Recruitment diversity task force

Report: 12
Date: 28 November 2002
By: Clerk

Summary

This paper reports progress so far on setting up a taskforce to examine ways of increasing visible minority ethnic recruitment to the Metropolitan Police Service. It provides information on the most recent meeting of the task force.

A. Recommendations

That members note the information on the most recent meeting of the task force.

B. Supporting information

 1. At its meeting on 25 July, the full Authority received a report from the Clerk on the proposal for the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) to set up a Recruitment Task Force. Its ‘core’ membership would be drawn from members of the MPA, representatives from the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and the Greater London Authority (GLA), and from London’s public and business communities to offer practical ideas, proposals and support to improve the police recruitment from visible ethnic minorities. This will be a ‘can do’ task force, not a talking shop.

Membership

2. At the full Authority meeting, it was agreed that the MPA members should be R. David Muir (Chair), Jennette Arnold, Cindy Butts, Kirsten Hearn, Peter Herbert and Abdal Ullah. Lee Jasper (Mayor’s Adviser), Claudia Webbe (Mayor’s Adviser) and Alpa Kalpasi, (Senior Co-ordinator, Race Equality) represent the GLA and Bernard Hogan-Howe (Assistant Commissioner, Human Resources), Jenny Deere (Director, Human Resources (Selection)), Chief Superintendent Robert Carr (Head of Recruitment), Chief Inspector Rowland Moore (Head of Positive Action Team) and Denise Milani (Director, DOIT. Other members of the Task Force include Chief Inspector Leroy Logan (Black Police Association) and Martin Meredith (Commission for Racial equality), but other names will be added.

3. The note of the last meeting is attached at Appendix 1.

C. Equality and and diversity implications

The task force aims to help the MPS achieve its recruitment targets for visible ethnic minority police officers.

D. Financial implications

Servicing the work of the taskforce can be resourced from existing MPA and MPS budgets. Any recommendations involving new spend will be reported to the Authority.

E. Background papers

• Recruitment Task Force (paper to full Authority on 25 July 2002)

F. Contact details

Report author: Alan Johnson, MPS

For more information contact:

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

Appendix 1: Note of a meeting of the Recruitment Task Force on 30 October at Dean Farrar Street, London SW1

Present

• R. David Muir (Chair)

Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA)

• Cindy Butts (Independent Member)
• Catherine Crawford (Clerk)
• Alan Johnson (Head of Human Resources and Professional Standards)
• Julia Smith (Consultation and Diversity Manager)

Greater London Authority (GLA)

• Lee Jasper (Mayor’s Adviser)
• Claudia Webbe (Mayor’s Adviser)
• Alpa Kalpasi (Senior Co-ordinator, Race Equality)

Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

• Chief Superintendent Robert Carr (Head of Recruitment)
• Chief Inspector Rowland Moore (Head of Positive Action Team)
• Chief Inspector Richard Woolford (DOIT)
• Chief Inspector Leroy Logan (Black Police Association)
• Debbie Whittaker (Head of Marketing)

London Borough of Tower Hamlets

• Glenn Floyd (Community Employment Manager)
• Deborah McNamara (Outreach Worker)
• Shahidur Rahman (prospective police officer)

1. Apologies for absence

Apologies for absence were received from Kirsten Hearn, Jennette Arnold, Bernard Hogan-Howe and Denise Milani.

2. Note of the last meeting

This was accepted as a true record.

3. Presentation by London Borough of Tower Hamlets

Glenn Floyd outlined his role and stressed that, in order for the project to continue, there was a need to identify and obtain new sources of funding.

Deborah McNamara outlined the partnership approach that had been adopted, the aims of the ‘connecting communities’ project and the enormous benefit of the individual mentoring scheme. She raised her concerns about individuals needing to meet the cost of their medicals and the time taken to process applications.

R. David Muir applauded the hard work and commitment of those involved with the project and recognised its benefits both in terms of the soft outcomes (breaking down barriers and changing perceptions) and hard outcomes (providing ‘positive action’ and work experience-style opportunities).

On the questions of boroughs ‘growing their own’ through the network volunteer process and schemes such as connecting communities, Bob Carr explained that new recruits would be guaranteed a post in their local borough if that were what they wanted.

3. Matters arising from the last meeting

3.1 Lee Jasper agreed to provide the names of the HSBC and BT colleagues to the MPA in order that they could formally be invited onto the task force. Action GLA

3.2 Jenny Deere still had to provide contact details for a CRE Commissioner to join the taskforce in a personal capacity. Action MPS

3.3 Claudia Webbe explained she had been working with Rowland Moore (Positive Action Team) to develop partnership initiatives.

3.4 Claudia Webbe also reported that a proposal had been made to the Mayor to host a day for to raise awareness of job opportunities and improve recruitment amongst visible ethnic minorities. The aim would be to build greater trust and confidence at the grassroots amongst local communities. Action GLA

3.5 Bob Carr reported that the Intromet event had been very successful, with 148 applications from visible ethnic minorities and 116 applications from female candidates. Over 50 of those attending had been interviewed or completed the Police Initial Recruitment Test (PIRT). The event at Wembley had also been extremely successful. The Positive Action Team continued to provide support sessions with potential candidates.

3.6 Bob Carr added that, whilst Part 5 of the PIRT had been removed, discussions continued with the Home Office regarding whether parts 1 and 2 should be removed or improved as part of some wide ranging changes to the test.

3.7 R. David Muir had written to Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo concerning the possibility of London’s faith communities playing a more active part in police partnerships.

3.8 Bob Carr said Heather Valentine would be happy to facilitate task force members meeting police recruits. N.B. There is a ‘freshers fair’ at Peel Centre between 7-9pm on 12 November that all recruits at Hendon will attend and to which all members of the taskforce are invited. Those wishing to attend should inform Alan Johnson (020 7202 0223).

3.9 Bob Carr reported there was no central index of youths who had been involved with the CRR training process, although a database was now being provided as part of the evaluation if the training.

3.10 Copies of the application packs and pre-read material were provided for members at the meeting.

3.11 It was agreed that London First might not be the most suitable ‘gateway’ organisation on mentoring and outreach activities. Leroy Logan mentioned the earlier work with the Windsor Fellowship, but felt there was a need for the MPS to give some more thought around this possible activity. A ‘scoping’ exercise would be a valuable first stage. Action MPS

3.12 Task force members would be provided with a comprehensive list of confirmed central and local recruitment events in order to provide an opportunity for the active participation of individuals. Action MPS

3.13 Task force members felt a full copy of the Focus Consultancy report would be helpful to put this work into context. Action MPS

3.14 R. David Muir had written to MPA members but had received no responses. This would be raised at the next full Authority meeting.

3.15 Catherine Crawford had prepared two papers. The first was on ‘incentives’ to recruit more visible ethnic minority police officers. Bob Carr reported that Chief Inspector Peter Smith had already produced a report on the issue and this had been passed to the staff associations for comment. Members of the task force expressed surprise that this had not previously been mentioned and that the task force had been excluded. An undertaking was given that the MPS team looking at incentives will explicitly address the points raised in the MPA paper. Members asked to see a copy of the report. Action MPS

3.16 On the second issue of the possibility of an intake consisting entirely of visible ethnic minority recruits, Cindy Butts suggested there would need to be a significant level of support and positive publicity if this was to be successful. Lee Jasper felt the positive symbolism of such an intake would send very positive messages both within the police service and local communities. Both Leroy Logan and Rowland Moore expressed reservations about the value and effectiveness of the proposal and were concerned about the negative publicity it might attract.

3.17 It was agreed there should be a survey, using the MPS Consultancy Group, to establish the views of visible ethnic minorities to this proposal. The staff and support associations should then be consulted. Action MPA/MPS

4. Any other business

Resources for the Recruitment Task Force

4.1 There was a genuine recognition that the issue of an appropriate level of resources both for the work of this task force and its outcomes needed to be addressed. Given the experience to date, the MPS needed to provide some realistic estimates of what was required. This issue should be a regular agenda item at all meetings. Action MPS

PCSOs/special constables/voluntary cadets

4.2 Task force members felt these were fertile grounds for the recruitment of police officers and wished to see how this could be formally established as part of recruitment activity.

PIRT

4.3 Task force members felt a regular report on the ‘changing’ impact of PIRT would be a useful agenda item at all meetings.

5. Date of next meeting

10am on 4 December in Committee Room 1, Dean Farrar Street.

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