MPS response to Cambridge research project

Report: 15
Date: 14 December 2006
By: T/Assistant Commissioner Yates on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

The Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS) commissioned the independent Cambridge research in September 2004, as a consequence of some internal MPS consultancy work that had identified over-representation of BME officers in professional standards databases. It therefore served as part of the DPS on-going review of its functions and processes and also as preparation for the findings of the Morris Inquiry.

A considerable programme of work has been undertaken and progress made within DPS, the Diversity and Citizen Focus Directorate (DCFD) and the Directorate of Human Resources over the past two years, since Morris reported. This work has gone a long way to addressing the issues raised in the Cambridge report. Although the Cambridge work does not add anything new to that already published in Morris, the DPS will ensure that its findings have been fully absorbed into its work programme and share its conclusions with staff associations.

That said, whilst the MPS welcomes evidence based research and acknowledges the work of the Cambridge Institute of Criminology, the findings have done little more than confirm the direction of travel already taken, which is set out below in this report.

The full report is attached at Appendix 1.

A. Recommendations

That

1. members note the content of this report and acknowledge the progress made;
2. confirm that no further specific action is required in respect of the Cambridge research; and
3. monitor disproportionality through the established MPA performance framework and the submission of other MPA papers relating to DPS activity.

B. Supporting information

Background

1. Recognising that some minority ethnic groups were over-represented within the professional standards area of business, the Directorate (DPS) commissioned the Cambridge research in September 2004. It was intended both to inform the on-going review of its functions and processes and to assist in preparation for the findings and recommendations of the Morris Inquiry.

2. With the support of MPA, the Cambridge Institute of Criminology was commissioned to provide a snapshot of DPS performance regarding its policies, processes and systems as they related to black and minority ethnic officers. It was acknowledged that there was a paucity of research on internal disproportionality and the DPS were open to self-examination, to try to understand why it existed.

3. The research was costed and a contract let. The original time scale for the research was extended a number of times during the contract due to insufficient research resources at the Institute. Unfortunately, as a consequence of the delays, the anticipated timely response was not achieved. This has therefore resulted in a set of conclusions and findings, which do not fully reflect the significant changes that have taken place within the MPS since the research commenced.

Report findings/recommendations

4. The research centred upon the way that the MPS conducts its business. The challenges identified in the report focus on:

• The creation of an organisation that promotes open dialogue on diversity issues and constitutes a safe working environment for officers and staff of all ethnic backgrounds;
• According greater priority to the strategic issues relating to diversity;
• The replacement of the “existing culture of blame” with one that embraces learning and promotes communication and dialogue within and between ranks;
• The training and development of people management skills among first line supervisors, to increase their confidence to deal effectively with issues with a diversity element; and
• Ensuring that robust and visionary leadership is demonstrated at all levels to drive the behavioural changes highlighted.

Key issues

5. The key issues raised in the report were:

• The organisational response to the Stephen Lawrence Report is widely regarded as successful, particularly in relation to operational policing. At the time of the research, however, these achievements did not seem to be matched in the internal arena;
• Whilst the 2004 data confirms the existence of disproportionality in the MPS, the picture is a complex one;
• There was no evidence that makes a link between community factors and disproportionality; no evidence was uncovered of differential vulnerability to corruption and misconduct amongst individuals from different ethnic backgrounds; and data analysis did not reveal any associations between ethnicity and distinct patterns or types of misconduct;
• The existence of a ‘culture of blame’;
• There was a tendency for some managers to protect themselves from accusations of discrimination and unfairness by expressing a vocal commitment to ‘equal treatment’. This was coupled with a tendency to formalise issues when dealing with BME officers and staff;
• Whilst well supported, middle and first line managers struggled to mainstream diversity into everyday planning and performance and indicated some tension around issues involving BME Personnel;
• Not all senior managers seemed comfortable with or competent to advise on race and diversity issues; and perceived an inherent threat present when dealing with such matters;

It is of note that all these issues were also raised in the Morris Inquiry.

General observations

6. Naturally, the MPS welcomes any evidence-based research that helps to improve our understanding of disproportionality issues and unravel the complex causes behind them. However, it is unfortunate that the extended timescales for the work has reduced the impact and relevance of its findings.

7. The report was commissioned in September 2004 and the research design combines quantitative and qualitative data. The findings are based on 1994 - 2004 data and the observations and comments from a very limited number of focus groups and individual interviews. This raises questions regarding the currency and coverage of the evidence, predominantly centred on the MPS of several years ago. Many views and recommendations contained within the report are outdated and no longer relevant due to the significant changes that have occurred in the period since Morris.

8. There is little attention paid to the ‘here and now’ and a lack of recognition for all the activity that has been progressed to address the majority of the concerns the report raises. There was an opportunity to overlay today’s reality on the research findings. This has been missed.

9. There is a significant amount of reliance on and reiteration of the evidence and themes reflected within the Morris, Virdi and Ghaffur reports. This data is already well tabled within the organisation through other sources and, as a consequence, this latest report provides no new messages

10. The MPS landscape - as it relates to diversity and disproportionality - has significantly changed since the research was commissioned in 2004. There is much to evidence that, not only does the MPS regard disproportionality as a strategic issue, the organisation has been proactive in addressing it.

Together

11. A significant number of the issues raised within the Cambridge Report have formed the platform for the work of the Together approach. Now firmly established and positioned as one of seven MPS strategic priorities, Together aims to increase management and leadership capability and promote a culture where staff feel valued and supported to maximise their potential in delivering quality policing.

12. Central to Together is a refreshed set of corporate values (the development of which involved about 5,000 MPS staff and stakeholders). Each value is underpinned by a number of behaviours that sets a clear standard of conduct to be applied in our interactions with communities, partners and staff. Principles of diversity are inherent to the values and corresponding behaviours.

13. Together is founded on the premise that leadership is key to achieving behavioural change within an organisation and a fundamental aspect of Together has been the creation of the MPS Leadership Academy (a proposal to Morris by the (now) Commissioner). The Leadership Academy was opened in June 2006, with the specific remit to increase management and leadership capability across the MPS. Programmes in the Academy and locally are now underway.

14. Priority has been given to the development of a modular leadership programme for MPS first and second line supervisors. Based on a thorough Performance Needs Analysis (including evidence from Morris) to ensure the needs of the target group are effectively met, this programme is mandatory for all newly promoted staff. The modular programme comprises of the following core components:

• Leading Yourself - focusing on value driven leadership and how an individuals values fit with those of the MPS
• Teams & the Organisation - focusing on practical management tools and processes (covering the key themes of performance development, attendance & welfare and professional standards & fairness)
• Feedback & Personal Review - focusing on an individuals’ personal leadership style and identifying their leadership strengths and limitations (this is supported by the use of a bespoke values based 360° development tool)

15. The modules encourage our leaders and managers to take responsibility and action irrespective of the ethnicity of who they are managing, emphasising the importance of, in the words of the Cambridge Report, the ‘critical soft skills’ (linked to job satisfaction, commitment and morale).

16. Programmes are currently under development for MPS middle and senior managers. The core components outlined above in relation to first and second line supervisors will also feature at these levels, tailored to the particular target group. On all programmes, police officers and police staff will be trained together.

17. LA Local sees the Leadership Academy products and services (such as those outlined above) taken to the workplace. An intervention model is currently being developed to integrate the activity of the Leadership Academy with the interventions of the Diversity Directorate and the Directorate of Professional Standards for maximum impact. The LA Local model will also enable the dissemination of good practice across the organisation.

18. Coaching and action learning will be used to sharpen the skills of our managers and leaders and further embed the value behaviours. In addition, work is ongoing to integrate the values into all MPS management processes, focusing initially on recruitment, selection and promotion.

Additional HR activity

19. The MPS is compliant with the APA guidelines on Employment Tribunals (ET) and is in line with the protocol contained within ‘People Matters’. The MPS has also drawn together lessons learnt from historical ETs in order to change current practice and ensure managers are kept aware and informed.

20. Performance in respect of disproportionality is measured at recruitment (above and beyond that already conducted by Centrex), posting and training stages. Comparisons are routinely made by ethnicity, gender, age, faith, disability and sexual orientation, where possible and practical. Any disproportionality evidenced is investigated. Attrition rates for Hendon recruits are now well down with minority and white attrition rates very similar.

21. Corporate selection and promotion processes are routinely monitored to ensure against the presence of adverse impact on minority groups, supporting the aim of improving the diversity profile of the workforce.

22. Police staff discipline and fairness at work policies have both undergone a policy review in 2006 resulting in a reduction in the number of stages in the disciplinary process. Appeal panels now consist of three people rather than one and formal reprimands no longer remain indefinitely on a discipline record, subject to management consideration and discretion.

23. A review of the fairness at work (FAW) procedure has led to greater emphasis on exploring options for managerial resolution and mediation prior to the use of the official fairness at work process.

Diversity and Citizen Focus

24. The setting up of the Diversity and Citizen Focus Directorate (DCFD) and the development of the MPS Equalities Scheme to replace the MPS Diversity Strategy have been significant milestones in progress to address disproportionality. The Equalities Scheme is based on the national standards for the Single Equality Programme, which incorporates the six diversity strands and co-ordinates all related activities.

25. The Equalities Scheme sets the standard for how people can expect to be treated. It contains specific actions to ensure that equalities issues are mainstreamed into every element of service delivery and employment practice. For example, this includes ensuring that impact assessments are undertaken on policies and processes.

26. The Scheme articulates the requirements of individuals at all levels in promoting equality - individual, team/unit and organisational. The Scheme also includes a framework for training to ensure that all personnel are provided with information and opportunities to develop their skills and expertise in equalities matters and their competence assessed.

27. The Equalities Scheme includes an overarching performance framework to manage organisational performance on equalities. A performance management framework is already being actively used by the Diversity Board to manage and address organisational performance on a range of diversity, equality and fairness issues in both service delivery and employment practices. Work is also under way to introduce an assessment process for all OCUs across the MPS to monitor their performance against the Equality Standard for local government.

28. The performance framework for Diversity Board uses a standard approach to identifying where disproportionality exists at a statistically significant level.

29. A range of interventions is being piloted to contextualise diversity learning and enhance its relevance to the specific roles that officers and staff perform. Work is also being undertaken to integrate new national diversity learning resources into the Police Community Support Officers (PCSO) course and the Initial Police Learning and Development Programme (that replaces the current Recruit Foundation Course).

Professional Standards

30. The Cambridge research was commissioned to address the issue of disproportionality within the professional standards arena. The focus of the research has been slightly lost, since, inevitably, the findings have incorporated issues that are much wider reaching.

31. In April 2005, DPS commenced a fundamental review into its working practices and has regularly reported its progress to the MPA PSCC. The significant changes that address the issues raised in the Cambridge report are reported below.

32. A new and innovative Prevention and Organisation Learning Command (POL) has been established, which will drive the MPS/DPS commitment to a move away from a blame culture towards a more productive de-briefing and learning culture.

33. One of the ways it will achieve this is through the Professional Standards Support Programme (PSSP). This initiative was launched by the Deputy Commissioner last month and centres on a programme of visits by DPS staff to Boroughs and OCUs, during which they will receive a profile of their ethical health and support in addressing problems. Work has been undertaken with the Together team, to ensure that any interventions are co-ordinated, and MPA link members have also been encouraged to support this activity.

34. Positioning MPS and DPS for the implementation of the new National Misconduct procedure is essential work in addressing the leadership and management issues raised. The new procedures are supported by a code of professional behaviour, which is complementary to ‘Our Values’. It places early local resolution and learning at its heart.

35. To ensure that there is equality and fairness in decision making within the Intelligence Command in DPS, a decision matrix has been developed, which facilitates proportionate responses and the use of a ‘similar case’ based decision principle.

36. Disproportionality is also monitored through the overview arrangements of DPS case work by the MPA and IPCC attendance at our tasking and co-ordinating meetings, where ongoing cases are tracked at varying stages of development. Additionally our own DPS Review Unit is proactively tasked to seek continuous improvement in DPS processes and systems.

37. The creation of the DPS Reception Desk, which acts as the central point for receiving complaints, will facilitate fast time enquires, early resolution and coordinate learning.

38. Over the last eighteen months, there has been a huge drive to improve relationships between DPS and staff associations. We have established formal and informal arrangements with all staff associations, which promote greater transparency and accountability in the development of the ‘New way‘ model, its implementation, the Morris, Taylor, Ghaffur and CRE work and day-to-day DPS operations.

39. In relation to the Cambridge report, it is intended to share the research and its findings with the staff associations and agree a way forward, in terms of monitoring disproportionality within DPS in the future.

Morris, Taylor, CRE and Ghaffur

40. The Cambridge report commented on the findings of these various reports in its literature review, but makes no mention of the considerable amount of work that the MPS has undertaken in implementing their recommendations. The MPA, through reports from the MPS, has overseen such progress to date, which includes:

• The implementation of the DPS Review detailed above.
• Piloting early local intervention – detailed above and positioning the MPS and DPS for the new misconduct procedure.
• Improving investigative processes linked to Victims Charter and Witness Support; with casework overview by MPA and IPCC.
• Less adversarial processes linked to new National Misconduct Procedure with ACAS style approach.
• The number of policies and Standard Operating Procedures has been reduced from 110 to 28.
• A register of Gold Groups has been developed to enable an overview by the Deputy Director DPS.
• Development of the MPS Equalities Scheme to replace the MPS Diversity Strategy, based on the National Standards for the Single Equality Programme, which incorporates the six diversity strands and co-ordinates all related activities (see above).
• Training, learning and setting standards – reviewed and changed – (see above)
• A fundamental review of communication including the introduction of the Commissioner’s video message, the Commissioner’s briefing system, new version of the Job, greater use of MPS intranet – over 300 articles published monthly, development of One Stop Shop on intranet and email and Question Forums;
• A fundamental review and implementation of welfare and staff support systems;
• Development and implementation of MPS HR Strategy with increased focus on recruitment of BME Staff, with selections schemes being made more transparent and staff development schemes introduced;
• New discipline and Fairness at Work systems;
• New recruiting standards;
• Regular reports on recruitment and attrition;
• Together and the launch of the Leadership Academy.

Conclusion

41. As an organisation that is open to self-examination, the MPS welcomes any evidence-based research that assists it to move forward both strategically and operationally. We acknowledge the work of the Cambridge Institute of Criminology and, in particular, the access to the emerging findings throughout the prolonged research period. These emerging findings confirmed the intuitive position taken by the MPS and the direction of travel set out in this report.

42. But, equally, it is clear that the MPS did not stand still awaiting the results of the Cambridge research. As shown in this paper, there has been extensive progress made in the MPS over the last two years, to address issues raised in Morris et al, as well as work undertaken in DPS to respond to the emerging findings from the Cambridge study.

43. The corporate value framework set up under Together is a strong starting point for delivering the desired changes highlighted within the report. Through this framework HR has strived to develop an infrastructure that will, over time, impact on behaviours and perceptions. However, it is important to be realistic and acknowledge that it is going to take some time for this work to embed and seriously impact on front line management practice. The issues have been recognised and action taken at every level to address them, establishing clear links with performance management regimes at a practical level.

44. Insofar as the DPS is concerned, systems and processes have been established in all three commands to monitor disproportionality. The fundamental review that DPS has undergone has established a range of new initiatives that will enable more accurate and meaningful assessment of the reality behind the statistics. All this activity is subject to senior oversight and review and will be regularly reported to the MPA through the MPA PSCC programme of work. Furthermore, DPS is committed to ongoing consultation with the staff associations on this issue.

C. Race and equality impact

The effective implementation of ‘Our Values’, Together, Morris, Taylor, CRE and Ghaffur and The MPS Equality Scheme with a sustained commitment, will address fairness, equality and disproportionality, both in relation to MPS staff and the wider community.

D. Financial implications

The Cambridge research cost £55,000.

Costs for any subsequent work will be met from within the existing MPS budgets directed by the MPS Professional Standards Strategic Committee, HR Board and the MPS Diversity Board.

E. Background papers

None.

F. Contact details

Report author(s): Commander Sue Akers, Directorate of Professional Standards (with significant contributions from HR Directorate and Diversity and Citizen Focus Directorate), MPS.

For more information contact:

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

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