Proposed scrutiny into succession planning and talent management for police officers in the Metropolitan Police Service

Report: 13
Date: 7 June 2007
By: Chief Executive

Summary

This report sets out the background and proposed terms of reference for a Member-led scrutiny into succession planning and talent management for police officers in the MPS.

A. Recommendations

That members agree the proposed scrutiny.

B. Supporting information

1. Members of the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) have become increasingly concerned about the number, quality and diversity of the officers eligible for appointment to Association of Chief Police Officer (ACPO) rank under the present arrangements. The lack of a broad range of experience and strategic perspective amongst some candidates and the weaknesses in the current ‘competency based’ assessment regime, have all underlined the need for the Authority to articulate some proposals for the way forward.

2. The Authority is not alone in recognising that there are deficiencies in the current processes and a number of initiatives are currently underway, including:

National Police Improvement Agency (NPIA)

In line with the National Senior Careers Advisory Service's (NSCAS) role to help enlarge the talent pool at senior level so that it better represents communities and to tackle under representation of members of minority groups at Chief Officer level, NSCAS are offering police officers and staff from under-represented groups the opportunity to meet an NSCAS Development Adviser for a one off one to one session. The purpose of the meeting is to help individuals understand how NSCAS Development Advisers support their clients. Officers and staff at superintending level or equivalent from under-represented groups are eligible for this initiative. In addition, and as part of their business plan, NPIA are going to:

• Review all learning, development and leadership strategies, products and services to ensure they meet the needs of policing and represent best value in terms of quality and cost. Includes developing an approach to Leadership for ACPO with the support of the police service;
• Develop a strategy that identifies objectives for the recruitment, development, motivation and leadership of people in policing; and
• Review recruitment and promotion activity to ensure that the best people are recruited and promoted. Includes developing succession planning to ensure that there is an adequate supply of talent at all levels.

The High Potential Development Scheme (HPDS) is currently suspended for new entrants whilst it is reviewed as part of the business plan exercise.

Senior Appointments Panel (SAP)

SAP is going to look at the overall appointment process, including the Police National Assessment Centre (PNAC) Strategic Command Course (SCC), and the mismatch between the number of SCC qualified officers and the number of vacancies.

Police Promotions Examination Board (PPEB)

The PPEB is running a trial of work based assessment to replace parts of the Objective Structured Performance Related Examination (OSPRE). This is for Sergeants and Inspectors but this has implications for progress up the ranks and the general "style" of how progression is managed.

Other work

The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), the British Association of Women Police (BAWP) and National Black Police Association (NBPA) have all recently spoken out in favour of ‘affirmative action,’ although the BAWP and NBPA have been more forthright in terms of a representative workforce at all levels of the police service rather than just increased numbers. Affirmative action, which is not legal in the United Kingdom, gives individuals from under represented groups preference; however it differs from positive discrimination in a number of critical areas:

• Every person will have reached the required standard.
• It allows the employer to take from the pool of qualified applicants disproportionately, e.g. more women and more Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) candidates.
• It is time-limited and only operates while an organisation is under-represented in relation to a particular group or groups.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Janet Williams is working on a proposal for the selection of future ACPO officers leading up to PNAC and SCC. The MPS has a number of schemes to support women and BME police officers and a graduate recruitment strategy, but these activities are not particularly well publicised or resourced. The national graduate entry scheme also appears to be inactive and although Home Office approval for a lateral entry scheme at Inspector level was given some time ago, no further work has been done.

The way forward

3. In the light of everything else that is going on, it would be very easy to assume that the concerns of the Authority are being addressed, but this is not necessarily the case. There is a great deal of ‘reviewing’ and ‘looking at’ related issues, but arguably there needs to be a comprehensive scrutiny of the all the issues in order to address the needs of the MPS in the 21st century. This needs to recognise that the police service is continually in a process of change, with shifting strategies and a growing need for a mixture of leadership skills.

4. For example, the HMIC report ‘closing the gap’ would have seen a significant reduction in the number police forces (and the number of senior ACPO rank posts) and there remains a commitment to shared services and collaborative working. On the other hand, the Conservative Party proposals in ‘policing for the people would see an increase in the number of police forces, although not necessarily in the number of more senior ACPO ranks. Either of these proposals would have represented a significant change in the promotion opportunities for aspiring leaders in the police service.

5. Clearly a better understanding and alignment of roles and role requirements will be needed to more effectively identify, select, develop and promote leaders at senior levels. By understanding how leadership roles in the police service vary, e.g. operational, strategic, collaborative, etc, the MPA and the MPS can more effectively select people with the right skills and experience for senior roles. This knowledge and understanding can then help ‘map’ career development and progression so that individual leadership development can meet the needs of the organisation. Nevertheless, it will be important for the scrutiny to consider the need for flexibility in developing any proposals in the light of what may change within policing over, for example, the next 10 years.

Draft terms of reference

6. The objectives of the scrutiny would be to:

• Assess the extent to which appropriate structures are in place, and resources available, to identify, select and support succession planning and talent management in the MPS and the police service;
• Ascertain how the MPS and the police service is identifying, selecting and nurturing police officers to be leaders in 5/10/15 years time;
• Clarify what work is currently being carried out or planned to identify, select, and support the MPS’s and police service’s leaders and future leaders;
• Identify any gaps in the current approach that need to be addressed:
• Understand what is being done to address the under representation of women and BME police officers at senior levels;
• Identify what can be learnt / assimilated from the experience and best practice of others in the public and private sector including, for example, the level at which intervention is appropriate;
• Ensure the MPA and the MPS has a consistent approach to address the leadership requirements of the MPS and that this is flexible enough to adapt to changes in policing policy, practice, style or management;
• Consult with key stakeholders, organisations and individuals to inform and shape the approach that should be taken to succession planning and talent management; and
• Consider what the MPA and MPS can do in the short / medium / long term to address the issues that are identified and what the barriers to further action are.

7. In terms of the proposed scrutiny itself, in addition to research, using written consultation and evidence gathering, it is suggested that the NPIA, SAP / HMIC and the Home Office would need to be consulted in terms of their present roles. Other police organisations who may have relevant views are the Association of Police Authorities (APA), ACPO, staff associations and staff representative groups such as the NBPA and BAWP.

8. Other organisations with good succession planning models such as the British Army, Transport for London, General Electric or Tesco may also provide valuable insights into identifying and selecting future leaders. Finally, experts in this field such as the Hay Group who have carried out a significant amount of work in this area for public and private sector organisations, or Bill Taylor, who has carried out a significant amount of work in this area for the police service and police authorities, may also have something to offer.

C. Race and equality impact

There are significant race and equality implications for this scrutiny and it will be important to ensure that, if endorsed, it provides opportunities for a wide cross section of individuals and organisations to contribute to the evidence gathering. The scrutiny, and any scrutiny recommendations, will need to pay particular attention to the potential for direct and indirect barriers to under represented groups.

D. Financial implications

There are no direct financial costs at this stage as the scrutiny is no more than a proposal. A more detailed financial estimate will be required if agreement is given for the scrutiny to proceed.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Alan Johnson, Policy Officer, Human Resources, MPA.

For more information contact:

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

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