Project Herald (formerly Beacon)

Report: 6 Linked to exempt item 10
Date: 19 November 2007
By: Assistant Commissioner Territorial Policing on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

Project Herald proposes a new custody-staffing model, which aims to deliver efficiencies and a safer custody environment.

A. Recommendations

That the MPA agree the proposed spending and note the contents of this report.

B. Supporting information

1. In May 2004, the Service Improvement Review into Custody Capacity (SIRCC) formally acknowledged and highlighted the increasing difficulties being encountered within the MPS, through a lack of cell availability and delays occurring within the custody process. This inefficiency has a contributory affect on throughput times for detainees. Project Herald aims to address some delays encountered by way of the following three strands:

Introduction of extended Designated Detention Officers (DDOs) role

2. The model incorporates DDOs performing an extended role, which includes inputting to the custody system. This will greatly reduce the administrative tasks that are currently undertaken by the Custody Sergeant, enabling them to better supervise management of detainees and the custody environment. This will reduce waiting times to process detainees by having a more appropriate mix of staff.

Improved medical provision in custody

3. Severe delays within custody are caused waiting for a Forensic Medical Examiner (FME) to attend the custody suite to make a medical assessment of the detainee; a permanent team of custody nurses will significantly decrease this delay. This will lead to a reduction in FME call out costs despite an increase in demand. An FME will still be available for referrals by the custody nurse and with a move to sessional rates the FME will be easily obtainable, operating in a mobile role overseeing a number of custody suites.

Earlier evidential forensic intervention

4. The twenty-four hourly Forensic Practitioners advice element is still at its developmental stage and is currently being piloted at Colindale police station. For this reason it will not be further included in this report but will be the subject of a separate business case, should the pilot prove successful. The pilot incorporates a 24/7 forensic advisory service for key specified offences to increase forensic opportunities and forensic sanction detections. It seeks to increase officer awareness of forensic opportunities and improve standards of officer forensic retrieval, packaging and exhibiting.

5. This report sets out the benefits, risks and costs of the new approach and seeks the support of the MPA in changing to this model.

6. Benefits

• Improved processing times
• Releasing police officers back to front-line policing duties thereby impacting on public satisfaction with officer visibility.
• Providing improved care for all detainees
• Speedier medical assessment and forensic recovery.
• Improving the accuracy and quality of data
• Improving services to victims and witnesses
• Improving supervision of the criminal justice process at the early stages
• Meeting strategic objectives and demonstrating best value by making better use of resources
• Positive feedback regarding Project Herald already received by Independent custody visitors (ICVs), Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) and the Home Office
• Reducing the risk to the investigation / organisation due to delays in processing
• Increasing cell availability due to timely processing of detainees
• Reduction in overtime costs / detention times due to delay in waiting for FME to attend custody

7. Risks and challenges

• Recruitment of sufficient staff to fulfil the functions of DDO / Custody Nurse roles
• Sufficient training availability.
• Potential for legal challenges to the provenance of records kept by DDOs as opposed to custody officers
• Clarity of the new role of DDO and custody officer and respective lines of responsibility
• Restricted space for staff and equipment within parts of our existing custody suites may be unsuitable for the implementation of the Herald model
• The full impact of these proposals will not be realised until the MPS moves to borough-based custody centres
• Contingency plans to cover periods of long term sick as custody nurses are difficult to replace or cover
• Custody nurses will not be available to perform their primary role if attending court so alternative options will need to be considered ie: serving of statements
• Guaranteed funding required to sustain the three-year roll out
• Additional equipment required. These costs will be met from the overall budget shown in the table at Appendix 1 or by TP.

Conclusion

8. Herald supports the Met Modernisation Programme, Custody and Workforce Modernisation strands, by more effective staffing of custody suites, and releasing officers to return to front line duties. Herald is focused on making efficiency gains and improving quality of service through appropriate use of resources.

9. Through the development of new roles and the enhancement of existing MPS roles, capacity and the standard of custody services in the MPS can be improved.

 C. Race and equality impact

1. The project is likely to introduce greater female representation within healthcare provision for detainees because a greater proportion of nurses tend to be female whilst the majority of current FMEs are male.

2. This new approach offers the opportunity to recruit more DDOs, which is likely to enhance our gender and ethnic mix of staff. Adverts will need to show that those in minority groups are encouraged to apply but that selection will be based on merit.

D. Financial implications

1. The financial implications are set out in the exempt Appendix 1.

2. There are no capital costs associated with the implementation of this initiative. Any capital costs relating to the transfer of function to the new borough based custody centres has been to date, and will be in the future, covered in the business cases prepared for the delivery of each BBCC.

Custody Medical Provision

3. The cost of providing a reduced number of FMEs on a full-time sessional basis will result in savings from the existing budget to allow for a recruitment and training program for Custody Nurses to be undertaken. As more nurses are recruited, trained and deployed, the number of sessions that FMEs will be required to undertake will reduce. In this way, the transition can be managed to coincide with the BBCC build program.

Extended Role DDO

4. The proposed changes comprise a 3-year programme to increase the number of DDOs by 700. Funding is required to initially recruit, train and equip DDO inputters as well as ongoing salary costs. The costs relating to DDOs are shown in Appendix 1.

MMP Funding

5. A successful bid has been made to the Investment Board Fund for £6.35m to cover the shortfall in funding for the first two years of the implementation as net savings will not be realised until 2011/2012. The costs as shown in appendix 1 have been built into the medium term financial plan for the next three years.

6. Further potential financial savings are also detailed at the foot of exempt Appendix 1.

E. Background papers

August 2007 - Project Herald Business Case to Investment Board

F. Contact details

Report author: Detective Superintendent Dave Imroth, MPS

For more information contact:

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

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback