Proposed restructuring of the Diversity Directorate

Report: 09
Date: 02 September 2004
By: Commissioner

Summary

This report outlines the proposed changes to the Diversity Directorate in response to the changing role of the Directorate since its development to support the management of Critical Incidents. It outlines proposals for parts of the Directorate to move into Territorial Policing (TP)/Serious Crime Directorate (SCD) and the remainder to reorganise its structure and approach in order to maximise the Directorate’s contribution to the MPS strategic policing agenda in relation to the operational and employment aspects of equalities and diversity.

A. Recommendations

Members support the reconfiguration.

B. Supporting information

1. The Diversity Directorate was developed around the management of Critical Incidents, including the MPS response to hate crime. It has built up significant expertise and a range of partnerships that are of strategic importance to the MPS. September 2003 saw further development with the Development Organisation Improvement Team (DOIT) joining with the Directorate. DOIT has corporate responsibility for employment issues relating to retention and progression of under represented groups. Long term strategic planning recognises the development of the organisation since MacPherson and that aspects of its functionality should now be properly placed within the management structures of the business groups that deliver core operational performance. Equally, the focus for the Directorate must now be to build the capability to provide more direct support to (B)OCU command teams not only in terms of external diversity issues but also internal.

2. Since mid-December 2003 the first phase of consultation has been in progress around the future role and configuration of the Diversity Directorate. There have been a number of drivers for that review. These include the likely outcomes of the Morris Inquiry and the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) Formal Investigation, the requirement to deliver a new Diversity Strategy for the MPS in Autumn 2004, and the lessons emerging from the resolution of a number of long-running Employment Tribunal cases since November 2003.

3. The effective management of diversity, externally and internally, is a performance multiplier. It is the approach through which we maximise the contributions of our staff and communities in the delivery of policing services. The Directorate’s contribution to MPS performance can best be made by working with (B)OCUs through local delivery teams to ensure they are able to maximize the opportunities, and that local diversity approaches are robust and effective.

4. In order to deliver this agenda the Directorate needs to structure itself around the following components:

• Performance Unit
  This Unit already exists within the Directorate but will need to expand. There is a significant amount of data around the organisation that forms part of the corporate “diversity performance” picture. The legislative implications of this for the MPS require immediate and focused management. The unit will take lead responsibility for this and will build a strategic picture across internal and service-delivery indicators. This will enable us to understand what “good” diversity performance looks like, to identify where we need to make interventions and what they should be. The team will include analytic capacity and the two academic researchers currently in the Directorate. The team will also monitor the implementation of recommendations from various reviews and reports.
• (B)OCU Teams
  These will be newly created teams. In consultation with TP and SCD colleagues it is intended to group Boroughs and OCUs and then to provide each group (x 8) with a team of diversity “consultants”. These teams would work alongside their (B)OCU management teams to give support across a range of diversity issues. For example, they will assist in the development and implementation of local diversity strategies, the development and exploitation of external partnerships, support to liaison officer networks (e.g LGBT Liaison Officers), advice and support in the response to difficult diversity issues in the workplace. These staff will be given training in skills such as mediation and restorative justice approaches. Staff for these teams will be selected in response to advert. There will be no “moving across” without selection for staff already employed in the Directorate. The planning assumption is that each team will consist of 4 staff – one police officer (skills based rather than rank-based) and three members of police staff (Band B).
• Strand Desks
  The nucleus of this already exists within the Directorate. The principle is that a small team will be created around each of the diversity strands (race, gender, age, faith/belief, LGBT, disability, flexible working and police staff). These teams will be responsible for developing corporate work programmes in response to issues raised through the performance analysis, (B)OCU teams, Independent Advisory Groups (IAGs) or other strategic forums. They will maintain the responsibilities under the Strategic Relationship banner for developing and supporting independent advice processes.
• Family Liaison
  This is already a well established unit within the Directorate. It has been identified by partners as an issue of key concern. Given the level of stakeholder concern at any move and the pan-MPS reach of the work (road death, mass disaster, homicide, serious sexual assault and Fairness at Work) the MPS lead should at this time remain within Deputy Commissioners Command (DCC).
• Critical Incident Team
  This small team already exists within the Directorate. It will continue to ensure that the organisational learning from Critical Incidents continues to be collated and disseminated. Their retention within the Directorate will also enable “independent” advice and review where required.
• Diversity Training Branch (DTB)/Leadership Strand
  The DTB will, in addition to its responsibilities to deliver corporate requirements, be able to work alongside the (B)OCU teams. They will assist command teams with the development of local Performance Needs Analysis (PNAs) and work with them to identify appropriate solutions. The Leadership strand will continue to deliver the Commissioners Leadership Programme (CLP) and also on work it has now started (Waltham Forest, Brent, and Ealing) to help develop local approaches to leadership and supervisory development.

5. The process of embedding other functions into TP and SCD will enable the Diversity Directorate to focus on its core business of supporting performance at (B)OCU level. This agenda has received widespread support from stakeholders during the consultation process. The primary concerns have been about the commitment and willingness of TP/SCD to maintain or build on the standards of Hate Crime response.

6. It is proposed that the following functions move into TP:

• Community Safety Unit (CSU) Team
  This team drives policy around hate crime and domestic violence. They have forged a number of significant strategic relationships in these areas of work. The team includes the Forced Marriage Project. Staff have already begun to work closely with Deputy Assistant Commissioner (DAC) House and Commander Moore and the results have been positive. The CSUs on BOCUs, delivering the service at operational level, already come under the management of TP.
• Intelligence Cell Analysis Section (ICAS)
  The strategic intelligence unit. This team develops the pan-London hate crime picture, identifying patterns and offenders. They maintain various databases and have expertise around impact assessment and risk assessment. From the start of the review process, agreement was reached between TP and SCD that ICAS should move to provide TP with a strategic intelligence capability it has a compelling requirement for. It is however recognised that SCD and the Diversity Directorate also require an intelligence product. This requirement will be addressed during the change process by way of protocols.
• Proactive Team
  This team links very closely to ICAS. It contains the tactical intelligence capability. Tasking is mainly in relation to serious or cross boundary hate offenders. The team provides a capability including surveillance, which is essential if the response to hate crime is to remain effective. This was another area of sensitivity from external stakeholders who are anxious to see the capacity retained.

7. It is proposed that the following functions move into SCD: (this will involve around 49 Police Officers posts and 8 Police Staff posts):

• Re-investigation Teams
  These teams probably represent DCC4 resources, which are most able to be re-tasked as a consequence of this process. There may be a natural migration into crime affecting distinct communities. The Murder Review process and the general increase in professionalism around (homicide) critical incident investigation means that, in reality, the requirement for the teams as originally devised, no longer has the same force. The organisation will need to retain the ability to re-investigate Racial and Violent Crime Task Force type incidents it is confidently predicted that this requirement can be met from Murder Review Group (MRG) and Homicide Command. The re-investigation teams will inevitably carry over some work that includes murders.
• Vulnerable and Intimidated Witness Interview Team
  This small team were already in the process of being transferred across to SCD who have been leading complementary work. The team has only existed in the Directorate since the arrival of Commander Allen and were a legacy of some work he managed whilst in TP. It is his view that there is no rational reason for them remaining with the Directorate. The review however, has identified good reasons for sighting them within the Crime Academy. Discussion is ongoing between the Directorate and SCD as to where best to place this project.

8. Those who have been consulted so far include The GLA, MPA, Independent Advisory Groups (IAG), (B)OCU Commanders, Association of Chief Police Officer (ACPO) Level within the MPS and Diversity Directorate staff. There is strong support for the proposal to concentrate efforts at operational (B)OCU level and there has been an ‘in principle’ agreement from Management Board to progress the change. There is also recognition of the risks associated with the proposed change and in particular the risk of a diminution of service standards in relation to Domestic Violence and Hate Crime. These risks will be managed through the change process. An integral part of the process will be continued consultation with all interested parties, including the MPA.

9. A meeting of strategic partners has been arranged for September to begin the second phase of consultation on this change process.

10. The support of Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board is sought for the above reconfiguration. There are risks that have been identified during this initial phase. There will undoubtedly be other risks identified throughout the change process when more detail is discussed. With proper consultation and support such risks can be managed to ensure that there is an improvement in services rather than diminution.

C. Race and equality impact

1. Associated with this change a strong fear of the diminution of service standards has been voiced by many. The Deputy Commissioner has been clear from the outset of this process that any realignment should not result in a diminution of service standards, particularly in relation to domestic Violence and Hate Crime. Should that perception be allowed to develop the MPS will suffer significant damage to its reputation and community confidence. One mechanism for ensuring the maintenance of confidence is the agreement of Service Level Agreements between the Deputy Commissioner and the Assistant Commissioner’s of TP and SCD. These agreements will make visible the commitment to service and reassure partners that the Deputy Commissioner retains some locus in the performance issues. The Diversity Directorate have developed some draft agreements and would seek to work now with interested parties to finalise their terms.

2. There is particular concern from Independent Advisors about what the changes will mean for them, their role and their relationships with the MPS. Clearly any loss of confidence from such groups will have a knock on effect on the confidence from Communities. The Advisors are very supportive of the change in configuration but wish to retain their key strategic role of supporting and ensuring the MPS response to hate crime. It is vital that during the change process TP and SCD colleagues are introduced to key advisors and develop the discussion about how those relationships will work.

D. Financial implications

1. It appears that based upon the structures set out above and the resources required, this reconfiguration is feasible within existing Diversity Directorate budgets. This will involve a move of monies from consultancy and training budgets given that these new staff will obviate the need to use external suppliers so frequently. Both budgets are under spent, realigning resource in this way should be sustainable into future financial years. In addition, some money has been realigned from the Police Staff pay head. An initial view from Deputy Commissioner’s Command Accountant is that this realignment can be achieved within budgetary authority and with the money available. However the fine detail of this will be covered in the next phase of the change process.

2. For the change process, there will be a Finance & Resource involvement independent of the Diversity Directorate, Territorial Policing and Specialist Crime Directorate to ensure equity in the distribution of budget and to ensure that effective accounting processes are put in place.

E. Background papers

none

F. Contact details

Report author: Martin Bagg, Superintendent Diversity Directorate

For more information contact:

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

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