Interim report - review of of Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Community and Race Relationships (CRR) Training

Report: 12
Date: 27 February 2001
By: Clerk

Summary

At its meeting in December this committee recommended that the MPA should undertake a review of the MPS CRR Training. This interim report proposes that the need for, and scope of, such a review should be examined at a workshop on CRR training.

A. Recommendations

1. That Members approve the proposal for a CDO workshop with key MPS and other players to discuss further aspects of the CRR training and the scope of the review programme.

2. That after the workshop Members consider the need for a review of CRR training and arrangements for an ongoing monitoring programme.

B. Supporting information

Introduction and background Information

1. In its thematic report "Winning the Race" some eighteen months ago Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary identified a number of strengths and weaknesses in the MPS regarding the service's approach to community and race relations training for police officers and senior managers.

2. The recent HMIC review of the MPS's progress in implementing "Winning the Race 2" identified significant levels of improvement in the MPS approach, planning and delivery of CRR training. This was achieved through the appointment of a director of training whose prime role was to put in place structures and processes specifically to address those areas that were highlighted as requiring improvements in the HMIC report.

3. At the meeting on 19 December, Members considered a paper on 'Community and Race Relationships Training for MPA Members and Staff'. That paper recommended that MPA Members and staff should undergo a training needs analysis to help the MPS to tailor a training programme.

4. Members also decided that they would like to review in more depth the MPS's CRR training. The Deputy Chair, Cindy Butts was given lead responsibility to work with the MPS to progress this area of work.

Role of MPA in reviewing MPS CRR training

5. Although the MPS received a very favourable response to the HMIC Inspection the HM Dan Crompton identified nine specific concerns about CRR arising from the recommendations which required further action by the MPS. The Authority will wish to see that these actions are implemented.

6. Recommendations 48 – 54 of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry dealt specifically with training in racism awareness and valuing cultural diversity. The Home Secretary delegated responsibility for progressing the implementation of these recommendations to the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) in consultation with the National Police Training (NPT), the Association of Police Authorities (APA) and advice from the Home Office contractor. Each police authority has the responsibility for ensuring that CRR training is being effectively implemented. The MPA therefore has a clear responsibility to inform and satisfy itself as to progress as well as to identify areas where it may wish the MPS to make further improvements.

7. The decision taken at the December meeting of the CDO Committee to examine in greater depth the extent, value and quality of the MPS's CRR training is therefore timely. It gives the Committee an opportunity to seek information from the MPS (especially on aspects that may not have been addressed by the HMIC) as well as take the opportunity to develop its own framework strategy for continuously monitoring the actions and approaches that the MPS has indicated are in place for CRR training.

Initial consultation

8. In order to gain an initial perspective on the areas and issues that the MPA ought to be addressing, meetings have been held with:

DAC Tarique Ghaffur – Borough Commander Westminster
David Michael – Former Chair of the Black Police Association
Shaun Kennedy – Head of the MPS Community and Race Relations Training Unit
Denise Malani - Head of the MPS Positive Action team and
Steve Lovelock - Diversity Strategy Directorate (representing DAC John Grieve)

9. The discussions with officers and senior management representatives have highlighted a number of fundamental issues that should be addressed in any review of CRR training. These include:

• the location of and disparate responsibilities for diversity issues;
• the use of Met officers as trainers on the CRR training programme;
• the extent of black officers involvement in the delivery of the training
• the level of the training;
• the scope for follow-through of the training;
• the need to provide a 'reward' in the career structure for officers who have a keen interest in promoting diversity issues and
• the overall commitment within the MPS, at management level, to promote diversity.

10. Some of these issues/areas are addressed in the HMIC report and others have been addressed by the MPS. Others are complex and may require detailed and open discussion with the MPS at senior management level, as well as discussions with other key players (such as the Independent Advisory Groups, Black Police Association, Sikh Police Association and others) who may be able to give different perspective to the MPA. Depending on the outcomes of the workshop the CDO Committee may wish the Authority to use the expertise of an independent source to conduct a wider review of the area.

Proposed output

11. The workshop and subsequent analysis will contribute to the following:

• reinforcement of the Met's best practice examples in CRR training;
• identification of areas in which learning and development is still required, and recommendations on how the MPS can achieve these;
• development of performance indicators that will inform the MPA, external organisations and the public of the value (financial and human) of CRR training and its impact on improved policing for all communities in London;
• identify future mechanisms and processes that would assist the CDO Committee and MPA in monitoring the implementation impact of CRR training in the MPS.

Review phases

12. It is not proposed that all aspects of the work will be carried out within the same timescale, but a phased approach ending in September 2001 might be an appropriate goal.

13. The next step may be for members to discuss in more detail at a workshop with officers from the MPS, the scope of the review, the material already to hand and the nature of a monitoring process.

C. Financial implications

There may be a cost implication, this will be identified following the proposed workshop.

D. Background papers

• Winning Consent Embracing Diversity HMIC report January 2001

E. Contact details

The author of t his report is Derrick Norton.

For information contact:

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

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