HMIC Inspection 2007/09 Phase One update (previously known as Baseline Inspections)

Report: 9
Date: 11 September 2008
By: Director of Resources on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

This report outlines the findings of the HMIC Phase One inspection programme published in Oct 2007 and provides an update on the MPS response to the recommendations made.

A. Recommendation

That members note the content of the report.

B. Supporting information

Findings and recommendations

1. As previously reported to the MPA PPRC in February 2008, the first phase of the HMIC Inspection Programme 2007/09 involved the inspection of the following three frameworks:

• Neighbourhood Policing;
• Protecting Vulnerable People (encompassing Child Abuse Investigation, Public Protection, Missing Persons and Domestic Violence); and
• Performance Management.

2. A report detailing the findings from all three inspected frameworks was published in October 2007, in conjunction with the PPAF gradings. The respective MPS grades were as follows:

3. As a comparison, the national gradings were as follows:

Neighbourhood policing

4. The MPS received an Excellent grading for this framework. In the report, HMIC identified that there had been significant progress in the delivery of Safer Neighbourhood Teams across London, with the MPS having coverage in each of 624 wards and having introduced an enhanced level of coverage in 87 wards.

5. Four recommendations were made in the report, full details of which are attached at Appendix 1. In addition, ten areas for improvement (AFIs) were identified, some of which were linked directly to the recommendations.

Protecting Vulnerable People (PVP)

6. HMIC awarded grades for each of the four respective areas within this framework (Child Abuse Investigation, Public Protection, Missing Persons and Domestic Violence) and an overall grade was awarded as a grading within PPAF. The MPS received a Fair grading overall for this framework, with a Good grading for Child Abuse investigations; a Fair Grading for Missing Persons; a Fair grading for Domestic violence and a Fair grading for Public Protection.

7. In their report HMIC identified that the protecting vulnerable people and the servicing public protection requirements is a high risk area of operation for the MPS generated by the level and extent of the range of activities undertaken across all four elements. They also recognised that the MPS had striven to develop and implement clear strategy and direction to those charged with service delivery and performance management both centrally and at BOCU level.

8. Recommendations and AFIs were made in each of the four respective areas and in the Protecting Vulnerable People framework overall. The numbers were as follows:

• Protecting Vulnerable People Framework overall - Four recommendations and eight AFIs identified;
• Child Abuse Investigation - One recommendation and three AFIs;
• Public Protection - One recommendation and five AFIs;
• Domestic Violence - One recommendation and seven AFIs;
• Missing Persons - Two recommendations and five AFIs.

9. Full details of all recommendations made in this framework are attached at Appendix 2.

Performance management

10. The MPS received a Good grading for this framework. In the report, HMIC recognised that the MPS had demonstrated strong performance against many of the priorities and targets set by the MPA during 2006/7. They acknowledged that there had been a notable achievement in crime reduction with recorded offences falling to the lowest annual crime figure since 1998/99 and offences brought to justice being at the highest ever level, with the HO target achieved a year ahead of schedule. They also identified that gun enabled crime reduced in 2007/8 by 11.3% and the number of violent crimes reduced by 6.1%.

11. Three recommendations were made in the report, full details of which are attached at Appendix 3. In addition, ten AFIs were identified, some of which are directly linked to the recommendations.

MPS response

12. Following publication of the HMIC report, action plans were created for all of the recommendations and the AFIs in each framework. A number of recommendations have been implemented and of those remaining, business leads regularly provide updates on the progress to the MPS Inspectorate, who manages the process. Updates on the progress of this activity are also provided to the MPS Performance Board on a regular basis.

13. The currents status is as follows:

• Neighbourhood Policing - Four recommendations – all completed. Ten AFIs – all completed.
• PVP – overall - Four recommendations – majority of work completed on all four, with remaining work in progress, which is to be completed by September 2008. Eight AFIs - majority of work completed on all eight, with remaining work in progress, which is to be completed by November 2008.
• Child Abuse Investigation - One recommendation – almost completed. Three AFIs - majority of work completed on all three, with remaining work in progress. All of the work in progress is to be completed by April 2009.
• Public Protection - One recommendation - completed. Five AFIs - majority of work completed on all five, with remaining work in progress, which is to be completed by December 2008.
• Domestic Violence - One recommendation - completed. Seven AFIs - majority of work completed on all seven, with remaining work in progress which is to be completed by December 2008.
• Missing Persons - Two recommendations - one completed and majority of work on the other has been completed, with remaining work in progress. Five AFIs – two completed and the majority of work on the other three has been completed, with remaining work in progress. All of the work in progress is to be completed by December 2008.
• Performance Management - Three recommendations - majority of work completed on all three, with remaining work in progress. Ten AFIs - majority of work completed on all ten, with remaining work in progress. All of the work in progress is to be completed by March 2009.

14. To validate the evidence provided, the MPS Inspectorate are inspecting progress on the activity of the recommendations and AFIs, in advance of any further work to be undertaken by HMIC.

15. In addition, implementation of the recommendations and AFIs on the Protecting Vulnerable People framework is also being managed through the MPS Public Protection Steering Group (PPSG). This group consisting of key stakeholders identifies and tasks any further activity to be undertaken in this area, in alignment with corporate strategies.

16. Following an invitation from the MPS, HMIC have agreed to re-visit the Protecting Vulnerable People framework later in 2008, a date to yet be confirmed. This will provide an opportunity for the MPS to demonstrate the continuing progress being made in this area.

17. Good practice and learning from other forces in the Performance Management and Protecting Vulnerable People frameworks have been circulated to business leads and practitioners, with a view to sharing information and to assist in achieving improved gradings, where required. In addition, the MPS Inspectorate is in regular contact with other forces to share learning and feedback on the HMIC inspection processes in general.

18. Neighbourhood Policing was re-inspected during the second phase of the HMIC inspection programme in March 2008. This also encompassed an inspection of Citizen Focus. Part of the inspection methodology considered the progress against the recommendations from the first phase of the inspection programme and whilst the final report is to be published in October 2008, the initial feedback has been positive.

C. Race and equality impact

Any diversity and equality implications will form part of the HMIC inspection reports. In addition, race and equality matters will be addressed through implementation of the recommendations made in the respective HMIC inspection frameworks.

D. Financial implications

Any financial implications will form part of the HMIC inspection reports. In addition, financial matters will be addressed through implementation of the recommendations made in the respective HMIC inspection frameworks.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author(s): Julie Buckingham, MPS Inspectorate

For more information contact:

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

Appendix 1: Recommendations and areas for improvement on neighbourhood policing

Neighbourhood Policing 

2007 Grade: Excellent

• RECOMMENDATION 1 – That the force revisit the rationale and the mechanisms that are in place to ensure the appropriate allocation of Safer Neighbourhood (SN) policing resources to the communities that have more challenging policing environments.
• RECOMMENDATION 2 – That the force ensures that the maximum benefit is derived from police community support officers by reviewing the current patrol methods in order to encourage further engagement with the community.
• RECOMMENDATION 3 – That the force should ensure there is a clear succession planning programme for Safer Neighbourhood team staff in order to deliver a sustainable resource
• RECOMMENDATION 4 – That the force ensures there is a corporate approach to the processes and products for the National Intelligence Model in all Safer Neighbourhood teams

Protecting vulnerable people overview 

2007 Grade: Fair

• RECOMMENDATION 1 - That the force ensures greater accountability for basic operational command unit (BOCU) commanders and senior management teams across the span of public protection activity and raises the priority level of protecting vulnerable people (PVP)/public protection matters at BOCU level, e.g. by introducing daily risk assessment procedures specific to public protection and PVP; setting minimum staffing levels (in terms of both capability and capacity) commensurate with demand/workloads; and setting minimum supervision and staff workload management requirements as well as corporately imposed quality assessment processes for application locally.
• RECOMMENDATION 2 – That the force develops a corporate performance management framework to encompass the range of activities that comprise the protecting vulnerable victims and public protection business areas (i.e. child abuse, hate crime investigations, Sapphire, multi-agency public protection arrangements and missing persons enquiries), benchmarking key performance activities against a suite of headline measures (combining quantitative with qualitative) to facilitate consistent assessment and comparison.
• RECOMMENDATION 3 - That the force develops a qualitative inspection and review process applicable at local level that creates a rigorous focus on improving the quality of operational risk assessment and primary investigations, supported by consistent follow up and correction and compliance processes. The emphasis should be on developing more effective front-line supervision at sergeant and inspector levels.
• RECOMMENDATION 4 - That the force develops a proactive public protection focus at local level, whereby the risk posed by or towards individuals is identified and acted upon through research, analysis via daily management meetings and tasking and co-ordination processes.

Public protection 

2007 Grade: Fair 

• RECOMMENDATION 1 - That the force works to develop a greater and more specialist intelligence capability for managing public protection matters at local level. Basic operational command units’ basic intelligence units are not generally configured to process Jigsaw intelligence, leading to missed opportunities for the capture and dissemination of intelligence and to inconsistent and poorly serviced tasking and co-ordination operations.

Domestic violence 

2007 Grade: Fair 

• RECOMMENDATION 1 - That the force develops a corporate resourcing template for community safety units that provides guidance for basic operational command units as to the minimum requirements for staffing such functions in a manner that is commensurate with demand and efficiency, creating resilience, capacity and capability and thereby improving service to victims as well as ensuring that staff have manageable workloads.

Missing persons

2007 Grade: Fair 

• RECOMMENDATION 1 - That the force raises awareness among operational staff of the links between persistent missing persons cases and child protection/child abuse issues, emphasising the importance of effective initial risk assessment and investigation. 
• RECOMMENDATION 2 That the force develops and increases problem-solving activity in relation to persistent missing persons cases through the development of specialist Compass units resourced by skilled staff; increasing the engagement of Safer Neighbourhood teams and the generation of intelligence and products such as problem profiles.

Child abuse investigation

2007 Grade: Good 

• RECOMMENDATION 1 - That the force works to improve liaison and information exchange processes between the centralised child abuse investigation teams and other elements of the protecting vulnerable people and public protection business areas that are located at basic operational command unit level, ensuring that there is greater integration between the functions, maximising the development of intelligence and proactive opportunities...

Performance management

2007 Grade: Good

• RECOMMENDATION 1 - That the force continues to develop its performance management framework so as to set out the key performance accountabilities, systems and products across the force, taking into account the ten principles within the joint Association of Chief Police Officers, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, the Association of Police Authorities, the Police Superintendents’ Association of England and Wales and the Home Office publication ‘Managing Police Performance’.
• RECOMMENDATION 2 - That the force develops and introduces a resource allocation mechanism for business groups (other than territorial policing, which has its own resource allocation formula) that maximises efficiency, productivity and peer-group scrutiny. This will need to be integrated within the wider force business planning process.
• RECOMMENDATION 3 - To review the quality assurance function in the force and introduce a consistent approach (whichever tool is ultimately used) to the diagnosis of change management opportunities, the identification of risk and local inspection/audit opportunities.

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback