Member involvement in borough inspections

Report: 13
Date: 11 October 2001
By: Commissioner

Summary

This paper sets out the protocol for Member involvement in the MPS Borough Operational Command Unit (BOCU) inspection programme. This is a new programme of inspections that is compatible with the HMIC national Basic Command Unit (BCU) inspection programme.

A. Recommendations

That Members be asked to consider the protocol for link member involvement in the new MPS Borough inspection programme.

B. Supporting information

1. HM Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) set out their new Basic Command Unit (BCU) inspection framework in their document ‘Going Local - The BCU Inspection Handbook’, published in April 2001. Using this framework, HMIC intends to inspect every BCU in England and Wales in a five-year cycle of inspection from April 2001. HMIC inspections will be carried out over six days.

2. The MPS currently carries out inspections of each of the 32 Borough Operational Command Units (BOCUs), in a process led by the Territorial Policing (TP) Cluster Commanders. At present this one day inspection is carried out twice a year.

3. The MPS has recognised the need to review and standardise the inspection processes used. Following discussion between MPS and HMIC it has been agreed that if the MPS processes of internal inspection can be demonstrated to be satisfactory to HMIC, then the requirement for external inspection could possibly be reduced (the ‘light touch’ approach) through ‘earned autonomy’.

4. A project has been established to standardise the MPS approach to BOCU inspections. It will bring in an inspection system that will reflect the HMIC framework, reassure HMIC of the rigour of the MPS approach, and minimise the requirement of additional external inspection of MPS BOCUs by HMIC. The MPS framework will be an annual five day inspection, conducted by an ACPO officer, supported by a Borough / OCU commander.

5. A timetable that will cover all BOCUs and equivalent H/Q OCUs and Directorates is currently being drawn up and agreed, which will involve the undertaking of some 78 inspections over a year to eighteen month period.

6. This paper sets out a protocol for MPA involvement in the BOCU inspection process that is compatible with their role and function within the MPS. The expectations of the role takes account of the constraints on the amount of time which Members have to spend on MPA business whilst acknowledging that link members also have responsibilities for other major areas of ‘internal’ MPA work. Given the large number of inspections and reports to be produced, it is intended that executive summaries only will be distributed beyond the BOCU in question.

The role of the MPA in the HMIC BCU inspection process

7. The HMIC BCU inspection does not involve police authority members as part of the inspection team, but does, however, offer the opportunity for authority Members to participate as part of the pre-inspection process. The protocol is for the senior member of the inspection team to write to the police authority inviting a member to be seen in order to glean their views on the performance (or any other salient issues) of the BCU which is to be the subject of the inspection.

8.  The HMIC have also agreed that the following protocols be adopted nationally, as a consequence of an approach by West Mercia Police Authority to Sir Keith Povey: (HMIC BCU Inspection - Practitioners Working Party Minutes dated 11 June 2001)

• Involvement in regular inspection visits will be limited to members of the inspection team, as will feedback to the BOCU commander.
• Where a partnership focus group is time-tabled as part of the inspection then a member of the police authority would be invited to attend this group.
• The police authority will be given a copy of the final report. Chief Officers and BCU commanders will be given a draft to comment on factual accuracy prior to publication.

The role of the MPA in the MPS BOCU inspection process

9. As the MPS has agreed to base its BOCU inspections on that of the HMIC, it follows that the rationale behind MPA member involvement mirror the methodology used by the HMIC and is compatible with their role and function. The proposed protocol for MPA link member involvement in MPS BOCU inspections is that:

• Link members will be offered the opportunity to meet with the ACPO officer due to conduct the inspection as part of the pre-inspection analysis, and be invited to share any issues or observations they may have concerning leadership and performance within the borough.
• Involvement in regular inspection visits will be limited to members of the inspection team, as will feedback to the BOCU commander
• Where a partnership focus group is time-tabled as part of the inspection, then the link member will be invited to attend and participate in this group.
• Link members will be provided with a copy of the executive summary of the final BOCU inspection report.

C. Financial implications

The following elements have been included in costing the new inspection programme:

• the daily staff cost of an ACPO officer;
• the daily staff cost of a Chief Superintendent;
• the daily staff cost of the Performance Review Unit team who will support the pre-inspection and inspection visit.

The cost of the 5 day inspection is therefore £12,316. These costs can be contained within existing budgets

D. Background papers

None

E. Contact details

Report author: Chief Superintendent Peter Zieminski - 020 7230 9793

For information contact:

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

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