Contents
Report 9 of the 09 Jun 05 meeting of the Professional Standards & Complaints Committee and attempts to set out the rationale and proposals for the review of existing practices and structures within Directorate of Professional Standard (DPS).
Warning: This is archived material and may be out of date. The Metropolitan Police Authority has been replaced by the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPC).
See the MOPC website for further information.
Directorate of Professional Standards review programme
Report: 9
Date: 09 Jun 05
By: Commissioner
Summary
This report is an early attempt at setting out the rationale and proposals for the review of existing practices and structures within Directorate of Professional Standard (DPS). It is submitted for consultation and approval of MPA members.
A. Recommendations
That
- the Committee consider the strategic aims and scope of the DPS review set out in this report and identify any additional areas for consideration; and
- to note the time frames and costs anticipated in delivering the review.
B. Supporting information
1. The DPS Review Programme is intended to review the functions and activities carried out by DPS. The Programme will provide an integrated DPS response to the Morris Inquiry, Taylor Report, Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) Commissioners’ Report, Ghaffur Report, MPS Service Review and the Workforce Modernisation Programme.
2. The DPS is responsible for professional standards within the MPS, which includes investigations into police misconduct, public complaints, corruption and civil litigation. The Inquiries and Reports listed above have made recommendations about changes to the way that the MPS manages such investigations. In October 2005, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) will carry out a thematic inspection of DPS work, including the progress that has been made to implement these recommendations.
3. Commissioner, Sir Ian Blair has also instituted a Service Review of the MPS, which will report in summer 2005. As part of this work the DPS self-review is intended to link the CRE/Morris recommendations into Service Review in a commitment to business process improvement, increased accountability and greater understanding.
4. The strategic aims of the programme are:
- To develop greater internal and external trust and confidence through improved sensitivity, timeliness, effectiveness and efficiency of DPS investigations.
- To move from a blame culture to one where lessons are learnt and understood by the organisation.
- To increase DPS engagement with stakeholders to:
- Improve the openness, accountability and accessibility of investigations
- Enhance understanding of customer needs, whilst developing external awareness of the DPS area of work.
- To improve support for all those both within and outside the MPS involved with DPS investigations.
- To ensure that DPS has sufficient arrangements for monitoring and assessing performance in relation to race equality responsibilities.
- To identify and reduce opportunities for misconduct and corruption.
- To improve internal and external communications.
5. The scope of the programme includes: - The various Operational Command Units’s (OCU’s) and units contained within DPS.
- Actions necessary to implement the recommendations from the Morris, Taylor, Ghaffur and CRE reports.
- Workforce Modernisation incorporating
- Principles arising from the Bexley initiative i.e. how DPS does business and the optimum officer/staff ratios according to powers, skills and experience
- Diversity commitments in relation to gender, race, religion etc.
- Business processes – linking professional standards procedures to Best Value and accountability.
- Management structures – job descriptions, lines of responsibility etc.
- Utilisation of Police Regulations, adherence to Race Relations Amendment Act and other employment law.
6. Under the leadership of Commander Sue Akers, the scoping work and consultation processes are intended to progress throughout the summer of 2005. Development of a new model and the HMIC Inspection will take place in September and October. Then the implementation preparation will be developed between November and January 2006, with the intention that trials of the ‘new way’ will be in place by April 2006.
C. Race and equality impact
1. The review of DPS has a direct link to race and equality issues. It originates from a number of papers directly associated to diversity concerns - including Recommendation 17 from the Morris Inquiry.
2. One of the key drivers for the DPS review is greater inclusion and understanding of what have been historically considered ‘hard to hear’ groups. The new Director and Deputy Director of DPS are committed to greater understanding of customer and community needs and improved communications.
3. The Race Relations Amendment Act and how DPS meets its responsibilities to the act and MPS staff are vital to improving confidence in service delivery.
D. Financial implications
Costs
| Item | Cost | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Pay Costs (nine months) | ||
| D/Supt, DCI, DI, DS, PC, Band D £276,070 | £276,070 | |
| Inspector (part time) | Covered by Workforce Modernisation Programme funding | |
| Consultancy Support | ||
| Project Consultant fees | Covered by Workforce Modernisation Programme funding | |
| External meetings | ||
| Meeting room hire | Covered by Workforce Modernisation Programme funding | |
| Resources | ||
| Computers, Software, Admin staff, office costs, consumable materials | £150,000 | |
| Total | £426,070 | |
E. Background papers
None.
F. Contact details
Report author(s): Sue Akers – Commander. Deputy Director of the Directorate of Professional Standards.
For more information contact:
MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18
Send an e-mail linking to this page
Feedback