Implementation of Recommendation 61

Report: 07b
Date: 20 May 2004
By: the Commissioner

Summary

This report details the progress to date and the proposed implementation of Recommendation 61 of the Lawrence Report across the MPS from October 2004.

A. Recommendations

1. Members are asked to comment on proposed implementation

B. Supporting information

Overview

1. The Home Secretary has instructed that Recommendation 61 will be implemented nationally by 1 April 2005. The MPS and MPA are working towards a London wide implementation of 1 October 2004, thus ensuring compliance before the beginning of the C3i transition starting later in October 2004.

2. There has been a phased national implementation of Recommendation 61 through a series of pilots. Hackney and Tower Hamlets Borough Operational Command Units (BOCUs) have led the way for the MPS along with six other forces across the country.

3. Commander Broadhurst and a team within Territorial Policing Headquarters (TPHQ) Diamond Programme have been charged with coordinating the implementation across the London Boroughs. A Working Group has been formed made up of key representatives from the MPA, MPS - TPHQ, Directorate of Public Affairs (DPA), Diversity Directorate – Hackney and Tower Hamlets Rec. 61 Monitoring Groups. The Working Group is charged with directing and overseeing the implementation.

London wide roll out of Recommendation 61

4. Work is currently in hand developing a MPS Performance Needs Analysis (PNA), which will assist in deciding how best to roll out Recommendation 61 and crucially inform the development of the Training Needs Analysis (TNA). In completing the PNA,TPHQ have researched the evaluation reports from the MPS and national pilots, and consulted with practitioners, Home Office and MPA. The PNA will be presented to the TP Training Board on 26 May 2004 and the TNA will be decided shortly afterwards. The TNA will drive what training is required and how it will be delivered, each Borough will then plan how to implement the MPS package. The PNA will be completed by 21.May.2004 and a copy will be provided to the MPA.

5. Work is progressing on the information packs for Borough Commanders and a draft copy has been provided to Members. These packs will provide information and guidance for borough Senior Management Teams (SMTs). An extensive document review, focus groups and workshops with operational staff, close liaison with the MPA and consultation with the Tower Hamlets Monitoring Group have informed the building of the packs. Central to the pack is an ‘implementation guide’ offering Boroughs a step by step walkthrough of how to effectively implement Recommendation 61.

6. Researching the guidance packs has highlighted communication and consultation as areas critical to the success of the roll out project. To this end the MPS have been working closely with the MPA in ensuring a partnership approach to communications and consultation. A communications working group has been set up and is currently producing a joint MPS/MPA communications strategy.

7. There are high levels of commitment from Management Board and TPHQ to deliver the effective implementation of Recommendation 61. It is recognised by both the MPS and MPA that the leadership shown at Chief Officer level needs to be replicated across the London boroughs. The guidance packs will reinforce this message and highlight the impact of effective leadership shown at both Hackney and Tower Hamlets.

8. The most significant threat to the successful implementation of Recommendation 61prior to 1 April 2005 will be the extensive change programme the MPS is currently engaged with in delivering C3i. C3i will revolutionise the MPS command and control systems and radically modernise the way calls are received and despatched across London. This change programme will begin in October 2004 and continue until April 2006 and has huge training and resource implications. It is imperative that Recommendation 61 be introduced prior to the C3i start date for it to be successfully implemented before 1 April 2005.

Learning derived from the phased implementation

9. The research conducted for the PNA highlighted the following as key success factors to effective implementation:

• Positive and clear leadership by the Borough Commander and their Senior Management Team (SMT)
• Identification of a named project lead from the borough SMT
• Identifying, setting up and maintaining a Community Monitoring Group
• Creation of clear project plans with milestones and risk and issues log
• Clear communication strategy
• Intrusive supervision
• Training that ensures a detailed understanding of why Recommendation 61 is being implemented and gives a clear definition of what constitutes a stop and account.

10. The above factors will be addressed in the main by the information packs available to boroughs and the future training programme. However it is recognised that to deliver the implementation within such tight timescales will require further assistance. It is anticipated that the Working Group will play a key role along with the introduction of a TPHQ based Helpdesk, which will provide project management support to Boroughs. Work planned around the forthcoming re-launch of the MPS ‘Stop and Search’ policy will also provide a useful focus for Borough Commanders.

Areas for improvements to progress implementation

11. Delays in inputting stops and stop & search information onto the database remains a reality for the two pilot sites. Both Hackney and Tower Hamlets have increased the resources available and currently have at least two fulltime staff inputting the information onto the database. Even so there can be a delay of up to four weeks before stops and stop and search information is included on the database.

12. There is a recognised need for analysts at each borough to provide a meaningful breakdown of the raw stop and stop and search data. The MPS are currently recruiting analysts for the continued implementation of the National Intelligence Model (NIM) and work is in hand to ensure that some of this new analyst capacity is used for stops and stop & search data. Diversity Directorate are also recruiting an analyst and plan to carry out research identifying boroughs with high levels of disproportionality with the intention of investigating whether it was appropriate in the circumstances.

13. Tower Hamlets and Hackney were both successful in building Recommendation 61 Monitoring Groups. However, evidence from both sites indicates that maintaining interest and attendance at the meetings requires considerable thought and effort. The MPS and MPA are both involved in looking at how best to support continued impetus at local monitoring group;

14. Research conducted whilst preparing the PNA has identified the significance of intrusive supervision in ensuring issues around compliance and the quality of the police/community interaction and input will be made into future management training at sergeant and inspector level and reinforced during borough-based training.

15. It is still unclear to what extent, if any, the Community Monitoring Groups should hold the boroughs to account and work continues around this subject.

16. The Working Group will consider how the MPS and MPA best approach publicity after 1 October 2004.

Analysis of data

17. Analysis remains an issue, but both pilot sites have secured extra resources to enable some interpretation of the information on the database. Both Tower Hamlets and Hackney report the same levels of stops, and stop & search as previously reported (see Commissioners Report for the Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board – 1 April 2004).

18. Current trends of disproportionality for stop and account appear to follow the same patterns as stop & search. Hackney report significant success in reducing street crime and are currently investigating the links with the use of stops and stop and search.

19. The requirement for analytical capacity at borough level, the search for good practice and maximising the potential contribution of Recommendation 61 to intelligence led policing are all areas highlighted in the guidance pack.

Progress of IT implementation

20. The IT pilot involving handheld wireless computers used by officers to record stops and stop and searches has now come to an end and awaits evaluation. In the main the technology was well received, there was however a significant number of officers who did not use the system and the Leeds University research will investigate the reasons for this. A series of smaller scale pilots involving different police IT applications are now being undertaken.

21. The fast time capture of data onto the Stops database appears to be the most significant benefit, however the full evaluation by Leeds University will provide a more detailed analysis. Once the evaluation has been received staff at TPHQ will undertake a review of the use of Recommendation 61 and stop and search and focus on the potential cost benefits involved in rolling out the handheld IT option MPS wide. It is anticipated that in the short term at least Recommendation 61 will be a paper-based operation.

C. Race and equality impact

The quality of the interaction between the officer and the person stopped is the single most significant message to come out of the various evaluation reports concerning the implementation of Recommendation 61. The officer’s attitude and the quality of the information they provide are key to the success of Recommendation 61 in engendering public confidence in the police. To this end it is essential that the MPA and MPS work in close partnership particularly in engaging with the diverse communities of London.

TPHQ has undertaken a review of the MPS stops and stop and search policy and a revision is currently with Policy Clearing House. The new policy will embrace Recommendation 61. It is acknowledged that stop and account will have a significant impact on our relationship with the community. The corporate assessment undertaken by Policy Clearing House will cover the generic impact across London. However, it is important that the local impact is considered and measures addressing local needs are put in place. It is recommended that each Borough conducts their own impact assessment and identifies control strategies to address the issues produced by the assessment.
If a Borough Instruction concerning Recommendation 61 is issued then an Equality Impact Assessment will be completed. Guidance is to be published by Policy Clearing House to assist boroughs carrying out impact assessments of any local instructions. .

Diversity Directorate will be collating the MPS wide community impact assessments.

D. Financial implications

The MPA and MPS are currently in discussion on a joint publicity campaign that may have a significant cost implication. BOCUs will instead draw on existing budgets to resource their local implementation plans. An initial grant of £60K was made available to support the two pilot sites and some money exists to fund an initial poster campaign. As part of the IT pilot evaluation a fully costed report will be prepared.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Cmdr Robert Broadhurst, TPHQ

For more information contact:

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

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback