Skill shortages in Forensic Services

Report: 20
Date: 12 February 2004
By: Commissioner

Summary

The August Specialist Crime Performance Report presented to the Planning Performance and Review Committee (PPRC) showed the Directorate of Forensic Services at 132 or 12% below police staff BWT. Progress has been made in filling vacancies and allowing for the units that have transferred to other parts of the Specialist Crime Command Forensic Services will be within 3% of BWT by May 2004. Significant levels of overtime have been worked by some staff to deliver front line operational services and development activity has been deferred. There are some underlying issues with regard to retention but advantage is being taken of the role-based structure to offer a career development framework for forensic staff in the MPS.

A. Recommendations

That the progress made in achieving the Budgeted Workforce Target (BWT) in 2004 and the issues highlighted with respect to the recruitment and retention of forensic staff in the MPS be noted.

B. Supporting information

1. The Chair of this Committee expressed concern at the skills shortages in Forensic Services and asked that this matter be brought to the attention of Human Resources (HR) Committee. The production of a report was requested to address this issue, specifically the impact of the skills shortage on performance, the causes of the skills shortage and the action being taken to remedy the skills shortage. This report addresses these issues and provides general briefing on managing the forensic skill base within the MPS.

Performance impact and action taken

2. In the Specialist Crime August Performance Report to the PPRC the Directorate of Forensic Services was shown to be 132 or 12% below its police staff BWT of 1122. In August the Directorate of Forensic Services included the PNC Bureau, Overseas Visitors Records Office (OVRO) and part of the Crime Academy. These have now moved to other functions within the Specialist Crime Command and do not form part in the Forensic Services BWT. The December briefing paper to the MPA set out progress that had been made in filling vacancies with a staffing level at 8% below the revised BWT and a vacancy factor of 3% of BWT by March 2004 was predicted.

3. The Directorate of Forensic Services has continued to reduce the number of vacancies and it is now anticipated to be 5% by March 2004. The slippage is due to some administrative delays and the time taken for security vetting. Taking account of the number of successful applicants awaiting security clearance and interviews that are underway the vacancy factor will be below 3% by early May 2004. For the units within Forensic Services that are affected by recruitment difficulties the following gives a summary of the performance impact and action taken to ameliorate this situation.

Crime scene examination

4. Crime Scene Examiners provide services to Boroughs and Specialist Crime. Since 2001 the MPS has continued to increase the number of Crime Scene Examiners, expanding their role to cover other duties such as record photography and moved to shift working as a pre-cursor to the implementation of sole response to burglary as part of the ‘forensics’ element of the MPS Operational Policing Model. The briefing paper prepared in December showed 39 vacancies, this had now reduced to 13.

5. The intervention rate (proportion of scenes attended) in burglary is increasing but lack of resources has impeded progress towards reducing response times. There is greater forensic potential in other areas such as auto crime to be exploited but a combination of logistics and limited resources has worked against this. A pool of experienced forensic staff have completed training for trainers development courses to expand training capacity.

Specialist evidence recovery and imaging services

6. This group includes in-house recording and examination of forensic exhibits and a wide range of photographic and imaging services including public order, surveillance and forensic photography. The main impact in this area is the significant amounts of overtime to cover the range of operational demands. The MPS relies on recruiting qualified photographers who can be further developed to deal with the specialist and demanding work in the police environment. Applications for the outstanding 14 vacancies are currently being processed.

Fingerprint examination

7. The Fingerprint Bureau provides 24/7 services to counter-terrorism, specialist crime and territorial policing. Recruitment, interview and selections have continued to reduce the number of fingerprint examiner vacancies. Sufficient numbers of successful applicants have been selected to achieve the BWT by May 2004. Demands have increased significantly over the last three years from all parts of the MPS and the lack of resources has led to short term backlogs building up and increased timeliness for response to less urgent work. However, by balancing resources we have maintained the 24-hour response to priority crime.

Organisational issues and career development

8. The Directorate of Forensic Services does not have a difficulty in recruiting staff, the media focus on forensics and television programmes like Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) portray a positive even glamorous image of the role of forensic staff. The issue is retention particularly as forensic staff need to build up experience over many years to be fully effective and add value to the investigative process. There is a long run loss of experienced staff to other forces and agencies in the UK. To address some of the long term issues a role based structure has been developed, with support from HR, for forensic ‘practitioners’ that allows for career progression based on acquiring competencies and a proven track record. This will overcome the previous difficulties of the grade-based structure where experienced forensic staff would take on management roles to progress their career creating a complex and unsustainable hierarchy.

9. The current level of wastage is 4% with some forensic staff losses due to applications to become police officers and obtain the additional benefits. Given that in many instances forensic staff will be working alongside police officers on 24/7 shift working this loss is difficult to counter, not least, as there is an overall benefit to the MPS and Londoners.

10. Recognition is also a factor for forensic staff who undertake operational roles and prepare expert evidence for the courts. The introduction of a Council for the Registration of Forensic Practitioners (CRFP) following the Royal Commission on Criminal Justice provides some much needed status for forensic staff. The MPS is encouraging staff to register and is supporting this initiative at national level.

11. Alongside the development of capacity to deliver front line services the Directorate of Forensic Services is seeking to invest in management systems and achieve external accreditation (ISO 9001-2000) to improve internal processes, efficiency, staff competency and development. Some of this work has been deferred.

C. Equality and diversity implications

1. The Directorate of Forensic Services recognition of equality and diversity is being addressed through a number of initiatives. There are open flexible working practices including flexi-time, part-time and job share to help staff meet working and personal needs.

2. A pilot mentoring scheme by senior police officers and police staff for senior managers has been established. This scheme is intended to encourage all staff to progress and the gender mix of senior management roles was improved significantly in 2002 when ten women were selected for senior management roles.

3. Recruitment over the last twelve months to the Directorate of Forensic Services show a ratio of 65% women recruits to 35% men. In partnership with Job Centre plus we have been able to attract a diverse candidate base. This is facilitated by the use of open-days where prospective candidates can speak to front line staff practitioners.

4. In the last year four new members of staff who have special needs requiring the support of external bodies such as Sabre have been recruited, we have adapted our recruitment processes to accommodate candidates who have special needs such as RNID attending the interview with the prospective candidate.

D. Financial implications

There are limited immediate financial implications but failure to recruit up to strength will impede a number of longer-term initiatives that will free up front line police officers. The budget and forecasts take account of the recruitment profile and potential savings are offset by additional overtime and related costs. The recruitment plan and resources available to support it will minimise the risk of any further slippage and an under spend in 2004-05. The growth in crime scene examiners is funded through the Home Office DNA Expansion Programme on the basis of costs incurred.

E. Background papers

None.

F. Contact details

Report author: Gary Pugh, Director of Forensic Services, MPS.

For more information contact:

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

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