Operational Support Police Service Improvement Review – Implementation Report

Report: 19
Date:12 July 2004
By: Commissioner

Summary

This report provides the first update of work on the 13 recommendations of the Operational Support Policing Service Improvement Review which was approved in December 2003 by the Planning, Performance and Review Committee.

A. Recommendations

1. the progress of implementing the Operational Support Policing Service Improvement Review be noted;

2. that Recommendations 1, 3, 5, 6 and 12 be approved as completed; and

3. approve that responsibility for reporting on the implementation of Recommendation 11 is transferred to Human Resources Directorate through the MPA Human Resources Committee.

B. Supporting information

 Background to the report

1. On 11 December 2003, the Planning, Performance and Review Committee approved the recommendations and improvement plan of the Operational Support Policing Service Improvement Review.

2. The Review made 13 recommendations focusing on functions that support the delivery of policing services to the public by Borough Operational Command Units.

3. Commander Broadhurst, who chaired the Review’s Project Board, chairs an Implementation Board overseeing progress towards achieving the recommendations. Chief Superintendent David Morgan (formerly the Service Improvement Review (SIR) Team Leader and now Chief Superintendent Partnership for the City of Westminster) is the Implementation Manager. The Implementation Board comprises the personnel with particular responsibility for the recommendations. Several of the recommendations link with other MPS programmes and it has therefore been possible to integrate several into already existing pieces of work.

4. Progress on the 13 recommendations achieved to date are as follows:

Recommendation 1 – To ensure that the most effective and efficient use is made of resources by conducting annual assessments to examine the justification for and the terms of reference of, operational support units against MPS priorities as defined by the National Intelligence Module (NIM) framework.

Management Board is now using the MPS Control Strategy to hold business groups to account for activities. Business groups are ensuring that their resources are aligned with the MPS Control Strategy.

The Implementation Board invites members to agree that this recommendation has been achieved.

Recommendation 2 – To provide boroughs with a more efficient and effective method of accessing the most appropriate support unit to assist with incidents and also to provide a source of advice and information through the establishment of a 24/7 joint central gateway for Territorial Policing (TP) and Specialist Crime Directorate (SCD).

SCD has established a central reserve capability thus providing a single point of contact for boroughs seeking operational advice or assistance. TP is presently considering the need for a presence in the SCD reserve based on recommendations from the Service Improvement Review and also Sir Anthony Burden’s report into the shooting at Turnmills nightclub. Members will be updated about progress in the next report.

Recommendation 3 – To increase the transparency of the TP tasking and coordinating framework in order to encourage boroughs to bid for the services of TP pan-London units.

Borough based Superintendents now attend the TP Tasking and Coordinating Group on a rota basis so that all will pass through within four to five months. This provides Superintendents with an opportunity to raise local issues e.g. in March 2004 Havering a non-Safer Streets Borough Operational Command Unit (BOCU) raised disorder issues in relation to nightclubs. The tasking group allocated Clubs and Vice Unit, Territorial Support Group (TSG) and Dog Section resources to assist with prevention as well as enforcement. In April 2004, TP staged an Open Day where borough representatives were given presentations by TP and Specialist Crime Directorate (SCD 11 surveillance) about the services that can be provided.

The Implementation Board therefore invites members to agree that this recommendation has been achieved.

Recommendation 4 – To improve the consistency and coordination of policing on boroughs by implementing a protocol to ensure the Integrated Borough Operations Office is informed of operational support units operating proactively in their area, unless to do so would compromise that, or future operations.

Work has begun but the recommendation has not been implemented at this stage. It is now anticipated that the work will be expedited and its hoped that implementation will be achieved before the next report to PPRC.

Recommendation 5 – To improve internal awareness about the use of operational support resources in boroughs by ensuring effective debriefing and by making this a standing agenda item at the weekly intelligence meeting (mandatory under NIM) and at BOCU Tasking and Co-ordinating Meetings.

The MPS intranet briefing system, METBATS, is now being tested at Enfield. It will then be rolled out across the MPS and includes debriefing templates. Service level briefings on the intranet include planned deployments of TP pan London assets. Boroughs therefore have access to information about the availability and planned use of operational support resources.

The Implementation Board invite members to agree that this recommendation has been achieved.

Recommendation 6 – To raise community awareness about the use of operational support resources by borough commanders through their local media, local consultative group meetings and other channels of communication.

The Department of Public Affairs (DPA) has produced and distributed a booklet raising awareness about operational support units to London opinion formers and boroughs for them to dispense locally. This was very popular and is presently being re-printed. DPA are also briefing borough based press liaison officers about the requirement to raise community awareness about the work of operational support units. In addition members of the SCD command team have undertaken visits to Community Policing Consultative Groups (CPCGs) to inform them about the work of specialist units.

The Implementation Board invite members to agree that this recommendation has been achieved.

Recommendation 7 – To measure activities and outcomes of operational support units in the most effective and efficient way in order to improve performance management and to influence decision making about their staffing requirements.

Work by Deputy Commissioner’s Command (DCC2) has commenced. Subject to the timescales of the implementation of Met Duties 2, this should be completed by the target date of 31 December 2004.

Recommendation 8 – To reduce the impact of the loss of experienced officers from borough and reduce vacancies in operational support functions by seeking to retain officers and police staff with relevant experience and skills past their normal retirement point and by further building on work in progress to establish an MPS bank of retired staff.

The Home Office has launched the third phase of the 30+ Scheme. The MPS is participating in this initiative to retain the skills of experienced officers. Procurement Services have put in place a framework agreement with six companies who provide retired police officers. Details are about to be published in a Police Notice about the framework agreement. This Notice will also include information about the MPS People Bank. The People Bank of retired officers and police staff is now in place with 46 people registered. To date one person has been placed, an offer has been made to another individual and four other potential placements are in various stages of negotiation. The take up by retired staff has been lower than expected. The Review forecast benefits of achieving savings based on 50% of contracted hours being from the People Bank would appear to be unlikely to be achieved. To increase awareness about the People Bank, Human Resources Directorate (HRD) intend to advise officers as they reach their final twelve months service about the opportunities available. This may encourage more staff to register but it is likely that for the foreseeable future most placements will be achieved through the provider companies. While this is at an increased cost – this is offset to some extent by the reduction in employment risks and on-costs to the MPS. However, overall there are now a variety of measures helping to provide staff and thus reduce the need to take experienced staff from boroughs.

The Implementation Board invites members to agree that this recommendation has been achieved.

Recommendation 9 – To assess the potential benefits of increasing the use of non-sworn police staff in operational support functions with reference to the recommendations of the ongoing HMIC thematic inspection of civilianisation and the MPS Civilianisation Plan.

The Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabularies (HMIC) report was expected in May 2004. It is understood that the report will now be published on 20 July 2004. This delay may well impact on the ability to deliver this recommendation by the target date of 30 September 2004. Members will be updated about progress in the next implementation report.

Recommendation 10 – To seek to balance the needs of TP and SCD by retaining experienced detectives on boroughs whilst increasing the capability of SCD through the secondment of selected Trainee Detective Constables (TDCs) from BOCUs to SCD for six months as part of their development programme.

Work is now well underway and a draft policy for the attachment of TDCs to SCD has been developed. The attachments will fill vacancies within the relevant unit’s Budgeted Workforce Target (BWT) and return to their BOCU after six months. The process will reduce the number of experienced detectives leaving boroughs, provide an insight into SCD activity for those officers with longer-term career aspirations and increase knowledge and experience of SCD issues across a greater number of borough based officers. It is hoped to start the process involving about 120 TDCs in the next couple of months. Members will be updated in the next implementation report but at this stage the recommendation is on schedule to be delivered by the target date of September 2004.

Recommendation 11 – To retain experienced detectives on boroughs by recruiting experienced and skilled investigators into the MPS capable of being posted direct from Training School to SCD and other investigative units.

This recommendation is linked to career pathways and developments in probationer training. The notion of career pathways divides policing into a number of specialist paths e.g. community, investigation and patrol and has the potential to stream officers at a very early stage. The recommendation lends weight to the Career Pathways Programme. However, the latter is broader in focus encompassing a wider range of roles and the complexities of selection and training. The Director of People Development, Mr Gordon Davison, is leading the Career Pathways Programme and is agreeable to the two pieces of work being joined together. Management Board is due to discuss the Career Pathways Programme in July 2004.

Members are invited to agree that Recommendation 11 is subsumed into the MPS Career Pathways Programme that will report to the MPA Human Resources Committee.

Recommendation 12 – To improve the analytical capability and response to Level 2 crime through the inclusion of NIM problem profiles of cross border crime issues in the tactical assessments considered by the TP Tasking and Coordinating Group.

At the time of the Review, TP Crime had one higher analyst. Their analytical capacity has now significantly improved with two higher analysts and approximately seven analysts in post. TP Crime now has the ability to analyse Level 2 crime including all aggravated burglaries, artifice burglaries and cross border robberies on a daily basis. The analysts look for series of crimes and prepare packages in relation to suspects for further investigation.

The Implementation Board invites members to agree that this recommendation has been achieved.

Recommendation 13 – To evaluate the effectiveness of the SCD7/HMCE initiative in disrupting the availability of Class A drugs at the point of supply in boroughs.

The joint SCD/Her Majesty’s Customs & Excise (HMCE) Operation Middle Market targeting Level 2 drugs supply will be launched in September 2004. The target date for completion of the recommendation is April 2005 and members will be updated about progress in the next implementation report.

5. The attached costs and benefits analysis (Appendix 1) sets out the progress of implementation.

C. Race and equality impact

1. Ensuring equality for all, and its implications, was of fundamental importance to this review. The implications for ensuring equality were considered throughout the analysis of each of the four themes.

2. The impact of the findings and recommendations from the Review were assessed as to how they affected equality for all. In doing so the review team ensured that the statutory requirements of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 were fully met. The Commission for Racial Equality, Greater London Action for the Disabled (GLAD) and GALOP (the lesbian gay and bisexual community safety charity) examined the review’s findings and recommendations. Staff support associations were also consulted.

3. Positive comments were received about Recommendation 11 (directly recruiting investigators) as it was suggested that this may encourage some people from visible ethnic minority groups to join the MPS.

D. Financial implications

Implementation to date has been achieved within existing resources. Members will be apprised of any significant financial commitment.

E. Background papers

Management Summary of the Service Improvement Review of Operational Support Policing – previously circulated.

F. Contact details

Report Author: Chief Superintendent David Morgan, MPS.

For more information contact:

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

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