Central Operations directorate management information

Report: 11
Date: 14 February 2008
By: AC Central Operations on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

This report is a summary of Central Operations performance against targets from April 2007 to November 2007 and includes commentary and examples of operational success. A thematic focus on the work of Operational Support Units (Marine Support Unit, Dog Support Unit, Air Support Unit and Mounted Branch) is provided

A. Recommendation

That Members note the current operational performance within Central Operations.

B. Supporting information

Operational performance summary

1. Central Operations operational performance is discussed in this section of the report. Appendix 1 provides examples of operational success and good work.

2. As a business group providing operational support to the rest of the MPS the Central Operations performance framework is responsible for delivery at three key levels: performance against national and corporate targets; supporting other business groups in achieving their strategic targets, and; delivering against the performance objectives in the business group plan. This report is structured to reflect the nature of the CO performance framework and a short summary of performance in each of the three key areas is provided.

Performance against national and corporate targets

3. Central Operations is accountable for delivering on behalf of the MPS the Public Sector Agreement objective – to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured (KSI) in road accidents by 50% by the year 2010, compared with the average for 1994/98. This measure is also a MPS Critical Performance Area (CPA) and the business group is responsible for reporting progress to Performance Board on a monthly schedule. To achieve this target the MPS must reduce KSIs to no more than 277 per month by 2010 or 3,324 annually. It should be recognised that due to the lag times in investigating KSI road traffic collisions and processing the subsequent data, management information currently runs some three months in arrears. The latest available KSI data is for October 2007. A program of work is in place to improve the timeliness of the recording of road traffic collisions and the subsequent publishing of related management information.

4. The current average monthly performance for the twelve months ending October 2007 is 290 per month, 13 above the target level. This is the lowest monthly average in the last four years and indicates that if current performance is sustained the target should be met.

5. The KSI trend has fallen significantly since 2003 as illustrated in chart 1 (see appendix 2)

The increase in 2006 casualty levels has been reversed in 2007 to date. Compared with April to October 2006 KSI levels are down 8.2% over the same period in 2007.

6. A rolling twelve-month measure of KSI performance is a more reliable indicator of performance against the target as it levels out seasonality and exceptions. Chart 2  shows KSI casualty numbers continuing to decline and confirming that target levels are likely to be achieved and exceeded. (see appendix 2)

Central Operations supporting the MPS

7. Central Operations provides specialist policing support to BOCUs and OCUs across the MPS. Assistance is provided in situations where a BOCU or OCU may not have the capacity or capability to deliver in its own right. This help is usually provided through the corporate tasking process, which is designed to provide intelligence-led activity in support of corporate priorities. As a business group, Central Operations has successfully contributed to activities such as reducing crime and anti-social behaviour and bringing offenders to justice, providing a counter terrorism response and disrupting criminal networks.

8. Significantly, CO OCUs have made over 22,000 arrests so far this year with key contributions coming from Territorial Support Group (12,626), Transport OCU (6,410) and Traffic OCU (3,293). This has assisted in reducing crime and disorder as well as contributing to improved sanction detection rates.

9. Central Operations have conducted over 80,000 stop and search to date with key contributions coming from TSG (41,156), Aviation Security (19,928), Transport OCU (8,770), DPG (6,043) and Traffic OCU (1,753).

10. Counter terrorism activity includes the provision of security and protection services as well as support to counter terrorism operations. The Marine Support Unit provides a visible 24-hour patrol presence on the river Thames and through the Terrorism and Crime team is responsible for risk assessing commercial vessels using the river. To date 90% of vessels are risk assessed against a target of 80%. 220 commercial vessels and over 300 private vessel interdictions (interception, examination and search) have taken place in conjunction with colleagues from HM Immigration, counter terrorism command, Firearms and Dog Section.

11. A key element of the work done by CO OCUs supports the disruption of criminal networks, protection of the night-time economy, and reducing gun crime. Much of this work involves tackling armed criminality and criminality within licensed premises and nightclubs and the sex industry. Clubs and Vice OCU has disrupted six criminal networks to date and identified £800k in assets for court seizure. These totals are likely to increase significantly by the end of the year. There have been 26 gun crime offences in nightclubs this year, two more than last year. There have been a further 1,627 violent offences in nightclubs, a one per cent reduction on last year and just above target levels. Specialist Firearms units have deployed to 1,442 incidents (from a total of 6,467); 83% of calls are attended within 12 minutes and 615 firearms have been recovered. Armed response vehicles spend on average seventy per cent of their available time on directed patrolling against a target of 60%.

Performance against CO targets

12. The business group performance objectives focus on the key role of providing Capital City Policing, which includes activities such as planning for capital city resilience and emergency preparedness; planning for and managing major events such as the Notting Hill Carnival; providing security and protection; and policing the transport infrastructure.

13. Across London, there is a consistent demand for Armed Response Vehicles (ARVs). There have been 1,442 deployments so far this year (April 07 – November 07), an average of 180 a month. This has been supplemented by a further 75 pre-planned ARV operations, 415 operations by teams of Specialist Firearms Officers and 198 by Tactical Support Teams who have also made 77 arrests. As reported previously, 615 firearms have been recovered between April 2007 and November 2007.

14. A key element of casualty reduction has been the Think! Campaign, established to raise driver awareness of the factors that contribute significantly to collisions and to target these types of driver behaviour. During the reporting period, over fifteen thousand fixed penalty notices have been issued against the Think! Campaign themes (driving with excess speed, not wearing a seatbelt and use of mobile phone whilst driving/not in control of vehicle), an increase of 49% from the same period the previous year. A further seven thousand FPNs have been issued for having no vehicle insurance and driving other than in accordance of the licence conditions.

15. Over the course of the Christmas drink/drive campaign 20,084 evidential breath tests were administered, 932 of which involved personal injury collisions. Of the tests administered, 911 proved to be positive, or the driver failed or refused to provide a specimen, 4.5% of the total. The rate for personal injury collisions was 12.8% (119 positives) and the rate for tests where no collision had taken place was 7.2% (792 positives). To put this in context, more tests were conducted this year but the positive rate was lower than last year.

16. Denying criminals the use of the road is a key objective for Traffic OCU and intelligence shows that those people who choose not to tax and insure their vehicles are more likely to also be involved in crime in some way and that their vehicles are integral to their criminal enterprise. Our intelligence also shows that 79% of disqualified drivers also have previous convictions. Legislation allows the police to seize vehicles that are untaxed and whose drivers are unlicensed and uninsured. Traffic OCU in conjunction with the Vehicle Recovery and Examination Service (VRES) has seized 8,740 vehicles between April 2007 and November 2007, representing an eighty-two per cent increase on the same period last year:

• Vehicles seized 8,740
• Vehicles restored to owner/agent 6,613
• Vehicles scrapped 1,690
• Vehicles auctioned 45
• Vehicles remaining in police possession 801

17. To tackle criminals in cars we run proactive, intelligence-led operations to arrest and disrupt individuals and networks. As well as the regulatory powers of PACE stop and search, we have developed operational tactics to target these criminals whilst they are travelling by road. One such tactic is the use of Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology. ANPR activity has generated almost one thousand arrests between April 2007 and November 2007, of which 147 were for driving offences, 35 for being wanted on an outstanding warrant, 30 for vehicle crime and around 14 each for drugs and theft offences.

18. The work of Transport OCU (CO17) focuses on designated bus routes with an emphasis on making them at least as safe and secure as the non-designated routes and to reduce congestion and disruption to service. The following survey results are based on quarter 2 (ending September) findings.

19. Satisfaction with bus reliability has reached 75%, up from 74% the previous quarter and is two percentage points above the network average. Satisfaction with journey times has also increased by one percentage point on the previous quarter at 81%. This is now just one percentage point below the network average. Passenger perceptions of safety and security at bus stops and shelters remain at 80%, three points lower than the network average, whilst perceptions of safety and security on-bus have improved from 81% to 83%, just one point behind the network average.

20. 6,410 arrests were made between April 2007 and November 2007, an increase of 16% from the same period last year. The Red Route and Congestion teams are responsible for ensuring traffic on TOCU routes flows freely. This is achieved by Red Route and parking enforcement through the issue of Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs). 106,818 Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) were issued between April 2007 and November 2007.

The work of CO11 Operational Support Units

21. The four Operational Support Units – Mounted Branch, Marine Support Unit, Dog Support Unit and Air Support Unit are managed within CO11 Public Order and Operational Support OCU. Each unit provides specialist policing services to other Central Operations OCUs and also to BOCUs and other business groups. Each unit is generally tasked through the corporate tasking process in support of MPS priorities, and there is also a process obtaining their services in response to emergencies.

22. In the financial year to date (Apr-Dec), the Mounted Branch provided more than 7,770 officer days supporting MPS ‘taskings’ these included specific tasks from Territorial Policing, from OCUs and Safer Neighbourhood teams and also Royal Parks patrols. Mounted officers also provided more than 3,000 officer days supporting ‘security’ operations and tasks. In addition, the Branch provided 3,583 officer days supporting football matches and other sporting events. The Branch is ever present at the sporting stadia in London, on New Year’s Eve and Notting Hill carnival.

23. The management of the horses’ welfare to prevent over use, illness and injury is paramount; over use of the available horses will result in the efficiency of the Branch being greatly reduced. Horses do require rest after working for extended periods and the ever increasing demands placed on both horses and riders as a result of the increasing number of commitments, has resulted in a number of horses being unfit for work for significant periods of time.

24. Mounted Branch will play a key role in ensuring that the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in London 2012 are policed safely and peacefully. The scale of events is such that additional horses and riders will be required to maintain optimum safety levels. Given the long lead time for training and gaining experience of riders and horses, Mounted Branch has commenced a process to ensure that the appropriate level of skilled resources will be in place to deliver the functions it believes to be necessary for the 2012 Olympic Games.

25. A review of the how the Branch currently operates has led to a number of changes. Research showed Sunday is now the second busiest day of the week for Mounted Officers attending events (football, rugby concerts etc.), Saturday being the busiest. This has led to a change in the roster for police officers in the Branch; as from April officers will only get one Sunday in four as a rest day. The study also revealed it was not possible to sustain eight operational stables with the number of officers and the decision has been taken to close Shoreditch stable. Both changes are aimed at improving the operational efficiency of the Mounted Branch.

26. The opening of the new Wembley Stadium has made a further major demand on the Mounted Branch. In 2007, the Branch attended 27 events at the stadium requiring a minimum of twenty horses and up to thirty-two horses for the largest events. At all the events Mounted Officers are seen managing the crowds and intervening early to deal with any disorder; after the match or event their main function is to manage the crowd queuing in Olympic Way for the underground station. The centre page of the Evening Standard on 22nd November 2007 showed an excellent picture of mounted officers performing this function. Officer engaging the public with tact and humour, a dispirited crowd that had seen England eliminated from the European championships and had to wait for their train in heavy rain.

27. As part of its strategic aim to improve the security and safety of London, in the financial year to date (Apr-Dec), the Marine Support Unit (MSU) carried out more than 220 ‘intelligence lead’ commercial vessel ‘interdictions’ in the port of London, in addition to over 300 carried out of private vessels coming here from all over the world. Border control within the Thames estuary is fragile with the MSU in the absence of a UK Border Police Force carrying out this role. All commercial vessel intercepts and many of the private ones were examined and searched with the support of colleagues from HM Immigration, SO15 Counter Terrorism command, CO18 Specialist Firearms and CO11 Dog Section.

28. In supporting BOCUs and specialist OCUs, the MSU during this period responded to over 1,800 requests for specialist marine police services. These included: searches at height, Disaster Victim Recovery and Identification (DVRI) body recovery, property and vehicle recovery, etc. The Marine Unit again during this period engaged in daily High Visibility Policing (HVP) reassurance patrols all along the river Thames and carried out in excess of 1,100 patrols. In addition, the underwater search unit carried out 129 underwater searches assisting Specialist Crime Directorate, SO15, Customs and Excise and Constabulary colleagues. The Unit's TAC team (Crime Squad) performed patrols directed by corporate tasking on priority boroughs within the MPS where canal systems and inland waterways were present (Brent, Camden, Uxbridge).

29. The MSU has proposed a business case for the introduction of a Marine Safer Neighbourhoods Team’s for the river Thames (non-tidal) and inland waterways. The business case has been widely supported and awaits a decision for funding, and implementation.

30. The MSU has developed ReMITT (Regional Marine Intelligence and Information), a marine intelligence model that is National Intelligence Model (NIM) compliant. ReMITT has been adopted nationally through the ACPO Sea Port Commanders Group and has rolled out as the model for all UK portal areas.

31. DVRI (disaster victim recovery and identification) has been introduced in the MSU, with over 23 people now DVRI trained within the unit. Subject to operational matters, the MSU offers the MPS the largest pool of rapidly available DVRI officers from one location.

32. 2007 has seen the introduction of Operation Safe Haven which focuses on the gathering of community intelligence, where port and marina operators sign up to a voluntary register of in coming and out going private vessels and inform police of suspicious activity. This has resulted in some intelligence led searches of private vessels (which would not have occurred previously) and valuable intelligence gathered.

33. A full scale rescue exercise designed to test emergency preparedness - Operation “Palm tree” – involving the MSU, RNLI, MCA and Port Authority- simulating a Class 5 passenger vessel (large pleasure cruiser size vessel) sinking in the Thames has been conducted. Partner agencies coordinated by both police and MCA simulated the evacuation of 120 passengers (soldiers from the Guards regiment) and recovered 25 persons from the water (dummies). The exercise demonstrated that in the event of a major sinking incident that all the emergency services afloat are prepared.

34. In the financial year to date (Apr-Dec), in respect of pre-planned operations, the ASU flew operationally for 1,603 hours in response to 3,937 requests. 51% of the requests were for counter terrorism /security purposes, 25% were for corporate tasks, 11% were for Public Order tasks and the remaining 13% in support of tasks requested by other business groups.

1. Increase aircraft endurance from 1 hour 30 to 2 hours 30 minutes (helipad), and up to three and a half hours from a clear area (runway).
2. Provide the Silver/Bronze Commander a bespoke position in the aircraft with their own communications, video screens and the ability to direct their resources from overhead any incident. It also provides the ability to transport the Silver/Bronze to the scene of any incident. This was trialed during the Tour de France.
3. Provide detailed evidential imagery of crime scenes/critical incidents, utilizing the Thermal Image Wescam system. This is being progressed with Accident Investigators at the scene of fatal accidents, and Senior Investigating Officers courses.
4. Rapidly transport specialist Technical Support Unit officers from Battersea Heliport to incidents.
5. Transport 2 specialist search dogs and handlers to any location in London, the south east, or nationally.
6. Commence training in the use of specialist roles. The ASU has completed one cycle of hover de-planing training with specialist firearms officers. (The deployment of four fully armed Specialist Firearms Officers from the aircraft).
7. Provide live digital downlink pictures to GT/IR and new hand held receivers. This now includes the ability to downlink a QUAD pictures, including all three sensors (daylight camera, spotter scope, thermal image), and also the moving map showing the location of suspects. This was used during an armed operation during Notting Hill Carnival providing support to SCD11 and SFOs. The aircraft now has the ability to “uplink” pictures from ground sites. These can be re-broadcast and downlinked with images from the aircraft.
8. Provide detailed digital still imagery to CO19 officers. This has also included covert images by utilizing the video images from the Wescam spotter scope.

Training for officers and staff on the new helicopters has been demanding. However, this is now complete and disruption to service delivery has been kept to a minimum.

36. New tactics for the aerial deployment of officers are being developed but are currently not yet permitted by the Civil Aviation Authority. This includes hover de-planing, abseiling and fast roping. Discussions are underway to try to remedy the situation with the help of the Home Office.

37. It is however planned to commence training in the use of the winch, which should not require any changes in legislation. It is proposed to use this to deploy search dogs and handlers onto large vessels during Marine counter terrorism patrols. This reduces the risk of them having to climb aboard, carrying a dog, from a fast moving Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB). This will then develop into other tactical options.

38. In the financial year to date (April-Dec), Dog Support Unit (DSU) general-purpose dogs have:

1. Undertaken 1,123 pre-planned tasks
2. Conducted 16,104 searches for persons
3. Assisted BOCUs in the arrest of 1,468 prisoners as a direct result of the deployment of general-purpose dogs
4. Provided dogs and handlers for tasking in conjunction with Territorial Support Group officers, as directed by CO CaTO, resulting in the arrest of a further 454 prisoners
5. Provided serials of one Sergeant and six dogs and handlers at 22 category C football matches
6. Undertaken 381 pre-planned assignments to deal with dangerous dogs and responded to 1,070 incidents involving dangerous dogs
7. Provided dogs for security patrols at Heathrow Airport (four dogs and handlers each day) and at Windsor Castle (two dogs and handlers each night duty, reducing to 1 in January 2008)
8. Provided 24 hours a day pan-London response cover by two tactical firearms support dogs and handlers.
9. Provided two tactical firearms support dogs and handlers to support CO19 officers at 232 armed operations.
10. Provided specially trained dogs to search for human remains on 30 operations

In the same period, specialist search dogs have:

1. Provided 24 hours a day pan-London response cover by two explosives search dogs and handlers
2. Undertaken 2,073 pre-planned searches by explosives search dogs
3. Undertaken 519 pre-planned searches by firearms recovery dogs
4. Undertaken 1,141 pre-planned searches by narcotics/currency detection dogs
5. Provided passive narcotics dogs for 174 screening operations resulting in 1,339 sanction detections

39. The Dog Support Unit provides a wide variety of specialist skills, but, demand for services frequently exceeds the ability to provide resources. In particular, the use of passive screening narcotics dogs has proved to be a highly successful tactic and, due to competing demands and prioritisation of tasks, it is not always possible for BOCU officers to secure specialist dogs for such operations. A Working Group, comprising representatives from the Directorates of Legal Services and Procurement and Commercial Services, Accident Claims Branch, Territorial Policing and the Dog Support Unit has been established to explore options for increasing the number of passive screening dogs, including partnership arrangements with accredited private security companies.

40. Demand for the services of MPS Dangerous Dogs Legislation Officers (accredited ‘expert witnesses) to examine suspected prohibited dogs has increased significantly during the year, both from within the MPS and from provincial forces. DSU Dog Legislation Officers have undertaken 368 examinations within the MPS in the current financial year. The Dog Support Unit has secured financial re-imbursement from provincial forces for examinations undertaken on their behalf.

Glossary of abbreviations

ANPR

Automated Number Plate Recognition

ARV

Armed Response Vehicle

ASU

Air Support Unit

BOCU

Borough Operational Command Unit

BTP

British Transport Police

CaTO

Coordination and Tasking Office

CAC

Character Enquiries Centre

CJU

Criminal Justice Unit

CO

Central Operations

CO4

Disclosure Service OCU

CO10

Central Communications Command Unit

CO11

Public Order Branch OCU

CO12

Olympics OCU

CO14

Clubs and Vice OCU

CO15

Traffic OCU

CO16

Centralised Traffic Criminal Justice OCU

CO17

Transport OCU

CO19

Force Firearms OCU

CO20

Territorial Support Group OCU

CO MMR

Central Operations Monthly Management Report

CPA

Critical Performance Area

CRB

Criminal Records Bureau

CSS

Customer Satisfaction Survey

DAC

Deputy Assistant Commissioner

DAC CO

Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Central Operations

DVRI

Disaster Victim Recovery and Identification

DSU

Dog Support Unit

EWMS

 Electronic Warrants Management System

FET

Firearms Enquiry Team

FPN

Fixed Penalty Notice

GT/IR

MPS Information Room

HVP

High Visibility Policing

KSI

Killed or Seriously Injured

LOCOG

London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games

LSPC

London Safety Camera Safety Partnership

MMR

Monthly Management Report

MoPI

Management of Police Information

MPA

Metropolitan Police Authority

MPS

Metropolitan Police Service

MSU

Marine Support Unit

NIPs

Notices of Intended Prosecution

NIM

National Intelligence Model

NSY

New Scotland Yard

OCU

Operational Command Unit

ODA

Olympic Delivery Authority

PA

Public Announcement

PC

Police Constable

PCN

Penalty Charge Notice

PCSO

Police Community Support Officer

PND

Penalty Notice for Disorder

PPAF

Policing Performance Assessment Framework

PSA

Public Service Agreement

ReMITT

Regional Marine Intelligence and Information

RPI

Revenue Protection Inspector

SCD

Serious Crime Directorate

SFO

Specialist Firearms Officer

SLA

Service Level Agreement

TCJ

Traffic Criminal Justice

TDA

Taking and Driving Away

TOCU

Transport Operational Command Unit

TRRL

Traffic and Roads Research Laboratory

TSG

Territorial Support Group

TST

Tactical Support Team

UCSST

Underwater and Confined Space Search Team

VRES

Vehicle Recovery and Examination Service

C. Race and equality impact

1. Central Operations continues to monitor progress in achieving a more representative workforce profile through regular review of individual OCU Equality Development Action Plans. The percentage of female police officers in CO has risen from 7% to 9% and BME police officers from 3% to 4% of the workforce total. This represents an additional 227 female officers and 108 BME officers. Female police staff strength has increased from 31% to 53% and BME police staff from 9% to 20% of the workforce total, an increase of 745 and 356 staff respectively.

2. We continue to utilise performance information to provide input to community and equality impact assessments. Additionally, this type of information assists in developing tactical advice and support, and proactive and preventative work concerning local community engagement when CO resources are deployed within the MPS. The Performance Unit has recently undertaken a project to review the nature and type of equalities, diversity and citizen focus information available, with the aim of identifying gaps in order to improve coverage and is in the process of developing a performance reporting framework based on this structure. It is anticipated that baseline data will begin to be made available during the 2008/09 planning year and that regular reporting will take place on a quarterly basis. Additionally, in support of the CO planning process, the Performance Unit will hold a workshop in February 2008 for OCU planners to consolidate knowledge around corporate and business group objectives, business risk and Equalities Impact Assessments aimed at ensuring equalities and diversity issues are captured.

D. Financial implications

There are no financial implications in relation to the issues within this report.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Graeme Keeling, Central Operations Performance and Planning Unit, MPS

For more information contact:

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

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