MPS diversity strategy

Report: 8
Date: 20 September 2001
By: Commissioner

Summary

The second phase of the Diversity Strategy, ‘Protect and Respect - everybody benefits’, was launched by the Deputy Commissioner at the Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre on 24 April 2001. The strategy is underpinned by an action plan which details key actions that the 7 (Diversity Strategy Co-ordination Forum) work groups will progress during 2001 -2003. The Diversity Strategy Monitoring Unit was established to compile this action plan and to promote the strategy across the MPS. This report provides an update on progress to date

A. Recommendation

That Members note the content of this report.

B. Supporting information

Diversity Strategy Monitoring Unit

1. The Diversity Strategy Monitoring Unit (Diversity Directorate) was established on 11 June 2001 and currently comprises a Chief Inspector and a Detective Inspector. A Sergeant has been selected whom will be starting shortly and there is a vacancy for an administrative officer.

Work undertaken

2. The initial requirement of the unit was to scope the various diversity related recommendations made to the MPS since HMIC Inspection of Police Community and Race Relations (Winning the Race: Policing Plural Communities 1996/7). This was to ensure all the recommendations, where applicable, were addressed within the Diversity Strategy.

3. In addition, the unit has completed draft action plans for each of the following (Diversity Strategy Co-ordination Forum) work groups:

• Investigation
• Prevention
• Training
• Recruitment and Retention
• Stop and Search
• Fair Practice (External)
• Fair Practice (Internal)

4. Where applicable, a representative from the unit attends each work group meeting. In consultation with work group heads and representatives from the Commission for Racial Equality and the MPS advisory groups (IAG/LGBT), a draft action plan has been produced and is enclosed for members. This draft action plan was circulated to members of the Diversity Strategy Co-ordination Forum on 22 August 2001. It will be circulated to members of the Diversity Strategy Board for comment on 3 September 2001.

Aims of the Diversity Strategy Monitoring Unit

5. The aims of the Diversity Strategy Monitoring Unit are to:

• complete the Diversity Strategy action plan.
• monitor progress of the action plan and report progress to the Diversity Co-ordination Forum.
• promote the Diversity Strategy in conjunction with the Directorate of Public Affairs.
• develop borough networking to promote the Diversity Strategy.

Progress of the Diversity Strategy

6. It is intended that the Diversity Strategy Monitoring Unit will regularly brief relevant parties as to the progress of the Diversity Strategy. It will monitor the work undertaken by the work groups, measure the results from completed key actions and apply performance indicators. Additionally, the Diversity Strategy Monitoring Unit has already started working with boroughs in order to help mainstream the principles of the Diversity Strategy. The unit will also provide quarterly reports detailing progress made following the recommendations of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry.

Diversity Strategy since 24 April 2001

7. Since the launch of ‘Protect and Respect - everybody benefits’ on 24 April 2001, work has been completed in the following areas:

• agreement on those ‘police powers, discretion’s and core service delivery functions to be monitored’ for disproportionality;
• identification of measurements to be incorporated into such monitoring;
• development and publication of ‘Guidance for the use of stop and search’ Special Police Notice (12/01);
• production of corporate ‘stop and search’ training package for operational officers;
• IT project to improve upon borough data collection and intelligence value of stop and search;
• monitoring satisfaction levels for victims of crime - to be compared with those for victims of hate crime (rolling programme);
• examining crime trends for hate crime (rolling programme);
• developing both local and pan London intelligence on hate crime (rolling programme);
• review of borough third party reporting sites (rolling programme);
• creation of database of agencies that offer support to victims of hate crime;
• best practice produced for strategic responses to critical incidents;
• best practice produced for advisory group involvement in major/sensitive crime or incidents;
• monitoring process established for delivery of Family Liaison Officer training;
• Operation Spectrum (menu of strategic and tactical options for combating hate crime) refreshed to incorporate new ideas and circulated to Borough Commanders;
• audit of borough hate crime prevention initiatives;
• development of menu of options for Athena Sport (Promoting anti-hate crime initiatives in all sports);
• incorporate Athena Sport into Diversity Directorate visits to all community safety units;
• critical Incident training designed into the inspectors’ promotion course;
• creation of a home office funded initiative between the University of Holloway and the MPS to better understand hate crime. Led by Professor Betsy Stanko, the team is conducting a full evaluation of MPS hate crime data since January 2001. This is the first initiative of its kind in the world.

C. Financial implications

The contents of this report present no additional financial implications beyond those previously budgeted.

D. Background papers

None.

E. Contact details

The author of this report is Detective Inspector Burton, Diversity Directorate.

For information contact:

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

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