Recruitment and retention

Report: 10
Date: 2 February 2006
By: Commissioner

Summary

This report contains updates on the following:

• police officer targets
• recruit retention rates
• numbers of Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs)
• recruitment and retention activity for the Metropolitan Special Constabulary and volunteers
• the Met Careers office and the recruitment bus.

A. Recommendation

That members acknowledge and support the work of the HR Directorate in recruitment and retention.

B. Supporting information

Current diversity

Police officers

1. As of the end November 2005, police officer strength stood at 31,188. The rise in police officers from black and minority ethnic communities from 2,168 at the end of March to 2,260 at the end of November has resulted in a black and minority ethnic strength of 7.25%. The rise in female police officers from 5,978 at the end of March to 6,100 at the end of November has resulted in a female strength of 19.56%. Such increases stem from the diverse application pool where 49% of police officer enquiries and 45% of applications now come from black and minority ethnic groups and 35% of enquiries and 38% of applications are now from females.

Police community support officers (PCSOs)

2. At the end of November 2005, PCSO strength stood at 2,048. Since April 2005, the number of black and minority ethnic PCSOs has increased. At the end of November 2005 there were 758, compared to 702 at the end of March 2005. The black and minority ethnic strength now stands at 37%. Female PCSO numbers have increased from 643 at the end of March to 660 at the end of November resulting in a female strength of 32.2%. Such increases stem from the diverse application pool where 45% of PCSO enquiries and 47% of applications now come from black and minority ethnic groups and 31% of enquiries and 30% of applications are now from females.

Metropolitan Special Constabulary (MSC)

3. MSC strength has risen from 697 at the end of March 2005 to 994 at the end of November. Although there are no diversity targets for MSCs, 25.7% of those recruited this financial year are from black and minority ethnic backgrounds and 32% are female. To end of November, 495 (56%) MSCs have been booked onto a training school date against a target of 880. Black and minority ethnic candidates constitute 43% of all MSC enquiries and female candidates staff 32%. Similarly, 42% of MSC applications are from black and minority ethnic candidates and 33% are female.

Police officer targets 2005/06

4. It is projected that 35% of this financial year’s new police recruits will be female, which will be sufficient to achieve female police officer strength of 19.7%. In respect of new recruits from black and minority ethnic communities, it is projected that 20% will be achieved by end year. These are good levels though will fall a little short of our aspirations, for the following reasons:

• Mid-year, it became necessary to revise the police officer recruitment target downwards by 400: it had become apparent that wastage was lower than anticipated, and intakes were re-profiled. As a result, the size of the intakes in the latter part of the financial year has been smaller than at the beginning of the year. Due to vetting delays, it had been envisaged that the proportion of black and minority ethnic and female recruits would be higher in the later intakes of the year. Reduction in the size of these later intakes has therefore constrained the number of black and minority ethnic and female officers it has been possible to recruit.
• It has been suggested that the rise in the National Recruitment Standards (NRS) pass mark has had a significant impact on black and minority ethnic recruitment. The MPS will be entering into discussions with Centrex following the publication of the Centrex report where adverse impact was identified within their own process for applicants for police officer from black and minority ethnic origin. Following publication of the report, the MPS has carried out its own analysis of the findings and the discussion with Centrex will aim to address the issues raised and discuss possible ways of analysing performance at assessment centres. Furthermore, positive action staff are reviewing the content and presentation of the support offered to applicants through the Me+ careers team, in preparation for NRS events. A briefing note has been prepared for Home Office for consultation and is available to committee members upon request.
• Delays in the vetting process have affected the Directorate’s ability to meet recruitment targets. The times required for completion of vetting, caused by the need for communication between multiple agencies and the need to make enquiries abroad, have resulted in longer lead times to training school than previously anticipated, despite our campaigns having generated the interest and applications required. A closer partnership with Vetting has been developed with careful monitoring of standards, creating clear targets based on business imperatives for individual files as well as the secondments of staff to vetting during busy periods. The directorate’s success in recruiting black and ethnic minority applicants is dependant upon improvements in vetting return times over the remainder of the financial year.

Recruit retention rates

5. 751 students have been attested through training school between April and November this year of which 16% were from black and ethnic minority communities. As illustrated in Appendix 2, the attrition rate among black and minority ethnic recruits has reduced markedly and is now the same as that for white recruits. It is all the more pleasing that the most recent figures show that this improved performance is being maintained.

Numbers of police community support officers

6. The position of PCSO has often served as an invaluable opportunity for individuals to gain an insight into the police service. Consequently more than half of those moving on from PCSO roles this year have progressed within the service to police officer or police staff roles. Periodically, such movement has caused decreases in PCSO numbers. Despite this, PCSO strength has developed in-line with forecasts and in accordance with Safer Neighbourhoods requirements. It is projected that, subject to vetting clearances, the budgeted workforce target (BWT) of 2339 will be achieved.

7. A piece of work is being carried out by HR Selection and Progression on career opportunities and progression for PCSOs, the results of which were published at the end of January, although the report was not available at the time of writing. The findings will enable improved support for PCSOs to ensure that job/role expectations are being met, sufficient induction and training is being provided and career opportunities are apparent. In addition, TPHQ has commissioned a performance needs analysis for PCSOs, and this is awaiting a review of the roles and responsibilities of PCSOs within the MPS. Furthermore, an overall review of PCSOs is being undertaken by TP, looking at issues related to roles and responsibilities, training, career progression, professional standards and deployment.

Increasing the Metropolitan Special Constabulary

MSC recruitment

8. The MPS has seen the number of special constables increase significantly during the past twelve months. The increase has been brought about by a number of existing and innovative ways in which to recruit. Of particular note are the number of employer supported schemes, of which there are now five: the Police Staff Recruitment Programme, ShopWatch, CampusWatch, HospitalWatch and BoroughBeat.

9. The Police Staff Recruitment and ShopWatch programmes continue to attract a steady influx of recruits, with 17 new ShopWatch recruits and 116 police staff recruited as special constables between April and December 2005. The pilot for BoroughBeat, which targets local authority staff, is being piloted in Harrow and has already attracted over 40 expressions of interest. Similar success is anticipated for the HospitalWatch scheme. Following Bexley borough’s success in training over 80 special constables within the past two years, a further ten boroughs have so far either begun to recruit and train special constables locally or are about to do so. This has the benefit of reducing travelling time by avoiding the need for trainees to travel to and from Hendon each week.

MSC retention

10. A Vision Paper is being prepared that will address key issues around the future deployment of the MSC to align special constables to Safer Neighbourhood Teams and local 'brigaded' units of officers to deal with alcohol related crime and disorder in town centres. In addition, the paper will identify and make recommendations for improved administration and supervision to ensure that the MSC is properly managed and tasked.

11. A Communications Strategy is also being developed to improve the flow of information that emanates from the centre to provide clarity and regular updates to the MSC on matters that affect them so they are kept fully briefed. Boroughs are also being approached to identify a nominated lead to undertake the role of MSC Liaison Officer and a role profile is being drafted accordingly.

12. The Vision Paper and continuing work around innovative Employer Support Schemes and Communications Strategy, will provide a more cohesive direction to ensure that its volunteer officers are being used effectively, whilst at the same time providing the support necessary to retain them.

Increasing the Met Volunteer Programme (MVP)

Volunteer recruitment

13. Since the establishment of the MVP 4 years ago, there has never been a shortage of quality volunteers applying to join the MPS. The MVP team has been working to establish the professional infrastructure required to deliver a quality volunteer programme. Funding has now been obtained to recruit 32 Borough based volunteer co-ordinators. The posts will enable the MVP to be rolled out to the required standards and will see a target of up to 100 volunteers per Borough by 2008. Similarly, London Development Agency funding has been obtained to recruit a communications and marketing manager, a new role that will significantly increase recruitment opportunities.

14. An average of 10 applications per week are received via the MPS careers website and there are significant numbers of calls coming into the Central MVP team on a weekly basis. Moreover, volunteers are being recruited to support Safer Neighbourhood teams and to improve service delivery to victims and witnesses. This will see a huge rise in the numbers of volunteers joining the MPS. Volunteers are also supporting the Met Careers Team in recruitment events; in 2006, this will be extended to local recruitment events.

Volunteer retention

15. The very nature of volunteering means that there will always be a healthy turnover of people, as many join the programme with the intention of seeking paid employment predominantly with the MPS. However, even with volunteers joining the MPS in paid roles, retention rates over the past four years have been extremely encouraging. The volunteer co-ordinators are receiving a significant amount of support, training and guidance from the Central MVP team. This helps to ensure that volunteer management structures are adhered to and is vital for the on-going development of the programme. For 2006, volunteers will receive a corporate induction in addition to their local induction and a new corporate volunteer handbook is also planned.

Met Careers Office (MetCO)

16. MetCo opened on 9 January 2006 with a state of the art careers office with modern customer friendly facilities. Special features include plasma screens, stand-alone computers, and a hearing loop. Illuminated brochure stands display up-to-date MPS literature, advertising and promoting a variety of roles such as specials, volunteers, administrative roles, PCSOs and business analysts. The office has wheelchair access and a disabled toilet. MetCo has three full time members of staff and will be supported by volunteers from across the organisation. Because of the anticipated large numbers of PCSOs required for Safer Neighbourhood rollout, MetCo is concentrating on this activity in the first instance.

17. MetCo offices are open from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, and extended if necessary for specialist recruitment events or presentations. An ‘open door’ to potential police officer candidates would work against the intelligence led approach to targeted police officer recruitment, so those interested in becoming police officers will be booked onto ‘One London - One Community’ events or other police officer recruitment events.

18. The new MetCo has been set up to focus on all police staff vacancies, including roles within the Extended Policing Family (EPF), including PCSOs, volunteers and the MSC. A dedicated MetCo team manages the unit and gives advice relating to all MPS roles and vacancies. The team ensures that advice in relation to specialist roles is obtained from suitably qualified personnel and relayed to the enquirer.

19. A corporate vacancy database is being developed, detailing all current police staff vacancies being advertised externally. Enquirers will be asked about their skills, experience and qualifications so they can be matched to the roles where there are vacancies. If an individual’s skills cannot be matched to a specific vacancy their details will be retained on a database so they can be updated as appropriate.

20. MetCo will host presentations to which they will invite careers advisors and students from universities and colleges, as well as Job Centre Plus. These presentations will showcase the career opportunities on offer. Similar presentations will be held for staff support associations together with an invitation to host activity in partnership with the Met Careers Team, as part of developing outreach activity with staff support associations. A disability advisor will be working with DCC4 and the Disabled Independent Advisory Group to set up presentations and recruitment activity with disabled groups.

21. The Met Careers Team will forge links with the safer schools partnerships and contribute to the Personal Social Health Education curriculum, and will act as a central point of contact to assist Boroughs in local recruitment campaigns for EPF, MSC, and Volunteers.

The Met Careers bus

22. The MetCo bus was received on 21 November and will allow real flexibility to undertake smaller scale recruitment activity within distinct communities. It has already been used to good effect with a day in Haringey on 7 December when 105 registrations of interest for police officer posts were taken, 75% of which were from black and minority ethnic and female enquirers.

23. The bus will be used proactively on an intelligence-led basis via the Met Careers Team tasking process. It will encourage under-represented groups to obtain more information about all available roles within the MPS. The bus has similar facilities and features to that of MetCo, including areas for interviews, presentations and support sessions for small groups. As with MetCo, the bus has easy wheelchair access.

24. The bus careers advice team will link in with activity generated by selection centre community assessors who will help to reach out to their particular community. They will also work with boroughs to identify specific community groups and set up recruitment activity in partnership with those groups as well as supporting borough volunteer initiatives including forging closer links with Safer Neighbourhoods.

25. In keeping with MetCo activity, the bus will be used to liase with staff support associations and to attend community groups, and cultural and religious events identified through outreach activity, including those where recruitment outcomes are limited but where the bus will bring cost efficiency savings without compromising outcomes, such as Chinese New Year, Sikh/Hindu Diwali, Muslim festival of Eid, and Gay Pride. As part of the Graduate Strategy, the bus will attend universities to undertake MPS specific recruitment activity. The bus will also visit schools to work with safer schools partnerships in order to develop medium to long-term recruitment opportunity. The existing links with Job Centre Plus will be used to identify appropriate events and venues for the bus.

26. The Met Careers Team would welcome the attendance of MPA members on the bus. Members will be notified when the bus is visiting their link boroughs.

C. Race and equality impact

The report content highlights the importance the MPS places on issues of equality and diversity from a recruitment and retention perspective. The report shows where performance has improved – areas of particular note are the improvement in the retention rate for black and minority ethnic police recruits and the diversity profiles of the MSC and PCSO workforces in particular – and our strategic intentions to improve for the future, for example through the Met Careers Bus and the MetCo.

D. Financial implications

Analysis was undertaken to ascertain whether there would be any financial implications and no significant implications were found. Any that were to arise would be absorbed through normal business as usual processes.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Simon Marshall, Director of Recruitment and Paul Madge, Director of People Development

For more information contact:

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

Appendix 1: Average vetting time for police officers (in days)

Source: MetHR

Appendix 2: Percentage of students not graduating from Foundation Training at Hendon, Sunbury and Orpington

View chart

Source: Training School

These figures vary slightly to those given in the HR Scorecard due to the time lapse in data retrieval.

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback