Women and ethnic minority staff in specialist units

Report: 8
Date: 02 May 2002
By: Commissioner

Summary

This paper has been prepared in response to the MPA Human Resources Committee's workplan for 2001/02. It outlines the actions being taken by the Metropolitan Police Service to encourage female and visible ethnic minority staff to apply for posts in specialist units in order to balance the numbers between specialist and non-specialist units.

A. Recommendations

That Members note the contents of the report.

B. Supporting information

1. The Police Postings Policy, issued in May 2001, provides a framework for the movement of police officers within the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS). To ensure fair and open competition, vacancies in specialist posts, are advertised internally in Police Notices, many of which positively invite applications from under represented groups.

2. Figures available on 24 March 2002 indicate that Visible Ethnic Minority (VEM) officers are 4.7% of MPS strength and female officers 16.9%, whilst 5% of borough officers and 4.2% of non-borough officers were VEMs and 18.8% and 13.9% respectively were women. Appendix 1 (see Supporting material) attached displays a breakdown within certain specialisms and shows in a number of cases a clear difference in the proportions.

3. As a result of this disparity, the MPS is carrying out work in order to attain proportionality between boroughs and non-borough units. Although no comparisons with other forces are available, work is being carried out to benchmark the MPS with other large London based employers, both in the private and public sector, with the assistance of the Civil Service College.

4. At a corporate level, the responsibility to take the lead on the retention and progression of under-represented groups falls to the Deputy Commissioner's Command (DCC6(1)). Post Stephen Lawrence enquiry, the emphasis of the Positive Action Team was mainly focused around supporting minority ethnic groups. Although this focus still remains, the division of the unit has allowed the team to take a more rounded look at diversity. As well as ethnicity, initiatives are also being developed that support the organisation in terms of successfully managing issues of gender (i.e. "Gender Agenda"), sexual orientation, faith and disability.

5. In order to successfully plan activities that support the above goals, a project initiation document has been produced. This outlines the focus of the unit and the plan by which the activities are managed and mainstreamed throughout the organisation. The key objectives include:

• To increase the representation of under represented groups at all levels within the MPS
• To provide strategic guidance and support to the progression of diversity within the MPS
• To make explicit the interface between diversity, leadership, organisational learning and development

Timescales for these objectives are being developed.

6. To achieve the objectives the unit set out to:

• Facilitate focus groups and a visit a range of boroughs/units as part the consultation process
• Design programmes of activities to underpin strategies
• Establish a mechanism for boroughs/units to be rewarded for achievement or sanctioned for non compliance

7. In line with these objectives, an initial scoping of internally based diversity activity took place in Nov, Dec, and Jan 2001 with each Operational Command Unit (OCU) across the MPS. Members of staff with lead responsibility for diversity in each OCU were interviewed. From this the Development and Organisation Implementation Team (DOIT) was able to ascertain the extent and quality of activity that supported internal diversity. The analysis of this work continues. In May 2002, all OCUs in the MPS will be provided with details of all of the activity taking place, in order that this "best practice" can be effectively shared and developed, monitored and evaluated across the whole organisation.

8. As an element of the work of the DOIT, a group comprising representatives from the different directorates across the MPS chaired by the Director of DCC6 (1), has been established to take forward the actions in Target 7 of Dismantling Barriers - "To ensure that minority ethnic officers are represented in each specialist area of the Metropolitan Police Service in proportion to their level of representation within the Service as a whole" - by:

• Pro-actively seeking to establish mechanisms for real and lasting change within the organisation and will be the driver of that change
• Developing a robust consultation strategy that values and utilises the experiences of staff at all levels
• Identifying, establishing and publicising inclusive selection procedures commensurate with the MPS commitment to Diversity.

The terms of reference are attached at appendix 2.

9. One specific example of action that has emerged from that meeting, was the posting of a female officer of Jamaican origin to the Witness Protection Unit in SO to work specifically with witnesses to Trident shootings. With the assistance of DCC6 (1), a number of qualified officers were invited to be considered for the post. Two indicated a desire to be considered and the most suitable was selected. This posting will not only further increase the number of officers from under represented groups within SO, but it will also have a direct operational impact both in terms of the increased confidence of the community and successes in court cases.

10. Another aspect of the work of DOIT is the Active Career Development (ACDP) Lateral Development Programme. This is looking to give visible ethnic minority officers the opportunity to gain the necessary skills to promote themselves as viable candidates for detective selection. This starts the process at an early stage by aiming to increase the pool of visible ethnic minority detective officers from which specialist units can select. Officers selected for this programme will receive support from both mentors and their line managers.

11. An example of activity specifically targeted at women is the pilot initiative that was successfully launched in March was the Celebration of International Women's Day. The DOIT team organised an event at New Scotland Yard where prominent internal and external keynote speakers addressed the large female audience. The theme of the day was the empowerment of women to realise their full potential and achieve their personal and professional goals within the MPS. The day was well received by all participants. It is intended that other events will follow.

12. A more specific area of work being carried out at a Business Group level is the Specialist Operations Department's (SO) approach to the Home Secretary's 'Dismantling Barriers' Target 7 and the Gender Agenda.

13. Co-ordinated by a senior diversity adviser, this takes a number of forms for example: each command within SO has a number of volunteer co-ordinators who organise open days and attachments for female and visible ethnic minority staff; two booklets have been produced specifically for visible ethnic minority and female staff, describing the structure of SO and the function of each unit; analysis of existing barriers and inhibitors to staff applying for posts within SO. Copies of the booklet will be available to Members at the meeting.

14. One of the key aspects of the open day held on 20 March 2002 was to allow officers from under represented groups to speak to managers and staff from specialist units to discuss opportunities open to them. The feedback from attendees has been very positive. Many took advantage of the opportunity to receive one to one career advice to enable them to plan for future applications in terms of the experience they need to get at borough level.

14. In summer 2001, a diversity seminar was held for all SO Personnel Managers and Volunteer Co-ordinators. During the day focus groups were organised which explored barriers and inhibitors. These were categorised under three headings, Generic (barriers affecting staff irrespective of gender or ethnicity), Ethnicity and Gender. Issues that were raised include:

• Shift patterns and erratic and unpredictable hours
• Limited opportunity to work part time
• Preconceptions about selection ("jobs for the boys")
• Lack of role models/visible representation from minority groups
• Criteria such as having to have served as a police officer for a particular minimum number of years reduces the available pool

15. Suggested solutions included:

• Review working practices
• Better marketing by all branches using IT solutions
• Review selection processes
• Use role models to a greater extent
• Continuing support for those showing interest

16. As a specific example of the progress achieved since the seminar, the Diplomatic Protection Group in 2001/2002 showed an increase in their number of number of ethnic minority officers of 35% from 17 – 23) and female officers 41% (from 17 – 24). The latter included the recruitment of the first female sergeant into the unit, which was even more significant as the officer is part time.

17. In addition, initiatives such as the establishment of a group of black officers, organised by the Black Police Association, to work on the Damilola Taylor investigation resulted in officers getting valuable experience that led to five of them being selected by the South East Murder Investigation Command. This resulted in an increase in the VEMs in that unit of 40%.

18. Other local initiatives include the "Springboard" programme developed by Springboard Consultancy and organised by Superintendent Victoria Marr, Wandsworth Borough. This is a personal development programme for women and consists of four one-day workshops led by a "Springboard" consultant/trainer and a workbook, which participants work through during the programme. Other key ingredients of the programme are networking with other women, role models and a support network of helpers. The programme was offered to all women police officers on Wandsworth Borough (Uniform & CID) with five or more year's service. 26 women graduated through the programme.

Conclusion

19. The work described above shows the significant investment being made by the MPS to ensure that VEM and female officers are enabled to attain development opportunities fairly, equivalent to their white male colleagues. However, the MPS realise that this remains an area for improvement and building on these current initiatives, it is seeking further innovative ways to increase under-represented groups in specialist units. With the increase of the MPS police strengths for the year ending 31 March 2003 and the continuing success in recruiting new female and VEM officers, there is a further opportunity to increase the representation in the specialist units.

C. Financial implications

There are no additional financial implications arising directly from this report. Costs will be incurred in progressing the final objectives and these will be contained within allocated budgets for 2002/3.

D. Background papers

None.

E. Contact details

Report author: Robert Dellegrotti, MPS

For information contact:

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

Appendix 2: Dismantling barriers Target 7 implementation group

Terms of reference

The group will actively work towards the realisation of the Target 7 goal:

To ensure that minority ethnic officers are represented in each specialist area of the Metropolitan Police Service in proportion to their level of representation within the service as a whole.

The group will ensure, and adopt within its remit; the promotion of strategies that support the inclusion of all under represented groups within specialist areas.

To achieve this:

• The group will pro-actively seek to establish mechanisms for real and lasting change within the organisation and will be the driver of that change
• The group will have a robust consultation strategy that values and utilises the experiences of staff at all levels
• The group will identify, establish and publicise inclusive selection procedures commensurate with the MPS commitment to Diversity
• The group will have a robust communication strategy that makes its work known to the Service as a whole

The Group:

• Will be comprised of civil and police personnel from specialist and territorial policing departments with the authority to make impactive policy decisions
• Will have a clear division of work with responsibilities and core business needs linked to an achievable time-scale
• The group will be chaired by an officer of ACPO rank who will also ensure the group has a voice at the highest levels of the Service
• The group will meet not less than four times a year

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