Complaints management information

Report: 6
Date: 11 September 2003
By: Commissioner

Summary

This report illustrates data for the period August 2002 to July 2003. It focuses on the key changes or exceptions within the data as the nature of the figures and emerging trends are slow to change.

Revisions have been made to Appendix 1 to incorporate 12-month rolling averages where this is appropriate. The benefit of this method of presentation is that it smoothes out fluctuations in the data thus allowing more accurate trends to be illustrated. Additionally, Appendix 3 has been added to graphically show the key trends.

There are significant downward trends in the both the number of public complaint allegations being recorded and the number of public complaint cases under investigation that are over 120-days old.

A meeting took place between the MPS & Police Complaints Authority (PCA) to address issues of timeliness and communication between each organisation. The PCA have published casework objectives/targets in their business plan for 2003/04 and the figures presented in Appendix 1 aligned more closely to the PCA counting methods.

A. Recommendation

That the report and revisions to Appendices 1 and 3 be noted.

B. Supporting information

1. The summary of DPS performance indicators is attached at Appendix 1 and focuses on timeliness, quality and outcomes.

2. The diversity information is attached at Appendix 2.

3. Appendix 3 graphically illustrates some of the key trends using data in Appendix 1.

Key Performance Indicators

4. This report focuses on the key changes or exceptions within the data as the nature of the figures and trends are slow to emerge.

5. Due to the different timings required by the MPS and MPA secretariats for the preparation of the report for the Professional Standards and Complaints Committee the data may appear dated by the time it is discussed.

6. Following feedback from members at the previous meeting 12-month rolling averages have been introduced where it is appropriate to do so.

Complaints reduction

Public complaints (BVPI 21) – row 1 Appendix 1 and chart 1 Appendix 3

7. The data contained in this row has been converted to 12-month rolling averages. This shows a significant downward trend in the number of allegations recorded since August 2002.

8. A comparison is now made between the current rolling 12-month average and that from the same period in the previous year. This reveals that, on average, we are recording 15% less allegations in the period August 2002 to July 2003 than we did between August 2001 and July 2002.

Substantiation (BVPI 21) – row 3 Appendix 1 and chart 2 Appendix 3

9. The data contained in this row has been converted to a 12-month rolling average. The trend shows a decline in the percentage of substantiated allegations that are fully investigated. [This percentage is derived from the total number of both substantiated and unsubstantiated allegations and will thus be affected by the number of unsubstantiated complaints].

Service confidence – row 6 Appendix 1

10. The data definition has changed to reflect the number of police and civil staff ‘currently’ the subject of service confidence procedures rather than a total for the financial year.

11. The rise in figures in July 2003, from (15) to (19), is attributable to a number of separate cases coming to conclusion whereby invoking the service confidence procedure was deemed to be the most appropriate outcome.

Public complaints finalised – row 9 Appendix 1 & charts 1 & 2 Appendix 3

12. The data contained in this row has been converted to 12-month rolling averages. Since August 2002 the number of finalised allegations has remained steady.

13. By comparing the totals of recorded and finalised allegations on chart 1 Appendix 3 it can be seen that the Directorate of Professional Standards are keeping pace with the number of allegations being recorded.

14. Chart 2 Appendix 3 indicates that there has been a decline in the percentage of allegations that are informally resolved or withdrawn and a corresponding increase in the percentage of unsubstantiated allegations.

Timeliness – rows 10/11 Appendix 1 and charts 3 & 4 Appendix 3

15. The number of ‘live’ cases under investigation at row 10 Appendix 1 shows that overall the number of public complaint cases under investigation has dropped by 22% from 803 cases in August 2002 to 627 cases in July 2003.

16. It is acknowledged that there has been a rise since the low of 465 cases in January 2003. This is being managed through process improvements and performance expectations set for both geographical branches and individuals.

17. The figures at row 10 Appendix 1 show a reduction in the number of current internal investigations over the same period from 196 to 147, a reduction of 25%.

18. Over the period August 2002 to July 2003 there have been further reductions in the number and percentage of public complaint investigations over 120-days old, from 343 (43% of the total ‘live’) to 178 (28% of the total ‘live’). Thus reversing the upward trend evident since the end of the two reduction initiatives in April 2003.

19. The reduction in the number of cases under investigation and the improvement in timelines have allowed the move of released resources into the ‘proactive’ investigation of corruption and unethical behaviour. Appendix 1 Row 7 illustrates the number of current ‘live’ proactive investigations being carried out.

Suspended Officers – row 4 Appendix 1

20. These figures illustrate the number of officers currently suspended at the end of each period. The diversity information presented at row 7 Appendix 2 shows the number of officers suspended during the period together with their ethnicity and sex.

21. Over the period August 2002 to July 2003 the average number of officers under suspension is 43, ranging between 37 & 43. Since July 1999 there has been a significant downward trend in the number of officers suspended.

Misconduct decisions – row 12 Appendix 1 & chart 5 Appendix 3

22. The data contained in this row has been converted to a 12-month rolling average. The trend shows that the target of misconduct decisions received within 20 working days, 85% of the time, has been exceeded in the 12 months since August 2002.

Misconduct hearings – row 13 Appendix 1 and chart 6 Appendix 3

23. The data contained in this row has been converted to 12-month rolling averages. The trend shows a reduction in the average number of ‘elapsed’ days from a decision being made to the hearing itself. From a peak of 233 in February 2003 to 207 July 2003, a reduction of 11%.

Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decisions – row 14 Appendix 1 and chart 7 Appendix 3

24. The average number of days taken for the CPS to reach a decision from receipt of the report shows a rising trend. Over the period August 2002 to July 2003 it has ranged between 55 and 66 ‘elapsed’ days.

PCA decisions – row 15 Appendix 1 and chart 8 Appendix 3

25. A meeting took place between the MPS and the PCA to discuss communication and timeliness issues particularly as a result of the impending introduction of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) in April 2004.

26. In order to improve timeliness the PCA have introduced casework objectives/targets into their Business Plan in 2003/04. In respect of reaching a decision for both ‘dispensation’ applications and ‘other’ misconduct reviews.

27. In addition the PCA and are prioritising ‘other’ misconduct reviews and redirecting resources where they are most needed.

28. Following the meeting the PCA figures presented in Appendix 1 row 15 have been aligned more closely to the PCA counting methods to ensure parity. As a result of this the average number of days taken to reach a decision in the case of an ‘investigation’ has increased since that reported previously to the authority.

29. The average number of days taken for the PCA to reach a decision in regard to the granting of a ‘dispensation’ has remained fairly static at 40 days over the period August 2002 to July 2003.

30. As detailed in earlier reports the significant rise in the average number of days taken by the PCA to make a decision in regard to an investigation continues. Over the period August 2002 to July 2003 in particular the 12-month rolling average has risen from 82 days to 133 days.

31. Although the 12-month rolling average trend is upwards a slight improvement is acknowledged in the ‘actual’ time taken for the PCA to reach a decision on cases returned to the MPS since the early part of 2003.

DPS staff vacancies – row 16 Appendix 1

32. The percentage of Police vacancies within DPS had further reduced from 6.2% in August 2002 to a +3.3% at the end of July 2003. The increase in the strength is due to the timing of the MPS Postings Panel decisions whereby people waiting to leave the Directorate have yet to be posted but their replacement has already joined.

33. There has been an increase in the percentage of civil staff vacancies within the Directorate. It has risen from 7.5% in April 2003 to 11.8% in July 2003. This change is due to the Personal Security Group joining DPS who themselves were carrying a relatively high percentage of civil staff vacancies.

C. Equality and diversity implications

Diversity information

1. The data provided in Appendix 2 outlines the equality and diversity issues related to the work of the Directorate of Professional Standards. As mentioned in previous reports this data has been subject to separate analysis to ascertain the actual areas of disproportionality as opposed to the apparent levels.

2. In a number of categories there are no longer any minority ethnic officers represented. The categories where they are absent tend to be those where the actual numbers are low. This highlights some of the difficulties in identifying trends and patterns where the data is small.

3. The issue of disproportionality in relation to investigations against minority ethnic officers is one that is being progressed with the Home Office and the National Black Police Association. The latest meeting reached agreement that academic research will be commissioned and conducted.

4. The decline in the number of Grievances for the current period is due to its replacement by the Fairness at Work policy. This policy is the responsibility of MPS Human Resources who report to the authority via the MPA Human Resources Committee. Grievances, by ethnicity and gender will appear in this report until all such matters have been concluded.

5. Please note that in previous reports the ET & Grievance figures were transposed for 2002/03 data. The figures and percentages were similar for each data type. This error has now been corrected.

D. Financial implications

There are direct financial implications emanating from this report.

E. Background papers

None.

F. Contact details

Report author: Michael Clark, Performance Analyst and Detective Superintendent Steve Dann, MPS.

For more information contact:

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

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