Senior Officer Selection Processes: Commissioner And Commanders

Report: 10
Date: 16 September 2004
By: Clerk

Summary

This report updates members on the selection process for Commissioner and the separate process for commanders.

A. Recommendation

That the Human Resources Committee notes this report.

B. Supporting information

Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis

1. This is the first appointment under Section 315 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999. For the first time, the selection arrangements involve the MPA and Mayor of London.

2. A joint MPA/Home Office advertisement for the post was placed on 30 July 2004. The following are the other key dates for this selection exercise:

• Closing Date - 20 August 2004
• Short listing -1 September 2004
• Short listing interviews by a joint Home Office and MPA panel - 23 September
• Interview by MPA member panel - 6 October 2004

3. The MPA will make written recommendations to the Home Secretary following the interviews on 6 October.

4. The Mayor will consider the short listed candidates and make separate written representations.

5. The Home Secretary will consider the MPA recommendations and take any representations into account, along with any interviews or meetings he may wish to conduct himself, before deciding whom to recommend to the Queen for appointment.

Commanders

6. The Senior Appointments Panel (SAP) wrote to all police authorities in May 2004 requesting proposals for dates in the ‘traditional’ national selection exercise for Commanders/Assistant Chief Constables that follows the end of the Senior Command Course (SCC). The 2004 course ends on 3 September 2004.

7. In respect of Commanders, SAP stipulated there was to be a minimum of 28 working days between the end of the SCC and interviews for Commander so that they could:

• produce the necessary reports for applicants (e.g. Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary (HMIC) assessments); and
• obtain ministerial approval of the list of candidates

8. The Clerk wrote to SAP proposing that the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) should be placed towards the middle of the national timetable. The rationale for arguing for such a slot was:

• it was accepted that small forces with a small complement of Association of Chief Police Officer (ACPO) rank officers should be given early slots as they were less able to accommodate vacancies;
• operational policing demands of the capital are such that the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) should not have to carry ACPO vacancies for too long and therefore should not be placed towards the end of the timetable.

9. The following are the key dates for this selection exercise:

• Advertisement placed in Police Review -27 August 2004
• Closing date - 21 September 2004
• SAP Meeting -11 October 2004 (to consider applicants)
• Short listing -13 October 2004
• Interviews by MPA appointed external assessors -21 and 22 October 2004
• Full panel Interviews -1 and 2 November 2004

10. The MPA have advised SAP there are likely to be six Commander posts.

C. Race and equality impact

Throughout the selection exercise the Authority is conscious of the need to ensure its processes and actions are transparent and fair. The panel members will be chosen to be as representative as possible and no member of the Authority will be eligible to take part in the selection process unless they have undertaken the training for ACPO selection, which encompasses diversity good practice.

D. Financial implications

It is estimated that the cost for the Commander selection process will be £22,275, which will be contained within existing MPA estimates. This includes the cost of consultants and advertising. The Home Office is meeting the direct costs of the selection process for the Commissioner.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Pamela Standley, HR, MPA

For more information contact:

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

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback