Call grading – new performance measurements

Report: 10
Date: 14 September 2006
By: Commissioner

Summary

The recommendations in this report support MPS Performance Targets (To improve the citizen experience in their contacts with the police) and Demand Management Best Value Review 2003, which recommended that response time measurements should be developed that are based upon average response times.

It proposes that the following four new measurements be introduced:

• % of CAD calls graded as requiring an ‘Immediate’ response.
• Average time of responding to calls graded as requiring an ‘Immediate’ response.
• Median time of responding to all calls graded as requiring an ‘Immediate’ response.
• % of calls graded as requiring an ‘Immediate’ response that are responded to in more that 30 minutes.

The proposals are intended to:

• Improve performance to meet genuine need
• Provide a better overall service to the people of London
• Reduce unnecessary use of vehicle emergency equipment
• Have a positive effect of public perception and fear of crime

The objective is to introduce performance measurements that focus on total performance rather than pass and fail targets.

DARIS is already able to produce the data required. The recommendation is that any new measurements are incorporated into the current Metstat report.

A. Recommendation

That

1. the new performance measurements and method of monitoring subject of this report are adopted by the MPS; and
2. corporate performance targets for individual BOCUs and the MPS as a whole are not set during the first year of any new performance measurements while baselines are established.

B. Supporting information

1. The Demand Management Best Value Review revealed that there was a correlation between the number of ‘I’ graded calls and police collisions. There were a disproportionate number of units deployed to immediate incidents of which 20% had been resulted as not requiring police action.

2. Public surveys also indicate that respondents put ‘responding to emergencies’ relatively low in the list of activities police should spend more time on. It has been expressed elsewhere that knowing when the police will arrive at the scene of an incident is more important than the speed.

3. It should be noted that the MPS Policing Performance Plan 2003/4, stated that response time measurements should be developed that are based upon average response times (Priority for excellence B–Manage the demands upon the MPS more effectively). Whist this has been superseded, the principle is still relevant and appropriate today.

4. Therefore the following new performance measurements are recommended:

5. DARIS already produces the data required to create this management information. The system has historical data going back for a six-year period to show trends in performance. The current monthly Metstats report is capable of incorporating the new information at no additional financial cost (discussions have taken place with appropriate members of the C3i team and these proposals will not impact upon their service delivery).

6. Discussions with the C3i team, and Performance Information Bureau (PIB) have confirmed that the required data can be collected on a monthly basis and incorporated into the Metstats report. A software change request will be made to improve access to appropriate data via the DARIS (replaces CADMIS as the message information system.) desktop.

7. For each category of newly proposed management information it is suggested that the monthly Metstats report indicates:

• rolling year and monthly performance of the whole MPS.
• rolling year and monthly performance for each BOCU.
• individual BOCUs ranked to show best performing.
• Appendix 1 illustrates relevant MPS wide performance)

8. It is recommended that the expected benefits of this new management information be monitored for a 12-month period.

9. It is recommended that the newly proposed management information be collected and published in the monthly Metstats reports. At this stage targets should not be corporately set, but performance against the expected benefits monitored. It will of course be open for individual BOCU Commanders to use the new data as they see fit.

10. The new measurements will take better account of the geographical size and individual demand upon boroughs. They will no longer constrain inner and outer boroughs to the same restrictive targets.

11. The Demand Management Best Value Review identified benefits to improved management information as being better call grading, fewer immediate deployments, less collisions and thereby, a reduction peoples fear of crime and increased public satisfaction. This proposal achieves these benefits.

C. Race and equality impact

This proposal supports the MPS target of improving the citizen experience in their contacts with the police. Accordingly, it is designed to enhance the service provided to all of the capitals diverse communities by providing a qualitative approach rather than one that is time based.

D. Financial implications

The performance management systems (DARIS) are already in place to monitor and provide the new management information. These are already budgeted for. There are no new training provisions required to implement this change.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Inspector Bob Hunter, MPS

For more information contact:

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

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