any revision to the SN model will be subject to Member oversight.

Environmental Implications

10. The SN Review recommendations do not impact upon the current environmental footprint of SN therefore there are no implications for the environment from the Review.

D. Background papers

None

E. Contact details

Report author: Chief Inspectors Jo Chinn and Gary Fryer, MPS

For information contact:

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

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