Equal opportunities and diversity management information report

Report: 11
Date: 20 May 2004
By: Clerk

Summary

This report provides equal opportunities and diversity management information. The main trends are highlighted and more detailed figures are provided in the appendix.

A. Recommendations

That members note the attached management information report and any emerging trends.

B. Supporting information

Background

1. The management information report has been revised following consultation with the Chair.

2. Some management information is still under development or awaiting data collection from the MPS. In particular, some of the fair practice information is awaiting development by the MPS (Corporate Performance Pack). The attached management information report includes as much information as possible from the requirements agreed.

3. The main trends to be noted from the report attached as appendix 1 are:

• End of financial year results show VEM staff employed by the MPA above target (33%, target 25%), whereas the current employment status of female staff was below target (42%, target 52%).
• The current police officer strength has reached an all time high of 30,265 at the end of March 2004, contributed by an additional 3,362 officers recruited between April 2003 and March 2004.
• The continuing rise in female police officer strength has resulted in 18.1% by the end of March 2004, exceeding the target by 126 officers. Despite a marginal increase, only 10.3% of management posts are held by female officers showing a slight under-representation of total female officer strength. The increase in recruitment of female officers in recent years may have contributed to this low, hopefully increasing as these officers gain sufficient experience to progress into management posts.
• VEM police officers as a percentage of total strength has just missed the target of 6.6%, currently at 6.5% at the end of March 2004. The recent increase in VEM recruits has contributed to an under-representation in management posts with only 3% of managers from visible ethnic minorities. As with female officers, it is hoped that as VEM officers gain sufficient experience, the percentage of officers in management posts will increase.
• The same can be said for police staff in management posts. Female staff are slightly below their total representation (53% against 59% total strength), but VEM police staff is largely under-represented in management posts (11% against 20% total strength). Please note that pay bands A-D are used as a proxy for management rank.
• VEM and female staff are better represented in PCSO strength than police strength, with the status at the end of March 2004 showing 35% and 30% respectively.
• The number of stop and searches conducted has considerably dropped since April 2003 in comparison with previous year. In 2002/3 an average of 21,968 stop and searches were conducted every month. For April to February 2004 the monthly average stands at 17,051 stop and searches. This drop in stop and search activity affects all ethnicity, gender and age groups.
• There seems to be a long-term decrease in the arrest rate following stop and search, from 15.9% in 2001/2 to 14.2% in 2002/3 and 12.7% for April to February 2004.
• The number of homicide cleared up for 2003/04 has nearly reached the number of crimes recorded in the same period. This has given a clear up rate of 97.2%. Possible reasons include the increase investigations into cold cases. The percentage of female and VEM victims of homicide stands at 24% and 41% respectively.
• Domestic violence crimes recorded has risen significantly over the past two years, although 2003/04 was slightly below the number of crimes recorded in the previous year (-2%). The JD rate remains low at around 17.5%.

C. Race and equality impact

Included within the report and attached management information.

D. Financial implications

None.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Gemma Walters, Performance Analyst, MPA.

For more information contact:

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

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