Going local inspection

Report: 5
Date: 14 February 2008
By: AC Territorial Policing on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

This report provides an overview of the HMIC Going Local inspection process in 2007, particularly as it relates to Camden, Ealing and Havering BOCUs. Further, it outlines the MPS processes for identifying, managing and monitoring the activities required to implement recommendations and areas for improvement (AFIs) arising from HMIC reviews.

A. Recommendation

That Members note this report.

B. Supporting information

Findings of 2007 local inspection programme (Camden, Ealing and Havering) including processes to take forward recommendations

1. Between January and June 2007, as part of its Going Local inspection process, Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary (HMIC) reviewed Camden, Ealing and Havering Borough Operational Command Units (BOCUs) and made the recommendations contained within Appendices 1-3. In addition to these recommendations, HMIC included a number of Areas for Improvement (AFIs) in each report.

2. Within the reports, HMIC included a notional contract, signed by the BOCU Commander and the Link Commander, which requires recommendations and AFIs to be actioned within an agreed time period. The draft notional contract is reviewed by the Territorial Policing Performance Unit (TPPU) to ensure that there is no conflict or mismatch with either MPS or partnership priorities. The timescales set out by HMIC are as follows: -

• Ealing April 2008
• Havering April 2008
• Camden June 2008

3. It is worth noting that there is a slight disparity between BOCUs in the time between the actual inspection and the publication of the final report, i.e. Havering was published only four months after inspection whereas the other two were published six months later. This is usually due to factual accuracy checking or HMIC resourcing issues. However, the draft notional contract and the recommendations would have been brought to the attention of BOCU Commanders long before publication date, in the main as early as the 'Hot Debrief'.

4. There is also a difference between the time of the HMIC report being published and the timescale for delivering actions, i.e. Ealing have ten months (from June 2007 to April 2008) and Havering have nine months (from July 2007 to April 2008). However, despite having the most AFIs, Camden only have seven months (from November 2007 to June 2008). This is because the 'Notional Contract' between HMIC and the BOCU Commander includes negotiation over the timescales for completion; the final agreement being signed off by the Link Commander, i.e. each contract is negotiated independently, is bespoke to the borough, but results in differential timescales.

5. Progress on the implementation of the recommendations and AFIs will also be validated by the HMIC during re-visits to the BOCUs, the dates of which are to be confirmed.

6. To ensure that the BOCUs take the necessary and appropriate action to implement HMIC’s recommendations, there are a number of processes in place, at both BOCU and corporate levels. These are as follows.

7. Each BOCU has been required to produce a detailed action plan that identifies nominated individuals who have responsibility for delivering the key recommendations, management considerations and AFIs highlighted in the HMIC report. This will assist the BOCUs in providing evidence of the work being undertaken to implement the recommendations and AFIs when HMIC re-visit.

8. The Link Commanders are responsible for ensuring that BOCUs within their command implement the recommendations and meet or exceed any performance targets. A review of this part of the process has recently been undertaken and the TP Performance Unit will, in future, provide structured feedback on the suitability of the each BOCU’s processes to achieve implementation.

9. The MPS Inspection Liaison and Analysis Unit (ILAU) monitors the progress of each BOCU through returns provided by the BOCUs themselves and liaises with the TP Performance Unit. They, in turn, have incorporated a review of this progress into performance reviews conducted by them in support of DAC TP’s formal monthly BOCU inspections.

10. Details of the recommendations arising from each BOCU inspection are included in the ILAU monthly progress report, which is available to all staff via the MPS intranet.

Progress made by the BOCUs since their inspections

11. The progress made by each of the BOCUs towards the implementation of the recommendations and areas for improvement is detailed below:

Camden

12. Camden was inspected in June 2007 and the HMIC report was published in November 2007. The BOCU has made significant progress towards all four of the recommendations as well as having an ongoing programme to address the 51 AFIs. The recommendations/AFIs have been divided between the portfolio leads on the BOCU, with a regularly updated action plan. The outcomes are discussed at Camden SMT on a monthly basis.

13. The progress chart shown in Appendix 4 outlines the improvement made by the borough. The crime victimisation rates for Total Notifiable Offences (TNOs), robbery, vehicle crime and violent crime have all improved with residential burglary stable. The Sanction Detection rates for TNOs, residential burglary, robbery, vehicle crime and violent crime have all shown an improvement.

Ealing

14. Ealing was inspected in January 2007 and the HMIC report published in June 2007. The BOCU has incorporated the four HMIC recommendations and 26 AFIs into their Strategic Change Management Plan (SCMP) April 2007 – March 2008. The SCMP is used to document and manage activity and progress towards the AFIs. Three of the four recommendations have been implemented and work towards Recommendation Two – Demand Management Strategy – continues.

15. The progress chart shown in Appendix 5 outlines the improvement made by the borough. Victimisation rates for all crime, violent crime, vehicle crime, domestic burglary and robbery have all improved. Sanction detection rates for all crime, violent crime and robbery are all improving whilst vehicle crime and domestic burglary SD rates have declined.

Havering

16. Havering was inspected in March 2007 and the HMIC report was published in July 2007. The BOCU has incorporated all of the HMIC AFIs into their Borough Organisational Learning Control Strategy which is a document used to monitor the progress of actions from any source; these are recorded according to policing domain. The implementation of 36 of the 39 HMIC AFIs, is considered complete whilst three are ongoing.

17. The progress chart shown in Appendix 6 outlines the improvement made by the borough. Victimisation rates for all crime, violent crime, vehicle crime, domestic burglary and robbery have all improved although domestic burglary has shown a slight increase in the last quarter. Sanction detection rates for all crime, violent crime, vehicle crime and robbery have all improved whilst the domestic burglary SD rate have declined.

Common issues identified from the inspections in Camden, Ealing and Havering

18. The MPS ILAU routinely monitors the recommendations and AFIs arising from HMIC inspections. Comparison of the recommendations from the Camden, Havering and Ealing inspections has identified that performance management and resource/demand strategy are common recommendations for Camden and Ealing and problem solving is common to Havering and Ealing. These findings have been shared with TPPU and posted on the MPS Intranet Special Interest Group (SIG) for Quality Assurance Officers (QAOs).

Programme of future local inspections

19. The programme of inspections for the current financial year has been completed and any further activity revolves around scheduled re-visits. The only additional BOCU inspected as part of the Going Local process was Wandsworth (during w/c 21 January 2008), which will be reported on later in the spring.

20. In order to identify those BOCUs for whom an inspection would be appropriate, HMIC compile a ‘long list’ of BOCUs, which, based mainly on 12 month and three-year performance, fall within the lower quartile. HMIC then liaise with the Performance Portfolio Commander and Head of TPPU to agree a short list of BOCUs, normally 2-3.

21. The BOCUs on the short list are required to complete a self-assessment, using the Going Local Three template, together with supporting documentation. Once this process is complete, HMIC review the documents and, in consultation with the MPS (TPHQ and the ILAU), select the most appropriate BOCUs for a full inspection, normally 1-2.

22. Whilst HMIC have not indicated when the process for 2008/9 will take place, the TPPU have, in anticipation of the next phase of inspections, replicated the HMIC process for identifying BOCUs that may fall into the lower quartile. In essence, the TPPU duplicate the HMIC long listing methodology each time the iQuanta data is refreshed and this report is then discussed each month at the DAC’s Performance Focus meeting, thus ensuring that TP Command Team are fully sighted on HMIC’s likely areas of concern.

23. This data is supplemented by a TPPU ‘Diagnostic Tool’ that draws together a range of diverse performance indicators that collectively provide a holistic view of BOCU performance.

24. The TPPU also provide support and assistance to identified BOCUs in relation to their performance prior to HMIC intervention. Additional support is provided by the TP Borough Support Team in relation to intelligence functions, whilst criminal justice support is provided by Emerald, via the ASGARD Team (crime management issues) and the custody support team.

25. The ILAU will continue to provide support to those BOCUs required by HMIC to complete the self-assessment process. This involves ensuring that the strongest evidence is provided and is aligned to the national HMIC inspection process. This support was provided to Tower Hamlets and Wandsworth (subsequently inspected) during 2007 and HMIC noted that the quality of MPS submissions had improved as a result.

Financial or resource implications of the current work

26. HMIC recommendations are discussed with business group representatives, including TPPU and TP Business Support, at the quarterly Internal Inspection Co-ordination Meeting (IICM).

27. Where appropriate, TP Business Support undertake support visits to the inspected BOCUs in advance of the HMIC re-visit, to provide support and guidance for Finance and Resource Managers.

C. Race and equality impact

1. The MPS remains committed to making the whole of London safer. The implementation of the recommendations and areas for improvement on these BOCUs will have a positive effect on both the communities they serve and the members of the extended police family who serve within them.

2. In cases where it proves necessary to change working patterns and practices to implement recommendations, consideration will have to be given to ensuring that staff consultation is undertaken and that the balance of the skills-base is maintained.

3. A process of community consultation will have to be undertaken before any changes that will significantly impact upon the service provided to these boroughs is introduced.

D. Financial implications

Any financial implications will form part of the HMIC inspection reports. In respect of the MPS, there are no direct financial or resource implications of the current work.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Acting Commander Stephen Bloomfield, SE Link and Performance, TPHQ, MPS

For more information contact:

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

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