Response times

Report: 12
Date: 12 May 2005
By: Commissioner

Summary

This report: 

• Provides an update on the progress of the C3i implementation in respect to its capacity to deal with demand.
• Outlines the impact on response times.
• Identifies issues around demand management including access to the service provided by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).

This report relies, in part, on the update of recommendations 1, 2 and 10 of the Demand Management Best Value Review (DMBVR).

A. Recommendations

That the report be noted.

B. Supporting information

Impact of C3i on response times

1. The new Metcall Operational Command Unit (OCU) is now responsible for the command and control of two Borough Operational Command Units (BOCU), Southwark and Lewisham. Both operate from the Lambeth Metcall Centre. The business benefits identified in the C3i business plan are very much dependent on the centralisation and therefore the scalability of the service. Accordingly, as the MPS is still in the early stages of C3i implementation, not all the anticipated business benefits have thus far been accrued. It remains true, however, that the key objective, that the MPS would implement an improved system to the existing one has been achieved.

2. In respect of Immediate grade emergency calls (‘I’ calls) on the Computer Aided Despatch (CAD), the time from creation to first routing is 16 seconds for the BOCU within Metcall. This is significantly better than the 29 seconds average across the MPS. In addition, anecdotal evidence suggests that ex-borough operators are able to spend more time with the caller, resulting in a better service ‘first time’ to Londoners.

3. Specific data for the two BOCUs within Metcall are as follows:

4. At Southwark BOCU performance during January to March 2005 shows the following:

• There have been 5% fewer ‘I’ grade deployments, due to the use of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) thus freeing up resources
• Response to Immediate grade in time improved slightly from 69.7% prior to Metcall roll out to 70.1% after.
• Average response times have improved to 14 minutes 22 seconds
• Indications are that these improvements are being maintained.

5. At Lewisham BOCU performance during January to March 2005 indicates the following:

• There have been 10% fewer ‘I’ grade deployments, due to the use of Sops, thus freeing up resources.
• ‘I’ grade calls in time has reduced by 5 points to 66.8%.
• Average response times have increased slightly (by 57 seconds) to 13 minutes 21 seconds.

6. To place these figures in context, MPS performance during the same period for ‘I’ grade calls is as follows:

• Response to Immediate grade in time is 69.9%.
• Average response times are 14 minutes 33 seconds.

Details of BOCU response to Immediate (‘I’) and Soon (‘S’) calls is found in Appendix 1.

7. Even though Lewisham BOCU has seen a slight dip in performance, average response times for the BOCU is still better than the MPS overall. It is anticipated that this slight dip will rectify itself when the new working practices are fully understood. This is already the case at Southwark BOCU.

8. It is clear that a response to a request for assistance should be both timely and appropriate and both these factors are important to the publics’ perception of the service they receive. By the use of Standard Operating Procedures within Metcall and also the introduction of Directed Dispatch the response times in instances where deployment is appropriate, will improve across the Service. Whilst any change in process is likely to have a short-term impact on performance, the capacity for improved response times increases as Metcall’s rollout is further progressed and new technologies become available. This process of improving response times should be read in conjunction with recommendation 10 of the Demand Management Best Value Review on introducing new call grading and deployment protocols focusing on average response times and the quality of service provided.

9. The C3i business case emphasised the importance of telephony and the importance of a prompt response to the public’s demand. Metcall’s telephony performance shows a significant improvement over the previous BOCU based control rooms.

10. Non-emergency calls answered within 30 seconds have improved from 43% (at Southwark) to 90% under Metcall (the Service target is 60% within 30 seconds). The abandonment rate has dropped significantly to an average of only 14 calls per day for Southwark and Lewisham combined. This is in the face of an increase of 16% in total calls. Callers are currently answered on average in 16 seconds. This is significantly better than in local borough control rooms.

11. For emergency (999) calls answered in Metcall, the service level is 94% in 2005 to date (service level target is 80% in 15 seconds). Metcall consistently exceeds the current 80% service level. Again this is a significant improvement in the service provided to the public.

12. As has been already stated there are currently two BOCUs within the Metcall environment. Metcall is the MPS response to the increase in demand placed on it by people within London and accordingly it aims to provide the best levels of citizen focused service possible. The Demand Management Best Value Review (DMBVR) found that people had difficulty accessing the MPS, particularly by telephone and this has been identified in other research. By significantly increasing the ability of the MPS to respond requests for assistance over the telephone, answering them by using access to Frequently Asked Databases, and in addition by the use of appropriate call routing so that in all cases the public are directed to the appropriate source of assistance, is all geared to supporting the Governments requirement for a citizen focused police service.

Impact of response times upon customer focus

13. The following information should be read in conjunction with the DMBVR report also tabled at PPRC on 12 May 2005. A synopsis of this report follows but in particular attention is drawn to:

• Recommendation 1: Service at front counters.
• Recommendation 2: Provide visible access, one-stop shops and mobile police stations.
• Recommendation 10: Response times.

14. The DMBVR report identified that the MPS should move away from targets based on speed of response but instead concentrate on average response times. There is also the recognition that the people of London are more satisfied if police attend when promised, rather than at an absolute time.

15. This would allow the MPS to focus on reducing the average response time in an appropriate way and does not compromise safety while equally taking account of different travelling distances encountered across the MPS. This would compliment those Best Value Performance Indicators that measure public satisfaction with the police response.

16. In addition, the MPS is currently supporting the Home Office National Standard for Incident Recording (NSIR) pilot. This initiative supports the government’s citizen focus agenda and is seeking to set national definitions of incidents and recording standards. It is anticipated that in supporting this piece of work the MPS will have to consider the whole issue of call grading and definitions.

17. Nationally, Deputy Chief Constable Ian Readhead continues to chair a National Call Handling Standards Programme Board, for Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO). The Board oversaw two projects, the Single Non Emergency Number (SNEN) Concept Demonstrator, and the work on National Call Handling Standards. The SNEN Concept Demonstrator work has now been suspended but the work on National Call Handling Standards is proceeding.

18. The core objective within this recommendation was to introduce performance measurements that deliver a reduction in the average time taken to attend incidents. That has been achieved through the introduction of new performance management information.

Access to police services

19. The DMBVR found that there was a strong public desire for police front counters to be open at all times. However, actual usage and need did not necessarily justify this as the most effective use of resources. The review team suggested that effort would be better focused on making improvements to the quality of service provided by existing counter services whilst enhancing other channels of delivery. The review proposed to improve customer satisfaction by better matching front counter services (e.g. opening hours, self-reporting forms, internet and telephone access and triage) to demand.

20. Since the original recommendation was ratified, the MPS has recognised the opportunity of linking various initiatives intended to improve the front counter environment and the services they provide. A specific workshop has been held with internal stakeholders to identify the key issues and ensure all MPS activities is being co-ordinated. In response to the workshop findings a nominated individual will manage an MPS Estates Project and co-ordinate activities.

21. The original Recommendation proposed to evaluate how one-stop shops, police shops and mobile police stations could deliver increased accessibility, recognising the need to balance this against actual demand and usage. An essential part of the pilot was to identify and evaluate how police services can be integrated with those of partners such as post offices and libraries. It is proposed within the DMBVR report that this issue is now best progressed in conjunction with Safer Neighbourhood Teams, which will be community based and have access to suitable local accommodation

22. Territorial Policing (TP) Modernising Operations has also been responsible for increasing the availability of Telephone Investigation Bureaux as a means of recording suitable crime allegations, including those received over the internet. This development of the Crime Management Best Value Review has meant greater opportunity for victims of crime (particularly vulnerable groups who may not wish to interact in person with the police) to report allegations to the MPS. This is developing in line with Metcall and both Southwark and Lewisham BOCUs report significantly more crime over the telephone than the MPS average.

C. Race and equality impact

1. All equality and diversity implications have previously been evidenced within the Demand Management Best Value Review in respect of the extracts from recommendations 1, 2 and 10. There are no new issues in respect of the response statistics.

2. Issues relating to the accessibility of the MPS crime recording processes have been outlined in reports relating to the Crime Management Best Value Review. This identified that some of the more vulnerable sections of society were more likely to under report instances where they were the victims of crime. This is being addressed, as noted above to improved telephone and internet provision in addition to third party reporting.

D. Financial implications

All financial implications are evidenced within the Demand Management Best Value Review final report or C3i Business Plan. There have been no amendments to those figures.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report authors: Chief Inspector Steve Kyte, Territorial Policing

For more information contact:

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

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