Minutes

Minutes of the Professional Standards and Performance Monitoring Committee meeting on 13 June 2002 held at Romney House, Westminster, London SW1.

Present

Members

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

Also present: Nicholas Long (items 8-14)

MPA staff:

Johanna Gillians (Senior Analyst)
Simon Vile (Head of Secretariat)
Ken Hunt (Deputy Treasurer)
Alan Johnson (HR and Professional Standards)
Nick Baker (Committee Services)

MPS staff:

Ian Blair (Deputy Commissioner)
Bob Quick (DAC Territorial)
Steve House (DAC, Policy, Review and Standards)
Bill Griffiths (DAC Serious Crime Group)
Commander Alan Shave and Carol McDonald (Corporate Performance Analysis Unit)

In addition, approximately 16 members of the press/public and other MPA/MPS staff were present.

Part 1

102. Apologies

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies for absence were received from R David Muir and Catherine Crawford (Clerk)

103. Minutes of meeting of PSPM and ACPO Complaints Sub-committee (Agenda item 2)

Resolved – That the minutes (Part 1) of the PSPM Committee special meeting held on 21 March and 11 April 2002 be signed and agreed as a correct record and that the minutes (Part 1) of the ACPO Complaints Sub-Committee be noted.

104. Chair’s and Members’ update

(Agenda item 3)

Anthony Arbour and Elizabeth Howlett reported that they had attended the central London complaints office in Kingston and raised concerns that the accommodation was not suitable and that facilities were being used by other agencies. It was noted that the Clerk of the Authority had written to Transport for London concerning this issue and that a response was awaited.

Member raised the issue of the amount of paperwork undertaken in relating to complaints for comparatively minor matters. The Deputy Commissioner outlined current procedures and possible changes that could result from proposed amendments to the Police Reform Bill.

Members agreed that their role in monitoring complaints, should be to monitor trends and processes, together with occasional dip sampling rather than focusing on individual cases.

Arsing from the discussion, the Committee congratulated the MPS on the success of Operation Greyhound which had resulted in the conviction of two corrupt police officers.

105. April performance report

(Agenda item 4)

Members received a report that provided an overview of the MPS performance against targets in the policing plan.

The Deputy Commissioner highlighted the decrease in street crime and the disappointing increase in burglary, and indicated that the success in tackling street crime had been due to the targeting of resources to a specific area of crime.

Members questioned the target of O% for judicial disposals and suggested that at the appropriate time this figure should be reviewed.

The Deputy Commissioner in response to members’ concerns relating to officer time such as attendance at courts, acknowledged that this issue need to be reviewed and indicated that Operation Justice and the ‘Bring Offenders to Justice Review’ would be looking at these issues in further detail.

Resolved - That the report be received.

106. 2001/02 performance report against targets

(Agenda item 5)

The Committee received a summary report on the MPS performance against the policing plan objectives for the planning year 2001-02.

In summarising the report, the Deputy Commissioner highlighted the improvements in various areas such as: work associated with drugs; possession of knives; CRR training; homophobic crime and domestic violence. However, the Deputy Commissioner recognised the need for improvement in other areas such as burglary; auto-crime; stop and search and response to emergency calls.

The Deputy Commissioner agreed that this year’s figures were overall disappointing and said that he had concerns about some of the targets that had been set and suggested that due to current pressures on the organisation, added to by the effects of September 11th, resources should be focused on specific key areas. He also raised concerns on the possible effects on the Service arising from the introduction of national targets.

Members expressed concerns about performance, including: that the targeting of specific crimes could result in low-level crime being ignored: and regarding the response to emergency calls and in particular, the need for public reassurance on this matter. The Committee noted the reported increase in burglary and discussed the possible link of targeting resources on street crime.

Members suggested that there is a need for a clear direction from the MPS of what is required to improve meeting targets. Members were concerned that, without improved performance, the increase in officer numbers which had come at a cost to Londoners could lead to the perception that the MPS was not delivering value for money.

The Chair commented that during the process of assessing targets it was important that any prospective shortfall in meeting targets should be highlighted earlier in the year and as the MPS had indicated that targets were achievable, the MPA needed to have an understanding as to why they were not being met.

In response to suggestions that a lack of resources was the main factor for not meeting targets and that there might be a need for better working practices, members were informed that the MPS constantly reviewed and improved current practices, as well as sharing and promoting best practices. In response to members’ concern about new crimes, such as theft of car safety air bags, it was reported that early intervention was undertaken on such new crimes in order to reduce these becoming every day events.

The Committee agreed to commission a report on emergency calls, to identify current problems. The report should address not just response times, but issues around quality of service. It was also agreed to commission a report on burglary.

Resolved – That

1. the report be noted; and
2. the Planning, Performance and Review Committee receive reports on emergency calls responses and on burglary.

107. Performance report: homicide

(Agenda item 6)

The Committee received a report that provided information on homicide trends and the MPS performance, including the cost of investigating homicides.

Resolved – That the report be noted

108. MPS project Sapphire strategy action plan 2002-03

(Agenda item 7)

Members considered a report that outlined the MPS Project Sapphire Strategy Action Plan for 2002-2003. The Action Plan responded to the recommendations of the MPA scrutiny report into ‘rape investigation and victim care’ and the reports on the ‘joint inspection and prosecution cases involving allegations of rape’, conducted by both Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Her Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate.

With regard to domestic violence it was confirmed that this was being linked to work on rape and victim care and that work with other organisations was ongoing.

It was agreed that members should receive an update on this project and its work in November.

Resolved – That

1. the MPS’ Project Sapphire Strategy Action Plan 2002-2203 be approved; and
2. Members receive an up-date on this project in November

109. Development of Transport OCU

(Agenda item 8)

The Committee considered an update report on the development of the Transport Operational Command Unit (TOCU).

The report informed members of the commencement date of the service and the proposed roll-out schedule of the routes that the Unit would be covering and members noted the high degree of success in the short period of operation of the first route. Members were also informed of the performance monitoring arrangements.

The Committee requested an assessment of phase one before the introduction of phase two and confirmation was given as to the role of traffic wardens and community safety officers, particularly with regard to their terms and conditions.

The Committee agreed to receive a report on the progress of the scheme at the November meeting of the Performance, Planning and Review Committee.

Resolved – That

1. the report be noted.
2. the Performance, Planning and Review Committee receive a report on the progress of the scheme at the November meeting.

110. Operation Safer Streets – case tracking project

(Agenda item 9)

The Committee agreed to withdraw this report, while further information was obtained.

Resolved – That the report be deferred to a future meeting of the Planning, Performance and Review Committee.

111. Complaint management information

(Agenda item 10)

Following the increased focus on performance in complaint investigations by the MPS Directorate of Professional Standards, the Committee received a report that outlined complaint management information and the positive impact that the increase focus had made.

The report informed members that public complaints were at their lowest since 1996/97 having reduced by 15% over the last year and over last 5 years by 11%. The report confirmed that in 2001/2002 there had been an increase in the number of substantiated allegations as a percentage of fully investigated allegations (14% compared to 9% in 2000/01). However, the backlog of complaints over 120 days had reduced by 10%.

Resolved – That

1. the report be noted; and
2. the Professional Standards and Complaints Committee receive a report on the length of time misconduct complaints take

112. Progress on preventing complaints and strengthening integrity

(Agenda item 11)

The Committee considered a report that summarised the progress made on the preventative aspects of the recommendations made by HMIC in 2001; the MPS Directorate of Professional Standards 3 year development plan and Best Value Review, together with the MPS action plan following the Lindo Inquiry.

Resolved – That the report and progress in this area be noted.

113. Substance abuse

(Agenda item 12)

Members received a report that set out the current position on the development of drug testing within the MPS and informed members that negotiations on this matter were still ongoing with Police Advisory Board for England Board.

Resolved – That members note that due to the work on pay and conditions in PNB no progress on this matter has been possible.

114. Revised professional standards strategy

(Agenda item 13)

The Committee received a report that presented the re-launched and refocused MPS Corruption and Dishonesty Strategy, which had been produced following consultation within the MPS and members of this Committee.

A copy of the revised strategy had been circulated to members and it was requested that any additional comments be made as soon as possible.

Resolved – That the content of the leaflet describing the MPS Professional Standards Strategy be noted and that any additional comments be made as soon as possible before the launch date.

115. ACPO complaints protocol

(Agenda item 14)

The Committee considered a report that gave a protocol for dealing with complaints, allegations and reports concerning the conduct of Association of Chief Police Officer (ACPO) ranks.

Members considered a suggestion that the protocol should include a provision for a member acting in a liaison/support role to an ACPO officer facing disciplinary proceedings. Members agreed that such a role defined in the protocol would not be appropriate because it may place the member concerned in a difficult legal position and in general was not appropriate. Where this did occur in practice, and it should be a rare occurrence, the member would need to declare it and take no part in any formal discussions about the officer concerned.

Resolved – That the arrangements for dealing with reports, allegations and complaints concerning ACPO rank police officers outlined in the report be agreed.

116. Exclusion of press and public

(Agenda item 15)

Resolved – That the press and public be asked to leave the meeting during discussion of the remaining item of business because exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 is likely to be made known.

117. Minutes.

(Agenda item 16)

Resolved – That the minutes (Part 2) of the PSPM Committee meetings held on 21 March and 11 April 2002 be agreed and signed as a correct record and the minutes (Part 2) of the ACPO Complaints Sub-Committee held on 7 May 2002 be noted.

The meeting closed at 5.10 p.m.

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