Progress report on the independent evaluation of the MPS Community and Race Relations (CRR) Training

Report: 14 - Report not considered by the committee
Date: 16 October 2003
By: Clerk

Summary

The CRR Independent evaluation of the MPS CRR training commenced in October 2002. A draft final report was submitted to the MPA in August 2003 and a final draft will receive by end of October 2003 for a period of consultation. This report highlights some of the emerging findings of the consultation and proposes a process for signing off the final report.

A. Recommendations

Members are asked to:

1. Note the proposed timescale for the MPS internal evaluation of its CRR training programme.
2. Comments on the emerging findings of the CRR evaluation report.
3. Agree the proposed timeframe for receiving the final report prior to its full discussion at the meeting of the EODB on 03 December 2003.

B. Supporting information

Background

1. In 1999, the Stephen Lawrence inquiry report was published following a lengthy inquiry into the matters arising from the death of Stephen Lawrence. In order to identify the lessons to be learned from the Metropolitan and prosecution of racially motivated crimes.

2. The inquiry recommended that ‘racism awareness training should be put in place’ “based upon the value of our diversity, and delivered in order to develop the full understanding that good community relations are essential to good policy and that a racist officer is an incompetent officer”.

Recommendation 49 states that “all police officers, including CID and civilian staff, should be trained in racism awareness valuing cultural diversity, and Recommendation 50 “that police training and practical experience in the field of racism awareness and valuing cultural diversity should regularly be conducted at local level. It should be recognised that local minority ethnic communities should be involved in such training and experience.

3. It has been these recommendations, alongside a series of reports from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and others, which have been the major recent drives in the development of the MPS CRR and diversity training.

4. The MPS Diversity Training (CRR) has been specifically developed to meet Recommendations 16, 49 and 50 of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry.

The Training has been highly commended by HMIC, the Home Office and others and is regarded very highly by many police forces nationally and internally.

5. There has, however, never been an independent evaluation of the training programme, and that proposed by the MPA i.e. the first of its kind by any Police Authorities in England and Wales.

6. The Home Office has a national evaluation of the CRR programme of all forces underway and the MPS has been carrying out individual evaluation of each of the borough training programmes.

7. It is understood that an overall evaluation of the programme is underway and the timescale for completion has brought forward to December 3 to tie in with the EODB consideration of the MPA Independent of the CRR Training Evaluation on 3 December 2003.

Methodology and process

8. The Evaluation was carried out using the Kirkpatrick model of training evaluation. This model, which has been well used by academic institution internationally seek to measure to extent to which learning and the consequent change takes place in an organisation. The model reflects emerging evaluation and incorporates the principles reflected in the ACPO CRR Training Strategy currently under development. There are four levels of measurement. The MPA independent evaluation focused on levels three and four:

• Level 3 – behavioural change as a result of training; and
• Level 4 – consequent impact on the organisation or society.

9. As the MPS CRR training had been in place for some time and was central in enabling the Service to cultural change which it had embarked on following the murder of Stephen Lawrence and the recommendations arising from the Inquiry Report into his death the project working group, chaired by the MPA Independent Member, Cindy Butts were eager that the Evaluation should be comprehensive. The methodology was also being used by the Home Office project, which was undertaking a national evaluation of the CRR training of all police forces in England and Wales.

10. At the time when it commenced, members of the Authority was also concerned about the cost of the delivery of the training, which amounted to approximately £1.4 million annually.

11. The evaluation project commenced towards the end of phase one of the delivery of the CRR training, by which time the large majority of Boroughs had already completed their CRR training programmes. Whilst, it was acknowledged that this might have a negative impact on the outcome of the evaluation, this appears not to have been borne out. This is probably due to the range of evaluation methods that were used. These included:

• Key interviews with informed, knowledgeable individuals in the MPS, MPA and the community
• Observation of training sessions being delivered
• Case studies in four boroughs, two that were just commencing or where the training was in process, and two who had undertaken their CRR training very early in the roll-out of the programme, and who were now in the process of delivering there “phase II” of the programme.
• Analysis of survey data from over 9,000 respondents arising from the annual survey undertaken by the Association of London Government and communities focus groups - to seek the views of the public on whether their perception and experience of policing shows increased trust and confidence due to the CRR training that officers have received.

Emerging Findings

12. The Project Steering Group considered an early draft of the report for the Institute for Employment Studies in early September. These are not conclusive and may vary in the final version, which will be completed for consideration by the board, mid October 03.

13. The emerging findings of the evaluation includes the following:

• The MPS organisational message about Diversity and the importance of this to the organisation has permeated the organisation, however there is far greater commitment to the initiative at series levels in the organisation.
• There remain concerns that there is an over emphasis on Race.
• The training is perceived as needed to ‘cover the back’ of the MPS rather than a real willingness to embed the principle of diversity.
• Those who attend, though the focus is on raising awareness and deepening understanding, rather than changing attitudes, value the training.
• There remains some defensiveness to attending the training and a lack of understanding of the term Institutional Racism. This term is experienced as negative and highly emotive, however the MPS message on diversity is becoming embedded within the organisation, and the CRR Training is seen as a ‘good start’.

14. Externally – the emerging findings for the analysis of the responses from the ALG Survey indicate, other things that have arisen; that members from the Black and minority ethnic community overwhelmingly feel that they would not trust the police to deal with them fairly if they were suspected of a crime, although BME women and those who were older had slightly more positive views.

15. In comparison a similar question asked respondents to indicate their level of trust and confidence in the police to deal with them if they were a victim of crime. The response from all groups, including BME people was consistently high, indicating a high level of trust in the police in dealing with those who are victims of crime.

16. Since the emerging findings of the evaluation report, the diversity board of the MPS choose to hold back the development of phase II of Diversity training pending the outcome of the evaluation and also pending a review of the diversity strategy. It was felt that the training needed to underpin a wider cultural change programme, which might be better developed in a more targeted manner. This decision is welcomed by the MPA and the Home Office who is of the view that any rollout of phase II, CRR training should be informed by the guidance which is currently under development. The MPS own Internal evaluation of the CRR training was due to be completed in 2004. It is understood that this is now being speeded up so that it can be concluded by December 2003 so that it can be considered possibly at the same time as the MPA independent evaluation.

Report timescale

16. This Board is responsible for ‘signing of’ the final report of the Evaluation and for agreeing its publication. This will come to the December meeting of the Board, although the report from the consultants will be available in mid October.

17. The Project Steering Group has a further meeting at the end of October to discuss the final draft report. Following this, and the opportunity to make any final observations or adjustments to the report, it is proposed that there will be a workshop primarily for EODB members, but will be open to all MPA members to attend. This workshop will be facilitated by the research consultants and will give EODB members (and others) an opportunity to receive an in-depth briefing and explanations about the key findings and recommendations arising from the report. This will also give members the opportunity to seek classification and purpose amendments before the formal sign of the Report, hopefully at the December meeting.

18. The project group also acknowledged the MPS would want to have the opportunity to have its own internal consultation on the report, before the December meeting, so that any comments and representations can be made before that time.

19. Members are asked to agree the process outlined above for receiving the final report.

C. Equality and diversity implications

1. Recommendation 40 and 49 of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry recommended that there should be racism awareness training within police services; and that all officers should be trained in racism awareness and valuing cultural diversity. The MPS CRR is aimed to meeting this recommendation and the Evaluation Report has assessed the extent to which this has been achieved.

2. The recommendations arising from the report should assist the MPS in advancing the programme that it already has in place to aid the organisational mainstreaming of diversity performance and practices at all levels in the organisation.

D. Financial implications

The budget allocated for this work was £80,000. To date £32,000 has been claimed and the final budget is awaited. The project will be contained within budget.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Julia Smith, MPA.

For more information contact:

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

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