Recruitment and retention

Report: 12
Date: 8 January 2004
By: Commissioner

Summary

This is the regular report to inform the HR Committee of progress, and related issues, of police and police staff police staff recruitment and retention against budgeted workforce targets for the financial year 2003/2004.

A. Recommendation

That the report be noted.

B. Supporting information

1. The police workforce strength continues to grow in line with projections and is anticipated to achieve the budgeted workforce target (BWT) of 29,817 in March 2004. At the end of November 2003, the overall police strength had reached 29,626 against the target strength profile of 29,417.

2. The respective strengths for both visible ethnic minority (VEM) and women officers are also increasing in line with projections. At the end November 2003, VEM officer strength had increased to 1,761 officers or 5.94% of overall police strength against a year-end target of 6.6%. During the same period, women officer strength increased to 5,149 officers or 17.4% of overall strength against a year-end target of 18%.

3. The level of police wastage is showing signs of improvement and provides evidence of the impact of retention measures recently introduced. Between April and November 2003, 1052 officers have left the MPS compared with 1,193 leavers in the same period last year. This is particularly encouraging since the current police workforce strength is 2,131 officers greater than at the end of November 2002.

4. Between April and November 2003, 2,220 police officers had been recruited, comprising 265 (12.0%) VEM officers (against a target of 15%), and 556 (25.1%) women officers, (against a target of 25%). Of those who joined, 1,937 recruits have been required to undertake the full training course, and 283 officers have been deployed directly on borough or OCU. The future intakes are being filled in line with recruiting requirements.

5. In addition, and not reflected in the percentages, the intake on 1 December consisted of 129 women and 92 VEM recruits. This VEM intake is the highest number of VEM officers recruited in one intake to date.

6. Taking into account the 323 officers joining on 1 December and the anticipated wastage during the month, the police strength is projected to rise to 29,864 at the end of December 2003, and reach more than 30,000 at the end of January 2004. A publicity ceremony involving the 30,000th recruit and the Commissioner is to take place in January 2004.

Police Community Support Officers

7. The recruitment of Police Community Support Officers (PCSO) has progressed satisfactorily with 673 PCSOs joining the MPS since April 2003. Of those recruited, 258 (38%) were VEM and 202 (30%) were women. Currently, PCSO strength is 1,101 against an overall year-end BWT of 1,457, with VEM and women strengths of 394 (35.8%) and 316 (28.7%) respectively. We are confident that the BWT will be achieved.

Metropolitan Special Constables (MSC)

8. The strength at end November 2003 was 723 of which 186 (26%) are women and 124 (17%) are VEM. There are currently 35 MSC candidates undergoing training. A further 30 candidates are due to start training on 14 December and 150 applications are within the selection process.

Communication officers

9. Between April and November 2003, 353 communication officers have joined training courses. A further 264 communication officers are needed to ensure the recruiting target of 617 is achieved. We are confident that the target will be achieved subject to sufficient training courses being made available.

General and senior police staff recruitment

10. The police staff strength at the end November 2003 was 11,686 (i.e. 2,254 (19%) VEM and 6,911 (59%) women). The senior police staff recruitment team has received approximately 2,371 applications for the 140 campaigns, including analysts, managed within the year. Responsibility for senior police staff recruitment will move to Recruitment at Hendon from April 2004, thereby consolidating our recruitment operational activities.

Transfers from other forces

11. Up to and including December 2003, we have successfully recruited 303 against a year-end target of 400. This has been made up of the following:

• 157 specialist posts, and,
• 146 borough, generic recruitment

12. We have already made offers to a further 67 officers (49 specialist and 18 generic) and require only a further 30 officers to be recruited to meet budget. We are confident we will achieve the recruitment target. In view of the healthy situation with regard to transferees joining boroughs, we are restricting the remaining 30 officers to be recruited to specialist positions. Going forward, we will also be concentrating our generic recruitment onto specific north London boroughs where we have recruitment needs.

Advertising and marketing

13. Due to the healthy position of police recruitment, our advertising and marketing department have been concentrating on other aspects of our work, running campaigns recently for Specialist Crime Directorate, SO19 and Trainee Detective Constables. They are also concentrating on the full introduction of our ‘keep warm’ campaign for recruits awaiting joining Hendon.

Positive action

14. Following the success of the Access course, it is likely that the course will be extended to other areas next year.

Police recruitment 2004/05

15. As a result of the success of the recruitment task force and the impending reductions in budgets for police recruitment next financial year, a number of important decisions need to be taken with regard to the make-up of our recruitment intakes next year into Hendon and the recruitment activity that follows. This was the subject of a report to COP on 15 December 2003. Further work is now in hand following that meeting.

C. Equality and diversity implications

Equality and diversity implications arising from this report are covered within the body of this report.

D. Financial implications

There are no financial implications arising from this report.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Neil Bayne, Interim Director HR Recruitment, MPS.

For more information contact:

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

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