The recruitment of black and minority ethnic groups to the MPS

Report: 8
Date: 1 September 2006
By: Commissioner

Summary

This paper outlines the current picture concerning the recruitment of Black and Minority Ethnic individuals in to the MPS.

A. Recommendations

That members note the contents of this report.

B. Supporting information

Sustained improvement over time

1. Performance against 2005/06 diversity recruitment targets needs to be considered in the wider context of recent years’ achievements on improving the diversity of the MPS workforce. The recruitment of individuals from under-represented groups, particularly women and those from black and minority ethnic communities, has been a notable success. During the last six years, the MPS has developed and implemented a wide range of innovative recruitment initiatives, which have resulted in sustained recruitment of both BME and female police officers. Six years ago, slightly less than 7% of new police recruits came from black and minority ethnic groups. Over the last few years, this has increased to the current 16%. Similar evidence of improvement can be seen with women: during the same period, the proportion of new police recruits who are female and have joined the service has increased from 21% to over 35% of all intakes. The same overall outcome from the recruitment activity is evident across the board. Consequently, representation within the police officer workforce of both women and those from black and minority ethnic communities is now at it’s highest ever in the history of the MPS. Thus, the performance against the 2005/6 diversity recruitment targets must be considered in the light of these circumstances.

2005/6: Whole MPS workforce

2. A total of 3,881 people were recruited for a wide range of roles in the MPS during the financial year from April 2005 to March 2006. Of those, 804 were from black and minority ethnic communities, representing 21% of new personnel.

2005/6: New police officer recruits

3. Of the 1,050 new police recruits joining the MPS in 2005/6, 166 (16%) were from black and minority ethnic communities. At the end of the financial year, 7.4% of all MPS police officers were from black and minority ethnic communities.

2005/6: Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) recruitment

4. Of the 599 PCSOs joining the MPS during 2005/6, 152 (25%) were from black and minority ethnic communities. At the end of March 2006, 35% of the MPS’ PCSOs were from black and minority ethnic communities.

PCSO recruitment

5. With 25% of officers recruited in 2005/6 originating from black and minority ethnic communities, and 35% of total PCSO officer strength originating from black and minority ethnic groups, PCSOs remain the most diverse employee group in the MPS. The main feature of the 2005/06 financial year in respect of PCSO recruitment has been the gradual and significant increase in the budgeted workforce target (BWT) and consequently in the overall recruitment target. At the beginning of the financial year, the recruitment target was 200. Over the course of the year this grew to 599 as additional funding came on stream to support the acceleration of the Safer Neighbourhoods rollout. The final significant increase (of approximately 300) in the 2005/06 BWT was not known until October 2005. That did not give us enough time to advertise for new applicants, process their applications, vet them and place them on intakes before the end of the financial year. We therefore relied on those people who were already in the application pool in October when the decision to increase overall numbers was made. Although there were just enough people in total, not quite enough of those were from BME groups to allow us to hit the BME recruitment target.

Police officer recruitment

6. Following a decision taken by the Home Office in June/July 2005, the pass threshold for the police national recruitment standards (NRS) assessment centre was increased from 50% to 60%. This change to the pass threshold was intended to ensure that all new police recruits are equipped with the skills needed to police in today's very challenging climate. Unfortunately the pass rate for black and minority ethnic candidates decreased from 63% to 30% and for black and minority ethnic applicants whose first language was not English, the pass rate decreased from 46% to 15%. We are very concerned by this and continue to monitor the situation, though it is also a fact that our intake - and retention - of ethnic minority individuals has increased considerably.

7. That said, the change in the pass threshold resulted in 140 more black and minority ethnic candidates than expected being declined at the assessment centre stage of the application process. Taking into account the expected pass rates in subsequent stages of the assessment process, that number of black and minority ethnic candidates would normally have yielded 115 recruits, which would, in turn, have met our 2005/06 black and minority strength target of 7.7%. Since then, these candidates have been provided with support and encouraged to reapply. Those failing narrowly have also been given opportunity, subject to completing final checks, of joining the MPS as a Police Community Support Officer (PCSO). The skills and experience gained through service as a PCSO will help people to prepare for a future application to become a Constable by allowing them to develop relevant skills in a uniformed role.

8. The arrangements in place for focused recruitment activity and targeted applicant support are excellent and we are confident that we will continue to recruit successfully from black and minority ethnic communities in the future. In fact additional marketing activity was initiated in 2005/6 as soon as the impact of the change in pass rates had become apparent. This has been extremely successful and has yielded sufficient black and minority ethnic applicants to position the MPS favourably for the current financial year 2006/7.

Action taken

9. The MPS has identified, and is currently investigating, reasons why disproportionalities exist with the NRS process. There is strong evidence that attainment within the NRS process is mediated by levels of academic attainment and whether English is an additional language, as well as between ethnic groups and gender. Centrex published an analysis of the NRS processes in September 2005 to which the MPS drafted a response for further areas of study. This paper opened communication lines for Centrex and the MPS to work together and do complementary research and a continued evaluation of all NRS processes.

10. Active steps were of course taken during the year to attract additional black and minority ethnic applicants to the MPS. 104 corporate recruitment campaigns were implemented, which were designed to encourage those from black and minority ethnic communities, and women, to apply to the MPS. In addition, continued media and outdoor activity supported the latest Me+ awareness campaign and One London One Community Events, which have also been featured in minority press and on outdoor sites such as tube and rail stations. Extensive use of advertisements designed to appeal to members of minority communities were used, and a selection of bespoke literature designed to dispel myths concerning perceived barriers to specific groups (e.g. ‘can you be gay?’ can you be Muslim?’). The MPS has been particularly successful in attracting applications from black and minority ethnic groups (rising from 21.7% at the close of the last year to the high of 45% at the close of 2005/6), suggesting that targeted advertising and recruitment campaigns are improving outreach to the diverse communities that make up London. A recruitment bus designed for outreach work was also introduced to support local community-centric recruitment activities. The success of this approach has been evident in the response from Muslim applicants; during 2005/6, we received 1720 applications from Muslims, including 439 new police recruits and 830 PCSO applications.

11. In order to support candidates through the assessment process, the Me+ Careers team (formerly the Positive Active Central Team) has undertaken a range of work in relation to the targeted support they provide:

1. The Me+ Careers Team has reviewed its support packages. The pool of candidates eligible for support has been examined, and, in partnership with Recruit Training School, extra support is provided to assist those candidates who speak English as an additional language to prepare for the assessment centre.
2. Information is being elicited from Centrex regarding the diversity data of unsuccessful applicants together with a breakdown of the NRS activities that the applicant failed. This is being used to improve and target support sessions and the practical advice given to accepted applicants about First Day processes at Hendon.
3. The continued use of Access Courses (run at four different educational institutions) to help those who have English as an Additional Language develop the skills they will need to become successful MPS applicants. RTS are working with the Me+ Careers team and the course providers to develop these courses to better prepare the individuals attending for the Foundation Course specifically.

Recruitment during 2006/07

12. Appendix 1, the draft high-level business plan, summarises the Recruitment directorate’s plans for 2006/7 and proposed key performance targets.

13. The largest single recruitment challenge of 2006/7 is the PCSO recruitment target of over two and a half thousand. To put this in context, the MPS intends, in 2006/7, to double the size of the PCSO workforce built up in the previous four years. In order to do this, it is necessary to secure all the necessary applications by November 2006. April therefore saw the commencement of an intense programme of attraction activity, which includes: newspaper and journal advertising; recruitment events; outdoor advertising (e.g. on the tube); radio presence; heavy online activity including internet advertising, search term optimisation, podcasts, ‘blogging’, v-logging and a refresh of the MPS recruitment website; an intense programme of local activity that involves and engages local Safer Neighbourhoods teams and is being managed through a “task force” especially established for that purpose; and intensive use of the recruitment bus and the MetCareers office that was newly opened during 2005/6. All this activity is, of course, planned and programmed with the MPS’ requirement for a diverse workforce firmly in mind. The PCSO workforce remains the most diverse in the MPS, and a 30% black and minority ethnic recruitment target for 2006/07 is felt to be challenging but achievable in the context of past attraction and pass rates, together with the extremely challenging volume requirement.

14. With specific regard to the question of black and minority ethnic police officer recruitment, the target in the business plan is that 20% of the police officers joining the MPS in 2006/7 will be of black and minority ethnic origin. This will be delivered through:

• Intensive, focused support to police officer candidates, and a newly launched support package for PCSO candidates will continue to combat the high BME fail rate associated with the NRS process.
• Based on these current process yields and pass rates, however, there are sufficient numbers in the existing police officer application pool to enable delivery against both the total new police recruit target, and the 20% black and minority ethnic recruitment target for 2006/7. This is a strong position to be in, as having a known and secured application pool enables us to plan our police officer application processing capacity carefully, achieving an appropriate balance between the police officer and PCSO requirements.
• Overall, 43% of all enquiries and 42% of all applications came from black and minority groups. Similarly 33% of enquiries and 36% of applications came from females. 45% of police officer enquiries came from black and minority ethnic groups translating into 41% of applications. Similarly 35% of police officer enquiries came from females resulting in 38% of applications being from females. Similarly high percentages were achieved for PCSO and MSC application and enquiry rates.

C. Race and equality impact

All equality and diversity considerations are considered in the main body of the report.

D. Financial implications

There are no specific financial implications arising from this report.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Simon Marshall, Director of Recruitment., MPS.

For more information contact:

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

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