Update on progress with the Policing Pledge

28/09
6 October 2009
MPA briefing paper 28/2009

Author: Chief Superintendent Ian Harrison, TPHQ, MPS

This briefing paper has been prepared to inform members and staff. It is not a committee report and no decisions are required.

Introduction

1. At a meeting of the Strategic and Operational Policing Committee held on 3 September 2009, members received a report from the MPS that provided an update in respect of progress towards delivery of the Policing Pledge.

2. In the subsequent discussion members raised a number of issues for which they required further information. These issues are summarised as follows:

1.  The MPS reported that the average time Safer Neighbourhoods officers spent on ward duties (a Proxy measure drawn from the CARMS system) was 96%. Members asked for details of the range of performance across MPS Boroughs.
2.  The MPS advised that internal reality checking was being undertaken to test that requirements of the Pledge are being met. Members asked to see a report of the outcome of the reality checks.
3. The MPS reported that performance data in respect of the Pledge had now been brought together into a unified Pledge scorecard. Members asked for details of performance to be supplied Borough level.
4.  Members noted that most recent performance data indicated that 33% of respondents the Public Attitude Survey (PAS) question “Have you heard about your local Safer Neighbourhoods policing team?” answered positively. Members sought details of the activity planned by the MPS to meet its target of 45%.

MPS response

3. The responses to the issues raised by members are as follows:

1. Time spent on ward duties - The average time spent on ward duties was 96% (rolling 12 months to June 2009) the range being 89.7% to 98% i.e. all above the target of 80%.
2.  Internal reality checking - A copy of the latest summary report is attached at appendix A.
3.  Performance report - A copy of the latest Pledge performance report containing Borough level detail is attached at appendix B.
4.  PAS question “Have you heard about your local Safer Neighbourhoods policing team?” A briefing note describing MPS activity to meet its target is attached at appendix C.

4. Management of the corporate Pledge delivery plan is undertaken through the weekly meetings, chaired by Commander CCC, where representatives from across TP and other strategic units provide updates on activity being taken. It is at this meeting that performance monitoring is undertaken and where remedial action directed and managed.

Appendix A

Executive summary

1. This Quality Assurance Check (QAC) was designed to assess how the MPS is meeting the requirements of the Policing Pledge with particular regard to the level of access to police services and the provision of public meetings. It was designed to test processes and record performance within the MPS from the point of view of a member of the public as a customer. It was not designed to test individuals.

2. The first stage of the QAC involved walk by visits to 23 non-24 hour police stations on 12 BOCUs to verify that they were open at the times published on the respective BOCU Internet site.

3. The second stage involved telephone calls to 12 Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNTs) across the 12 BOCUs, using the mobile telephone number published for that team on their BOCU Internet site.

4. These telephone calls were then followed by visits to 10 drop in surgeries and two street briefings held by those 12 SNTs.

Stage One

•  Of the 23 police stations visited, 15 were open at the times stated on the respective BOCUs’ Internet site.
•  Of the 23 police stations visited, 15 had the opening times advertised outside. 11 of these 15 had opening times displayed which corresponded with the times published on the BOCUs’ Internet site, however only one was found to be displaying the corporate front counter template for opening hours.
•  Of the 23 police stations visited, nine had information regarding the Policing Pledge advertised either outside or immediately inside the front doors.
•  Of the 23 police stations visited, ten had information regarding SNTs and/or monthly surgeries advertised either outside or in the waiting area.
•  Of the 15 police stations visited that were open, four were identified as achieving all of the five criteria examined in this stage of the QAC.

Stage Two

•  Of the 12 telephone calls made, eight resulted in initial contact with a member of the relevant SNT.
•  For each of the four calls that did not result in contact, a second call was made and where possible an answer phone message left. Only one of these calls resulted in contact being made.
•  Of the nine SNTs contacted, seven provided information on how to access information on local crime issues. This included a range of options such as the Internet, leaflet drops, and drop in surgeries.
•  Of the nine SNTs contacted by telephone, four were identified as achieving all of the six criteria examined.
•  Of the ten drop in surgeries visited, six took place at the times publicised on the respective BOCU internet sites.
•  Of the two street briefings, none took place as advertised on the respective BOCU internet sites.
•  Of the six drop in surgeries which took place, five SNTs were able to provide information on local crime and where this information could be accessed.
•  Of the six drop in surgeries which took place, four SNTs provided information on how residents are kept updated on local crime and alternatives to the Internet on how this information could be accessed.
•  Of the six drop in surgeries which took place, four SNTs provided information of their contact details.
•  Of the six drop in surgeries, three were assessed as meeting five of the six criteria examined.

5. The findings of this QAC were varied and whilst they provide a snapshot over the period of a month, it has demonstrated that improvements in the areas examined are required on some BOCUs. It should be noted however, that when contact was made with SNT staff, the operatives recorded responses that in the main, gave a good impression of the MPS.

Appendix C

Measures that have been taken to promote local Safer Neighbourhoods Teams (SNTs)

• Local team newsletters are distributed to every household and business in London. Two issues per year are produced as part of a central project for which there is funding for two years (four issues). Many teams are producing other newsletters outside of this project. The newsletters contain team contact details, information about the work of the team and details of how to meet the team.
•  Team web pages - each SNT and STT has its own web page that contains contact details, priorities, team member photos, ward map and events. Work is ongoing to enhance the pages with more detail around actions on priorities.
•  Advertising campaigns - the last SN pan-London advertising campaign was in February 2009. This campaign was aimed at raising awareness of SNTs within a youth audience and encouraging them to get involved. The next pan-London advertising campaign will be in January 2010 and will aim to raise awareness of the SNTs and what they do within an adult audience.
•  Online Youth Survey - aims to collect the thoughts and concerns of young people across London. This year's survey was supported with a radio and poster/flyer campaign and by the middle of the second week there had been over 6,000 respondents. The campaign aims to encourage young people to have their say about the local community, get involved and know who their SNT is.
•  X marks the spot - is a local initiative currently being developed centrally in order to make it available to all SNTs. People are asked to mark on a ward map areas where there are concerns and return the card by freepost to the borough. The cards also contain the SNTs contact details.
•  Not in my Neighbourhood Week - SNTs will be using the planned activities during this campaign to help raise awareness of what they do and how to contact them.
•  In March/April of this year, the Met took part in the National Justice Seen, Justice Done campaign to help publicise the Pledge. The campaign took the form of several localised SNT case studies in local newsletters that also told people how to get in touch with their local teams.

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