Workforce demographics

Report: 8
Date: 6 September 2001
By: Commissioner

Summary

This report provides information about the composition of the MPS workforce and provides some data on projections.

A. Recommendation

That the Committee note the contents of the report.

B. Supporting information

1. The report attached at appendix 1 provides a series of charts and tables which show how the current workforce is composed in terms of distribution within the MPS, its strength, rank and grade, gender, ethnicity, age and length of service. It also provides some data on turnover of staff and projections. The data is provided for police officers, civil staff and traffic wardens.

2. Some of the key points of interest are:

Police

• Borough strength (charts 1 - 3)
  Borough strength has increased by more than 300 officers since 1 April 2001 and by the end of March 2002 will have increased to over 17,000 (7%).
• Ethnic minority strength (chart 6)
  At 1 April 2001, there was a total of 1055 minority ethnic officers. At the current rate of increase, this is projected to rise to 1,246 by 31 March 2002, which would represent an increase of 18%.
• Length of service profiles (charts 8 and 9)
  At July 2001, almost 20% of the total number of officers had less than five years service, a slight increase over the same period in 2000. The projection in chart 9 suggests that by 2006 the proportion will be over 32%. Taking this forward to 2012, 56% will have less than 10 years service. The implications, in terms of such consequences as promotions and performance in testing situations demanding experience, are being examined.

Civil staff

• Length of service profiles (chart 20)
  Unlike the police length of service profile, which ‘drops off’ at 30 years of service, the profile for civil staff shows a ‘drop off’ at 14 years. The Retention Task Force is examining this.
• Turnover (chart 24)
  Civil staff turnover has reduced over the last year from over 12% to 6% in July. We would expect depressed turnover while civil staff wait to see the outcome of the Pay and Grading Review.

C. Financial implications

There are no financial implications arising directly from this report.

D. Background papers

None.

E. Contact details

Report author: Mark Thomson, Personnel Department

For information contact:

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

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