MPS conferences

Report: 9
Date: 13 November 2003
By: Commissioner

Summary

The MPA Consultation Committee has requested a report that outlines the benefits of major conferences and events hosted by the MPS for the period April 02 to July 03. This report summarises the conferences held, their objectives, benefits and costs and identifies the plan to maximise the benefits of future conferences and events.

A. Recommendation

That members are requested to note the report.

B. Supporting information

1. Five major conferences were supported/hosted by the MPS during the period April 02 to July 03 as follows:

• Modernising Criminal Justice: New World Challenges
• EnGender Agenda
• Capital Crime
• National Senior Police Women Officers
• Urban Justice

Further detail on each of the conferences is described below:

Modernising Criminal Justice: New World Challenges (16-20 June 2002)

2. The purpose of the conference was to enable senior international delegates, speakers and experts to discuss problems and solutions to develop a modern, integrated criminal justice system that meets the needs of the 21st century.

3. This high profile international conference was organised on behalf of the Commissioner and the John Jay College of Criminal Justice of New York and is held bi-annually in different countries around the world. The platform was shared with the MPA and police speakers at the conference included the Commissioner, Lord Toby Harris, AC Ghaffur, AC Veness and the Chief Constables of Thames Valley and Kent. In addition the Prime Minister gave the opening address with the Home Secretary and Shadow Home Secretary giving keynote speeches.

4. Senior members of the FBI, the US Drugs Enforcement Administration, the UK, US, South African and New Zealand judiciaries, the Chairs of the UK Prison Service, UK Youth Justice Board and UK Parole Board, a number of distinguished UK and international academics also addressed the conference.

5. Over 100 members of the media attended the conference and journalists and broadcasters Nick Ross and Will Hutton made presentations and chaired debates. The event was recognised as a key international event.

EnGender Agenda Conference (19 September 2002)

6. The purpose of this conference was to raise awareness and discuss issues that have a tangible impact on women within the MPS. The event was supported by the MPA and GLA as part of the overall equalities strategy. The conference was organised by the MPS Development and Organisation Improvement Team (DOIT) and it is likely that this conference will be held bi-annually to ensure delegates are kept informed on the progression of key issues.

Capital Crime Conference 2003 (3 April 2003)

7. The two main aims of the conference were to engage and discuss with local communities and businesses regarding the services that the Specialist Crime Directorate provide and how to take forward the objective of reducing specialist crime within London. The event was organised by the Specialist Crime Directorate and included a number of workshops:

• Murder and Serious Violence - lead by Commander Andy Baker and Professor Gloria Laycock;
• Gun Crime – lead by Commander Alan Brown and Nims Obunge (Haringey Peace Alliance;
• Class A drugs in the Community – lead by DAC Mike Fuller and Professor John Grieve;
• Children as Victims of Serious Crime – lead by DCSupt Ian Delbarre and Dr Allyson MacVean;
• Economic Crime Against Businesses – lead by DCSupt James Perry and Professor Alan Doig
• Organised Crime in Vulnerable Communities – lead by AC Ghaffur and Lee Jasper, Senior Policy Advisor to the Mayor.

8. A lively question & answer session on partnership working was chaired by Krishnan Guru Murthy supported by a Question Time Panel including Lord Toby Harris, Sir Ian Blair, Ellie Roy (Crime Reduction Director of London), Lee Jasper, Professor John Grieve and DAC Bill Griffiths.

9. Three initiatives are to be implemented as a result of the conference: Gun Declaration, Knowledge Forums and Strategic Partnership Development. A gun crime strategy has since developed which involves the transformation of guns seized in the recent amnesty into pieces of artwork and into community awards in partnership with the Non Violence Foundation. It is intended to repeat the conference in 2004.

National Senior Police Women Officers Conference (3-6 February 2003)

10. The purpose of the conference was to explore issues affecting women officers in the realisation of their potential within the Police Service and again supports the MPA and GLA’s equality agenda. The conference was organised by the Association of Senior Women Officers (ASWO). There was considerable prestige and publicity accruing to the MPS for hosting this national event for the first time in London. The hosting of this conference is shared by the UK police forces and the next conference will be held in Scotland.

11. The MPS Commissioner opened the Conference. Other speakers included Anita Roddick (on leadership in business), Chris Keeble (on leadership), Jill Coleby (on self-awareness) and Christine Owen (on stress). Kate Flannery of the HMIC and Denise Kingsmill of the Takeover Panel also addressed the conference delegates whilst the Olivier Associates delivered a presentation on inspirational leadership and political intelligence.

MPS Criminal Justice Department: Urban Justice Conference (8 July 2003)

12. The primary purpose of this conference was to improve the working relationships between the various agencies operating within the Criminal Justice System in London, recognising the complexity of administering the system within the capital. The main objectives included the exchange of best practice and to review progress made towards establishing the balance between the rights and needs of victims, witnesses, offenders and the wider community, in order help deliver a safer London for all.

13. The conference was arranged and funded by the Criminal Justice Magazine. David Taylor, Home Affairs Specialist for the Evening Standard, chaired the day. Speakers from the MPS and MPA included the Commissioner, Commander Alan Given and R David Muir, Deputy Chair, MPA giving a presentation from the perspective of the capital’s community and considered what progress had been made in relation to the Criminal Justice agenda since 1997. Dru Sharpling, Chief Crown Prosecutor for London provided the conference audience with examples of collaborative working between the Police and the Crown Prosecution Service whilst Harriet Harman gave the closing address. The Evening Standard was the media partner in respect of this conference.

The benefits to the MPS of hosting events and conferences

14. The benefits of the MPS hosting events can categorised under four main headings:

1. Partnership - brings the MPS closer to the public and the communities it serves as well as encouraging greater collaboration with our partner agencies;
2. Awareness/Publicity – events raise awareness of the key issues in a high profile, high impact way, for example ‘Project Adhikar International’, an event in October 2000 focusing upon the issue of domestic violence, gained media exposure for the MPS and issues nationally;
3. Consultation, both internal and external - brings together a focused and knowledgeable audience to exchange best practice, discuss relevant issues in a structured way and provide opportunities for feedback;
4. Stimulates debate – to assist in driving forward new initiatives, campaigns and to encourage support from the public and other opinion formers.

The development of best practice for event organisers

15. To date event organisers have had to often organise and run events on an ad hoc basis without in house professional advice and guidance thereby relying upon external private companies to assist. It is recognised that if the organisation is to optimise the organisational and financial benefits arising from the management and delivery of conferences and other events then more structured support is required.

16. Hosting such events has an obvious financial impact for the MPS. The main sources of funding come from delegate fees and sponsorship by other agencies but this will not always cover the full financial cost of hosting events. Although the benefits to the MPS may outweigh the financial costs it is obviously incumbent upon the MPS to reduce this cost as far as possible.

17. In response to this need for a more professional approach to event organisation the MPS Income Generation Unit (IGU), in conjunction with the MPS’s external event consultants, have arranged a number of Breakfast Seminars for event planners during October 2003. The purpose of the event planning seminars is to share learning experiences from previous conferences held with a view to developing best practice across the organisation.

18. A proposed strategy for improving the running of events and for maximising cost effectiveness is currently being developed by the IGU, in consultation with the wider organisation. Initiatives include the following:

1. The recently formed IGU includes two dedicated members of staff to assist the MPS in organising events and conferences;
2. The role of the IGU is to provide the MPS with advice and guidance on events and conference management to facilitate carefully targeted and cost effective events;
3. The IGU is currently working closely alongside the MPS’s external events consultancy, the Events Organisation Company (EOC), to ensure internal clients are provided with the best possible advice from the earliest stage in the process. This includes the use of an ‘events proforma’ which enables the client, the IGU and EOC to evaluate the cost implication of the event being considered and to help establish the event’s financial viability;
4. The IGU, together with EOC, are currently running series of breakfast briefings for MPS staff planning events. 140 police officers and staff are due to attend, all of which have been involved in organising events and conferences. These briefings cover the whole remit of events including ways of securing financial sponsorship or sponsorship-in-kind, to help offset some of the costs of running events. The briefings will also outline a ‘three stage approach’ to events organisation, details of which are included in Appendix 2.

C. Equality and diversity implications

1. Engender Agenda Conference and the National Senior Police Women Officers Conference were specifically aimed at raising awareness and addressing issues which affect female staff reaching their full potential in the Police Service. This is in direct support of the gender elements of the MPS, MPA and GLA equalities strategies.

2. The Capital Crime Conference and the Urban Justice Conference focussed upon engaging with local communities in addressing issues of specialist crime within London and the impact of the Criminal Justice System on victims, witnesses and offenders within the community. These events have a positive impact upon diversity issues and again help support the diversity elements of the MPS, MPA and GLA equalities strategies.

D. Financial implications

1. The organisational benefits of hosting conferences are described in the previous section. It is recognised that events or conferences should be self-financing wherever possible. In certain instances, for example, the bringing together of key agencies within the Criminal Justice System to debate major issues of common importance, non-financial considerations may need to take precedent and a net cost to the MPS deemed acceptable. A budget plan will be introduced in all instances to ensure financial implications are properly monitored and controlled.

2. See Appendix 1 for details of the financial implications of the major conferences considered in this paper.

E. Background papers

None.

F. Contact details

Report author: Craig Watkins, Head of Business Support, MPS.

For more information contact:

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

Appendix 1

Financial implications

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