Metropolitan Police Service update on the MPA report entitled 'Disabled people and the police – a new relationship?'

Report: 09
Date: 4 October 2007
By: Chief Executive

Summary

The report provides a response from an equality and diversity perspective to the MPS update report.

A. Recommendations

That members

1. Note this report and the action taken by the MPA as outlined in Appendix 1; and
2. Agree to receive a progress report from the MPS within the next 12 months on the progress against the recommendations contained within the MPA report “Disabled People and the Police - a new relationship?”

B. Supporting information

Introduction

1. In January 2005 the MPA Full Authority meeting agreed to take forward the 48 actions outlined in the MPA report, ‘Disabled People and the Police – a new relationship?’ This resulted in the development of a formal scrutiny group – the Disability Oversight Group - managed by the MPA with input from relevant MPS representatives from a variety of directorates and units. The Greater London Authority also supported the scrutiny, as did members of the MPS Disability Independent Advisory Group (DIAG) and the report author.

2. The work of the Oversight Group was completed in October 2006 and the MPS report provides the first formal update to the progress that has been made on the 48 actions since this date.

3. Members should be aware that completion of the work by the Disability Oversight Group coincided with both the MPA and MPS launching Disability Equality Schemes, which outlined how the actions would be taken forward in the absence of the formal Oversight Group.

4. In regards to the 48 actions, the MPA has a governance role, in that it is the Authority’s responsibility to ensure that the 48 actions are fully implemented by the MPS. However, it should be noted that the MPA accepts that it may not be possible for the MPS to fully implement all 48 actions due to practical or legislative reasons. The MPA therefore encourages the MPS to continue working with Deaf [1] and disabled communities to address alternative ways forward for those actions. Of the 48 actions recommendation 25 pertained to the MPA.The MPA response to recommendation 25 can be found in appendix A of this report. The MPA role in regards to governance is clearly outlined in the MPA Disability Equality Scheme 2006–09 [2].

5. The MPS is responsible for implementing the 48 actions. Initial evidence on how this is being addressed is captured in the update report. The update report states that the MPS Equalities Scheme builds upon many of the 48 actions contained within the MPA report. It goes onto states that Action Plan D4 of the Scheme relates specifically to the delivery of the 48 actions. A target of July 2008 has been set by the MPS to ensure that all actions have been addressed.

Update report

6. It is clear that huge progress has been made in regards to the 48 actions and there are numerous examples throughout the update report of positive activity being undertaking at a regional, borough and ward level by the MPS.

7. The work being undertaken by Safer Schools Officers across London and in the boroughs of Croydon and Wandsworth to reduce harassment and hate crimes against deaf and disabled people is one such encouraging example. As is the decision to develop identified liaison officers in each Borough Operational Command Unit (BOCU) to ensure that there is a formal point of contact for deaf and disabled communities in each BOCU.

8. The proactive attempts by some Safer Neighbourhoods Teams to ensure inclusion of deaf and disabled people in the Safer Neighbourhoods Panel process is yet another example of the work that the MPS are undertaking to ensure that the 48 actions are addressed.

9. Members should welcome the decision by MPS Training Management Board that all 50,000 MPS personnel receive a generic introduction to disability awareness. This is fairly significant in ensuring that there is a better understanding amongst all MPS personnel of disability issues and that appropriate and effective quality contact takes place between MPS personnel and Deaf and disabled Londoners.

10. However, alongside the positive steps that have been taken to ensure that the 48 actions are implemented, assurance needs to be given to deaf and disabled Londoners that this work remains a key priority for the MPS and that attempts will be made to ensure actions are mainstreamed and become part of core ‘every day’ business.

11. For example, the work of individual Safer Neighbourhoods Team is notable and worthy of praise, however, the Central Safer Neighbourhoods Unit needs to ensure that those Teams who currently do not have Deaf and disabled people actively involved in their panels readily use these examples of good practice. Where Deaf and disabled membership exists within Safer Neighbourhoods Panels, teams need to make sure that this membership is sustained by taking additional and concerted actions where possible and appropriate. When involving traditional ‘hard to reach’ communities in participative activities there is a general recognition that less formal processes are just as effective as formal mechanisms to retain interest and membership. The example provided within the MPS update on the work of a Hammersmith and Fulham Safer Neighbourhood Teams is an excellent example of such a proactive approach.

12. It is also essential that the responsibility of engaging the participation of deaf and disabled people in the development of local/borough wide or regional policy or practice should not become the sole responsibility of the Safer Neighbourhoods Teams. The actions outlined in the MPA report, ‘Disabled People and the Police – a new relationship?’ refer to all areas of MPS business and therefore there is a requirement on the MPS to ensure that when considering consultation, the appropriate directorate and unit are involving and or leading on the work.

13. In addressing citizen focused service requirements, the MPS should also ensure that the good and promising actions arising from the implementation of the 48 actions are cascaded to Deaf and disabled Londoners. An increased awareness of the work that is being done by the MPS to ensure that Deaf and disabled Londoners are appropriately policed will result in an increased interest and take up by Deaf and disabled Londoners of engagement/participation opportunities.

C. Race and equality impact

1. The MPS have already begun to engage more fully with Deaf and disabled people, for example through the development of the MPS Equalities Scheme. The successful implementation of many of the recommendations within the MPA report “Disabled People and the Police - a new relationship?” depend upon the MPS actively engaging and listening to both internal and external Deaf and disabled people.

D. Financial implications

1. There are no financial implications arising directly from this report. It should be noted that at the time of writing, there is limited capacity within the Equality and Diversity Unit to provide on-going support to this activity as has previously been achieved.

E. Background papers

• MPS update on the MPA report entitled 'Disabled people and the police – a new relationship?'

F. Contact details

Report author: Laurence Gouldbourne, Equality and Diversity Unit & Hamera Asfa Davey Corporate Development & Strategic Oversight Directorate, MPA

For more information contact:

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

Appendix 1

Recommendation 25

MPA scrutinise and monitor through its committee processes the established formal consultation processes using performance indicators and the MPA link member role.

The MPA was established under The Greater London Authority Act 1999 and came into effect in July 2000. Our main function is to secure and maintain an efficient, effective and fair police service for the capital and to hold the MPS accountable for the services they provide to London. The MPA remit also requires us to consult with those who live and work in London about policing in their areas.

We are an independent statutory body with 23 members. Four of these are magistrates, seven are independent members and twelve are London Assembly members of the Greater London Authority. The MPA is part of the GLA ‘family’ which includes the Greater London Authority (GLA), London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA), the London Development Agency (LDA) and Transport for London (TfL).

In our role of scrutinising, overseeing and holding the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to account, the MPA DES is one of the key standards by which we operate so that we achieve for Deaf and disabled people a confidence in the MPS and a good experience of policing, to meet their needs and aspirations. Through our Scheme and action plan, we can demonstrate how we are meeting the Disability Equality Duty to involve disabled people in producing the Scheme and action plan, and in monitoring our scheme through periodic reviews.

Our DES is an integral part of our equalities and diversity work. As such it is a significant strand of the MPA Generic Equalities Scheme (GES). The GES is designed to apply a series of standards, which are both consistent and flexible to recognise the differences, similarities, and conflicts that exist within the equalities and diversity arena.

The focus of the GES is on six equalities strands: age; disability; race; religion or belief (including non-belief); gender and sexual orientation. This sits within the framework of the Human Rights Act 1999. The key elements of the GES include promoting equality of opportunity in service delivery, employment practice and in the MPA’s scrutiny role of the MPS. Throughout the development and proposed monitoring of our GES we have involved and engaged with staff, MPA members and voluntary partners.

In order to assist with the development of the GES we developed a Generic Equality Scheme Working Group (GESWG), which works on behalf of the MPA Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board (EODB). The EODB is an MPA committee that has a responsibility to lead on the development and implementation of the MPA’s GES of which the DES is a significant strand. Members of the Authority will be at liberty to scrutinise the Scheme in its entirety, as well as make suggestions on improvements or considerations for specific areas as part of the annual review.

Members, who act for Londoners, can represent community views or invite community members to come and put forward their own views at an EODB community meeting. EODB meetings are held every two months and the DES will be scheduled to form part of the committee’s agenda on an annual basis. Full Authority will sign off major documents produced.

A number of activities have been undertaken by the MPA to ensure wider user involvement of Deaf and disabled people. This has included the establishment of a GES Working Group and a DES Working Group, as well as engaging with the MPS Disability Independent Advisory Group (DIAG).

Since April 2005, the MPA has taken significant steps and engaged in several events to elicit views from a variety of community groups. These include:

1. Disability Equality Scheme Working Group (DESWG)

The DESWG was established in 2005 and was chaired by Sarah Long, a disability equality expert. The group included Deaf and disabled individuals and representatives from local and national Deaf and disabled groups, as well as staff members from the MPS. The purpose of the group was to ensure issues in relation to disability equality were addressed. As a result of the active involvement of Deaf and disabled people, a number of interventions to the MPA DES were made [3]. The involvement of Deaf and disabled people ensured that issues specific to disability remained high on the MPA agenda.
The DESWG has also contributed to the work of the GES Working Group, which worked in parallel.

2. Deaf and hearing-impaired user involvement event

The MPA user involvement event, took place on 12 July 2006. The aim of the event was to hear views on the improvements that could be made to the work of the MPA in regard to disability issues, with a focus on the needs of the Deaf and hearing-impaired people.

During the course of the event a number of focus discussions took place to obtain views on what had been done so far, what still needed to be done, how to get further involved with developments being made by the MPA and identify key priorities for the MPA DES. There was general acceptance that the social model of disability offers a more practical solution in understanding needs of Deaf and disabled people [4].

Feedback from the event included an acknowledgement of the work being done by MPA and that the MPA is seen to be much further ahead in its thinking than some organisations. We recognise, however, there is still more to be done. With the support of various organisations we hope to take even greater strides to address the range of issues identified.

Other issues identified for further action by delegates included:

• More face-to-face engagement is necessary rather than telephone interviews;
• Concern that the MPS was doing well at a strategic level but not at local level;
• Concern regarding training procedures for the MPS around the needs of disabled people; and
• Concern at the extent to which Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) disabled communities are involved in the consultation process.

3. MPS Disability Independent Advisory Group

In conjunction with this, the MPA has been involved with the MPS Disability Independent Advisory Group (DIAG). DIAG have invited representatives from the MPA to attend their meetings and have jointly worked on key areas of work, including:

• providing updates on disability hate crimes
• assisting the MPS response to the Greater London Action on Disability (GLAD) Report “Disabled people and the police - a new relationship?”; and
• responding to the MPS DIAG questionnaire on the quality of service provision.

The MPA has been proactive in ensuring that information is available in a variety of alternative formats for Deaf and disabled people, as well as raising issues in relation to accessibility for disabled people attending public events.

Looking to the future

Much work has taken place over the past year and the MPA remains committed to this agenda. The changes in legislation make clear the duties of all public authorities in relation to their duty. Our commitment will be in taking forward the recommendations from these events in our work with other statutory partners, to ensure London is a safe place for all its citizens and visitors.

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