The cost implications of public order events

Report: 15
Date: 19 June 2001
By: Commissioner

Summary

This report sets out the policing costs associated with 3 major public order events and discusses the significance of the figures presented.

A. Recommendation

The Committee is asked to note the report.

B. Supporting information

Introduction

1. In the policing year 2000 there were approximately 3,200 public order events policed by the MPS. Of these, 22 required the deployment of more than 500 officers. The largest events included:

• May Day
• Trooping the Colour
• New Year's Eve
• The Notting Hill Carnival
• Remembrance Sunday

2. Events fall into the following categories:

• Public order (marches, demonstrations, pickets)
• Ceremonial and military security events
• Sporting events
• Religious events
• Community events

3. Members of the Authority have previously enquired as to the comparative costs of policing major public order events. To meet this request, the MPS will report periodically to this committee on costs associated with events requiring more than 500 officers.

Costing methodology

4. Resource requirements for the policing of all 'public order' events are assessed, procured and deployed through preparation of an operational policing order by Public Order Branch. Typically, this document will set out the numbers of officers and support personnel to be deployed and will provide detailed operational instructions to govern the deployment. The operational policing order will form the basis of public order costs reported to this committee.

5. The costing information reported to this committee will be prepared using a standard costing methodology so that input factors, for example, hours worked by police officers assigned to the event, are costed at an average rate per unit of input. There is the possibility that actual costs incurred may differ marginally from the standard costs but the overall effect is not significant.

6. In the table see Appendix 1, the columns entitled 'Police Normal' and 'Civil Normal' are "opportunity costs". Additional costs are those indicated as "overtime" and "other cash costs". (see paragraph 11 below.)

Charging for the policing of public order events

7. Under Part I, Section 25 of the Police Act 1996 "… the chief officer of police of a police force may provide, at the request of any person, special police services at any premises or in any locality in the police area for which the force is maintained, subject to the payment to the police authority of charges as may be determined by that authority."

8. The meaning of 'special services' is not defined in legislation and accordingly, definition depends on the interpretation of case law, in which the Court of Appeal held that whether services delivered amounted to 'special services' depended on the circumstances of each case, including:

• whether the police attendance was at private premises since prima facie that would constitute the provision of special police services;
• whether violence or some other emergency had already occurred or was imminent, since the provision of police in such circumstances would be unlikely to constitute the provision of special police services.
• It should be noted that it is not possible to charge for policing which is for the benefit of the public at large.

9. In 2000/01 the MPS recovered £2.9 million from commercial interests for the provision of special services. The greater part of this income was attributable to sporting events such as football, cricket and horse racing, and the balance to music concerts and assisting film crews. It follows from the legal position outlined in paragraph 8 that costs incurred in policing the generality of public order events – such as those detailed in this paper – are unlikely to be recoverable from other parties.

Costing of events

10. Costs have been calculated for the following events see Appendix 1:

• National Front March, Bermondsey
  7 April 2001
  This event involved the deployment of 936 police officers and 28 civil staff at a cost of £400,000
• National Front March, Bermondsey
  14 April 2001
  This event involved the deployment of 837 police officers and 34 civil staff at a cost of £362,000
• National Front March, Bermondsey
  12 May 2001
  This event involved the deployment of 837 police officers and 34 civil staff at a cost of £362,000

Opportunity costs

11. Members are asked to note that - with the possible exception of overtime – a large proportion of costs quoted above do not represent additional costs to the MPS. Rather, the officers and other staff assigned to a given operation would otherwise be assigned to other duties or operations. A significant element of the costs incurred in policing these events may therefore be regarded as 'opportunity costs'.

C. Financial implications

There are no direct financial implications arising from this report.

D. Background papers

None.

E. Contact details

The author of this report is Brendan Arnold (Assistant Director of Finance).

For information contact:

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

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