MPS response to the report of the policing bureaucracy taskforce

Report: 7
Date: 6 Jan 2003
By: Commissioner

Summary

This report provides an MPS view on the recently published Policing Bureaucracy Taskforce Report.

A. Recommendations

Members are asked note the contents of this report.

B. Supporting information

1. The Policing Bureaucracy Taskforce was established as part of the government's police reform programme to seek ways to increase the presence of uniformed officers in the community by:

• removing the unnecessary burdens borne by front line staff;
• providing adequate support; and
• revising working practices

2. In September 2002, Sir David O’Dowd’s Policing Bureaucracy Taskforce Report was published. In response, the Home Secretary unveiled an action plan for the police service and government to take forward the change proposals to cut unnecessary bureaucracy.

3. The Policing Bureaucracy Taskforce Report looked at the whole range of policing activity, from initial contact on the street, through the custody and case preparation process to the encounter at court.

4. There are 52 change proposals incorporated within five core business processes:

• incident response and resolution
• crime recording and investigation
• intelligence handling and effective patrolling
• defendant management and the Criminal Justice System
• management support

National position

5. Each of the change proposals has an ACPO and Home Office lead in order to progress the proposal at a national level.

6. The Policing Bureaucracy Implementation Steering Group, jointly chaired by the Home Office and ACPO, is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the taskforce’s recommendations. This group involves all the key police stakeholders and criminal justice partners. DAC House represents the MPS on this steering group.

7. The Bureaucracy Steering Group reports directly to John Denham through the Police Reform Implementation Steering Group. Its terms of reference are to co-ordinate the steps necessary to deliver a significant increase in the capacity of police officers to provide a visible presence in the community by driving forward and implementing the action plan arising from the report of the Policing Bureaucracy taskforce.

8. If the momentum is maintained, over the next five years, implementation of this action plan could result in a significant change in the working practices of police officers.
MPS position

9. The Commissioner has made it very clear that the MPS will aggressively pursue reducing unnecessary bureaucracy in order to increase the operational availability of the patrol officer.

10. Issues:

• the challenge for the MPS is to proactively consider and implement the solutions avoiding any temptation to merely discuss the problems afresh
• the MPS will need to benchmark current performance, and review current processes and IT in order to adopt a recommended approach.
• there is a need to adopt a corporate approach to the various proposals.

11. a proposed framework for monitoring the various change proposals is attached (Appendix A). It outlines the:

• proposal,
• proposed Management Board lead,
• national activity,
• national timescale,
• MPS status
• efficiency savings (in line with action 14 National Policing Plan)
• comments

Evaluation

12. It has been proposed that HMIC would undertake a compliance audit, based on a self-assessment carried out by each force. This would take the form of an electronic template. Following this, HMIC would undertake a more thorough evaluation of particular forces and then advise Police Standards Unit of those forces needing specific assistance.

Conclusion

13. The taskforce reports and action plan are a practical approach to achieving attainable and sustainable solutions.

14. In order to proceed with the issues outlined, approval was sought from Management Board on 18 December 2002 with regard to the:

• proposed framework.
• variable timescales
• relevant MPS leads to demonstrate strong leadership in order to engage all BOCU commanders in progressing and implementing the change proposals.

15. Management Board agreed to the framework in principle; however, since the recent realignment of Management Board responsibilities it was decided that there was a need to revisit the proposed MPS leads in order to proactively and aggressively progress the outlined issues.

C. Equality and diversity implications

The 52 change proposals cover a range of policing activity from initial contact on the street, through the custody and case preparation process to the encounter at court. The MPS are anxious to implement these proposals by minimising unnecessary bureaucracy, increasing officer compliance, actively monitoring and maximising the benefits in improving confidence amongst diverse communities.

D. Financial implications

At this early stage the MPS is not in a position to formally evaluate the financial implications that implementing the 52 change proposals would have upon the budget.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Chief Inspector Cheryl Burden, Anti-bureaucracy Team, MPS.

For more information contact:

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

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback