Minutes

Minutes of the Professional Standards and Performance Monitoring Committee meeting on 14 February 2002 held at Romney House, Westminster, London SW1.

Present

Members

• Richard Sumray (Chair)
• Elizabeth Howlett (Deputy Chair)
• Anthony Arbour
• Jennette Arnold
• Rachel Whittaker

MPA staff:

• Catherine Crawford (Clerk)
• Johanna Gillians (Senior Analyst)
• Ken Hunt (Deputy Treasurer)
• Ruth Hastings-Iqball (Committee Services)

MPS staff:

• Tim Godwin (DAC, Territorial Police)
• Andy Hayman (DAC, Directorate of Professional Standards)
• Steve House (DAC, Policy, Review and Standards)
• Carol McDonald (Corporate Performance Analysis Unit)

Also present: Supt Brydon, MPS - Brent, Supt Edwards, MPS - Camden, Alan Johnson, MPA - HR and Professional Standards.

In addition, approximately 15 members of the press/public and other MPA/MPS staff were present.

Part 1

55. Apologies

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies for absence were received from Reshard Auladin, Lynne Featherstone and R David Muir (Members) and Ian Blair (Deputy Commissioner).

56. Minutes of meeting: 11 December 2001

(Agenda item 2)

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting held on 11 December 2001 be agreed and signed as a correct record.

57. Chair’s and Members’ Update

(Agenda item 3)

The Chair stated that a good response to invitations to the MPA Youth Crime Seminar 26 February 2002 had been received and that and update would be provided at the next meeting of the Committee. . The Chair reported that he had met Sir Alistair Graham, Chair of the Police Complaints Authority it was noted that details of this meeting were given at the special meeting of the Authority in January. He reported that they would continue to meet on a quarterly basis. Members discussed the number of cases being investigated by outside forces and the Chair undertook to clarify this and circulate a response to members. Elizabeth Howlett reported that she had attended a presentation on the circumstances that lead to death of Victoria Climbié. It was suggested that the PSPM Committee might want to submit its views to the Lamming enquiry. The MPA would also act as lead authority on behalf of the Association of Police Authorities on this issue.

Performance monitoring

58. December performance report

(Agenda item 4)

Members received a report that provided an overview of MPS performance against the targets in the policing plan. Members were informed that the pilot ‘one-stop shop’ for burglaries in Southwark and Enfield had received a positive response, and was freeing officers for the ‘safer streets’ initiative. The ‘safer streets’ initiative, which involved utilising officers from other specialisms was a reaction to the increase in street crime post 11 September. It had resulted in 1015 arrests, 76 of which were for robbery. The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Woolf had indicated the judiciary’s intention to respond firmly to this type of crime, and the MPS would be asking that the Crown Prosecution Service to ensure this happened. One of the difficulties of the ‘safer streets’ initiative was sustainability, as there was an operational need to return traffic police to their original duties on 1 April 2002.

The Clerk stated that the present committee structure did not obviously allow for the debate of operational issues and members would have an opportunity to look at this at there forthcoming away day when the current committee structure will be debated. In this context, Members asked about the recent meeting of the Leader of Council and Borough Commander of Lambeth with the Home Office. The MPS undertook to provide a briefing, but were mindful that not only police were involved. The MPS emphasised it could not deal with crime alone, and needed the help of partners with the causes of crime.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

59. Performance reports - (a) burglary, (b) autocrime, (c) drugs

(Agenda item 5a, 5b, 5c)

Members received three performance reports. The first provided an update of burglary performance against targets, the second an update on performance and current initiatives relating to autocrime, and the third an update on performance against drug related targets and anti drugs initiatives within the MPS.

Questions were asked about the dissemination of good practice in relation to burglary and Members were informed that was done through the policing model and the MPS intranet site. It was noted that a monitoring regime would soon be in place and the Chair requested a report on this in April. The Committee also discussed Scenes of Crime Officers and their career structure.

The Chair requested the results for the drugs referral scheme (if available) and reasons for the varying rates of referral across boroughs in a future performance report on drugs.

A request was also made for information on a borough basis. The MPA undertook to circulate this.

Resolved - That

1. the performance reports on burglary, auto crime and drugs be noted;
2. the Committee receive a report on the monitoring regime in April; and
3. the next report on drugs performance contain information on the results for the drugs referral scheme, if available, and reasons for the varying rates of referral across boroughs.

60. Update on scrutiny projects

(Agenda item 6)

Members received a report providing a progress update on the scrutiny into rape investigation and victim care, agreed by the PSPM Committee in July. Members also agreed that two or three scrutinies into MPS performance would be carried out each year. The next proposed topic for scrutiny was crime and disorder partnerships. Anthony Arbour expressed interest in taking part in the scrutiny, after May.

Resolved - That

1. Members note the progress made to date on the scrutiny into rape investigation and victim care;
2. a full report on the scrutiny findings be presented to the PSPM Committee in April; and
3. Members agree Crime and Disorder Partnerships be the subject of the next scrutiny.

70. Working with telephone companies to reduce mobile phone crime

(Agenda item 7)

Just over 50% of current street crime in the MPS district involved the theft of mobile phones. Members received a report outlining the possible causes for such figures, the measures are being undertaken by the MPS and the Home Office, both with and separately from the mobile phone networks, to reduce the levels of crime. The MPS was pleased to report that the telephone industry was at last recognising that mobile phones should be more secure.

Resolved - That

1. Members note the report;
2. Members agree to lobby the Home Office to table legislation to outlaw the reconfiguration of handsets and the sale and manufacture of equipment to allow reconfigure; and
3. Members agree to lobby the network providers for voluntary supply to police of information to identify repeat offenders and to encourage manufacturers to find ways of designing out the crime.

71. HMIC inspection of Brent

(Agenda item 8)

The report of the inspection of Brent Borough OCU by Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabularies was presented for review. Supt Brydon informed Members that Brent had found the process beneficial. All recommendations were recorded on a central database. Boroughs were expected to produce a written action plan within a month, with remedial action within five months. Members were reassured that the results of the inspection were shared with partners.

Resolved - That the Committee note the report and the MPS actions taken to address the recommendations made.

72 HMIC inspection of Camden

(Agenda item 9)

The report of the inspection of Camden Borough OCU by Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabularies was presented for review. Supt Edwards was present to answer any questions from Members. He, like his colleague in Brent, stated that the process was testing. The Chair, as link member for Camden, asked to see the action plan in due course. A Member requested that the HMIC inspection programme be circulated to Members.

Resolved – That

1. the Committee note the report and the MPS actions taken to address the recommendations made; and
2. the HMIC programme be circulated to Members.

73. Member involvement in the MPS local inspection programme

(Agenda item 10)

Members received a report outlining the proposed arrangements for MPA oversight of the MPS local inspection programme.

Resolved - That

1. the involvement of individual members with specific MPS command units be that as set out in Appendix 1 to the report; and
2. MPA officers maintain a central record of inspection reports and subsequent action plans, whether or not a member was involved in the inspection.

Professional standards

74. Investigative performance and misconduct procedures

(Agenda item 11)

Members received a report informing them that although public complaint allegations were falling, a higher percentage of fully investigated allegations were being substantiated. A system had been designed to monitor and analyse the 'throughput' of cases by investigating officers, which would form the basis of information to PSPM on the timeliness of completed investigations. Disproportionality was a cause for concern, and the MPS would engage with the MPA on this. At present only officers were included, but on the advice of an internal advisory group set up by the MPS, it would be extended to include civil staff. It was requested that the data in the report be referred to the Human Resource and Community, Diversity and Outreach Committees.

Resolved - That

1. Members note the report;
2. that the information on patterns and trends in complaints, workload, throughput and timeliness of Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS) branches be provided to the MPA prior to visits to branches; and
3. the data contained therein be referred to the Human Resources and Consultation, Diversity and Outreach Committees.

75. Professional standards strategy

(Agenda item 12)

Members received a report informing them that the MPS Professional Standards Strategy would be published in March 2002, after internal and external consultation. Its aim was to make the Metropolitan Police Service the world leader in organisational and individual integrity. Members were critical of the draft strategy, as it stood. It was not clear who it was aimed at, and had little reference to civil staff. These comments were noted by the MPS.

Resolved – That Members would await a revised Professional Standards Strategy.

76. Member involvement in monitoring complaints

(Agenda item 13)

A report was received on Member involvement in monitoring complaints. It was felt that, whilst the visits to Complaints Units were useful, they needed to be more structured. With this in mind, the recommendations outlined at paragraph 4 of the report were agreed.

Resolved - That:

• the MPS provide the latest Key Performance Indicators for the unit to be visited prior to the quarterly visit;
• the MPS provide information on any trends in the nature or number of complaints, e.g. length of investigations, prior to the visit;
• the Clerk consider how support can be provided before, during and after these visits to highlight trends/issues, to provide administrative assistance with recording information and to feed this back to other Members;
• The Clerk consider how legal advice can be made available to Members performing their statutory role or to those who receive unsolicited complaints or allegations from members of the public or serving police officers and civil staff;
• The Clerk consider what, if any, training Members need in relation to their role or on issues such as ethics, diversity, etc;
• The Clerk and Treasurer consider if Internal Audit should be asked to conduct a ‘process review’ in order to ensure the proper processes, procedures and policies for the recording and handling of complaints are in place; and
• Members meet with the local Senior Management Team at least once a year to discuss complaints numbers and trends, remedial action being taken to deal with recurring complaint types.

77. Substance misuse

(Agenda item 14)

Members received a report setting out the current position on the development of drug testing within the MPS. It was noted that resources would be needed from the Home Office for this.

Resolved – That

1. the range of work currently being conducted be noted;
2. Members support the MPS’s continued participation in the work of ACPO Professional Standards and Police Advisory Board England and Wales (PABEW).
3. A further report would be presented to the Committee in April 2002, which would include details of the decision reached by PABEW.

78. Exclusion of press and public

(Agenda item 15)

A resolution was put to exclude the press and public from the meeting during items 16 to 18 as they were likely to disclose exempt information as described in Schedule 12(a) (1) of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

Resolved – That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during discussion of agenda items 16, 17 and 18.

79. Update on current ACPO complaints

(Agenda item 16)

Members considered a report outlining outstanding ACPO complaints. A draft protocol was being developed for dealing with such complaints, and the MPA was looking at how other police authorities dealt with them. The Clerk proposed that a case study be developed and examined by both Members, the Association of Police Authorities and other relevant groups, so that any issues that might arise in a real complaint could be examined in advance,

Resolved – that the report be noted.

80. Police regulations

(Agenda item 17)

The Committee considered two complaints under Police Regulations.

Resolved – To note that Members agreed the recommendations contained in the reports.

81. Exempt minutes

(Agenda item 18)

The Committee agreed the exempt (Part II) minutes of the Committee meeting held on 11 December 2001

The meeting closed at 3.45 p.m.

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