Complaints management information

Report: 5
Date: 10 November 2003
By: Commissioner

Summary

This report illustrates data for the period October 2002 to September 2003. It focuses on the key changes or exceptions within the data as trends are slow to change.

Public complaints allegations continue to decline at 15% annually. There are significant downward trends in both the total number of ‘live’ investigations and in public complaint investigations over 120-days old.

Key trends are now shown graphically in Appendix 3.

A. Recommendation

That members note the report and the revisions to Appendix 1 and the addition of Appendix 3.

B. Supporting information

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

2. The diversity information is attached at Appendix 2.

3. Appendix 3 graphically illustrates some of the key trends using data drawn from 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 paper 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 & chart 1 Appendix 3

7. This shows a significant downward trend in the 12-month rolling average of the number of allegations recorded since October 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, 15% fewer allegations were recorded in the period October 2002 to September 2003 than in the previous 12 months.

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

9. The trend shows a continued 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 the decline is largely due to the increase in the number of unsubstantiated allegations, as noted in paragraph 12 below.

Public Complaints Finalised – row 9 Appendix 1 & charts 1 & 2 Appendix 3

10. The 12-month rolling average of the number of finalised allegations has remained steady at approximately 400 since October 2002.

11. By comparing the totals of recorded and finalised allegations on chart 1, Appendix 3 it can be seen that DPS investigative teams are more than keeping pace with the number of allegations being recorded, and thus significantly reducing the number of cases under investigation and improving timeliness. (The apparent decline in finalised allegations since June 2003 is magnified by the scale of the chart and is not significant.)

12. Chart 2, Appendix 3 shows that there has been an increase in the percentage of allegations that are unsubstantiated and a corresponding decrease in the percentage of other outcomes such as dispensation from investigation. This appears to be a result of the focus on proportionate investigations, whereby Investigating Officers are encouraged to investigate complainants’ allegations in a timely and proportionate manner.

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

13. The process improvements and performance expectations set for investigative branches and teams are having a positive effect on performance.

14. 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 31% from 753 cases in October 2002 to 522 cases in September 2003.

15. The figures at row 10 Appendix 1 show a reduction in the number of current internal investigations over the same period from 183 to 134, a reduction of 27%.

16. Over the last 12 months there have been further reductions in the number and percentage of public complaint investigations over 120-days old, from 328 (44% of the total ‘live’) to 173 (33% of the total ‘live’). There were two successful initiatives to reduce the backlog of old cases over the few months up to March 2003. A slight rebound after that initiative was due to the need to focus on high risk cases rather than volume, but has now been corrected.

Suspended Officers – row 4 Appendix 1

17. 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.

18. Over the period October 2002 to September 2003 the average number of officers under suspension is 43, ranging between 37 & 49. Since July 1999 there has been a significant downward trend in the number of officers suspended, but this has now stabilised and no further decreases are likely.

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

19. The data in this row has been converted to a 12-month rolling average. The trend shows that the target of making misconduct decisions within 20 working days 85% of the time, has been met over the last 12 months.

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

20. The data in this row has also been converted to a 12-month rolling average. 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 in July 2003, a reduction of 11%.

CPS Decisions – row 14 Appendix 1 and chart 7 Appendix 3

21. 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 October 2002 to September 2003 it has ranged between 58 and 68 ‘elapsed’ days.

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

22. 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 October 2002 to September 2003.

23. 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 October 2002 to September 2003 in particular the 12-month rolling average has risen from 90 days to 135 days, but has now stabilised. This is a direct result of a PCA initiative to clear their backlog of cases.

DPS Staff Vacancies – row 16 Appendix 1

24. The percentage of Police Officer vacancies within DPS has been eliminated as at the end of September 2003. The Directorate currently shows a strength +1.7% above the budgeted total. It is permissible, under the Directorate’s ‘pathfinder site’ status, to balance its workforce over the planning year.

25. There has been an increase in the percentage of Police Staff vacancies within the Directorate. It has risen from 7.5% in April 2003 to 12.6% in September 2003. This will reduce soon as a result of a DPS external recruitment initiative.

C. Equality and diversity implications

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 issues of disproportionality in relation to investigations of minority ethnic officers are 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 disproportionality issues evident in relation to complaints made by members of the public will be addressed with some assistance from MA students at the London School of Economics, who will be selected in November.

5. 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.

6. An oversight group has been set up under Assistant Commissioner Ghaffur to ensure a robust response to ethical, diversity and behavioural issues in the Training School and elsewhere, as part of an integrity strengthening process.

D. Financial implications

There are no direct financial implications coming from this report.

E. Background papers

None.

F. Contact details

Report author: Michael Clark, Higher Performance Analyst and Tony Dawson, Detective Chief Superintendent, MPS.

For more information contact:

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

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