Investment & Performance Board (IPB)

Date of meeting: 14 May 2015

Title of paper: Special

To be presented by: Helen Bailey, Chief Operating Officer, MOPAC

Cleared by: (name Helen Bailey, Chief Operating Officer, MOPAC Adviser & Director)

Classification: Public

1 Executive Summary

1.1 This report provides an update on the progress of the Service (MPS) workforce against the Mayor’s Police and Crime Plan.

1.2 It follows from previous meetings where the delivery of the Mayor’s commitment to pay the equivalent of a council tax rebate of half of the mayoral precept has been discussed and approved.

2 Recommendation

2.1 That the report be noted.

3 Introduction and Background

Recruitment and the nature of the MPS more generally

3.1 The Mayor’s Manifesto, and subsequent Police and Crime plan set a range of challenging objectives around the size and feel of the MPS, to increase officer numbers to the highest ever number and to ensure that the force better reflects the city it serves. Within this was contained the commitment to double the number special constables in from 5,000 to 10,000.

3.2 Much has been achieved. In terms of officer numbers the MPS has achieved its aim of maintaining the number of police officers around 32,000. As of 31 March 2015 there were 31,944 officers. As part of the recruitment drive over 3,000 new officers have been recruited over the 2014-2015 financial year.

3.3 In addition, in line with Police and Crime Plan, the proportion of officers who are Police Constables (PCs) has also increased; there are now over 25,000 PCs.

3.4 Furthermore, 2,600 officers have been redeployed into Neighbourhood Policing Teams to bolster the front line.

3.5 In terms of using new routes in the MPS to better reflect the city it serves, last year’s successful Superintendent Direct Entry application process (the first of its kind), led to the appointment of 5 Superintendents who are now undertaking their 18month probation, a further 5-7 are being sought from this year’s process.

3.6 The numbers of Police staff have decreased in line with the desire to reduce the disproportionately large back office and push resources to the front line. In March 2012 there were over 13,100 police staff, as of March 2015 there are 11,300.

3.7 Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) currently number 1,787 and this is in line with the current budgeted target of 1,800. Whilst PCSO numbers have decreased in recent years this has been to ensure appropriate resources are available to recruit and maintain regular police constables. In the challenging economic environment, whilst PCSOs are an important and valued aspect of policing, it is appropriate for the MPS to prioritise the recruitment of fully warranted police officers.

3.14 The Volunteer Police Cadets (VPC) continues to grow in line with the Mayor’s target. There are now over 3,600 cadets and the MPS expects to reach 5,000 next year. Expansion is being driven by the establishment of junior cadet units for 10-13 year olds.

Special Constables specifically

3.8 The implications for the recruitment to Special Constables of the programme to extend the MPS to 32,000 could not have been fully foreseen

3.9 For many years the Metropolitan (MSC) was one of the few ways to be become an officer in the MPS. With the reopening of external recruitment for PCs in 2013 there has been less interest in becoming a special – those that want to join apply directly to become PCs.

3.10 There are currently circa 3,700 Metropolitan Special Constables and a further circa 200 within the British Transport Police (BTP) and circa 80 within the (CoLP).

3.11 Many Specials choose to become full time police officers, 174 special constables converted to become PCs in March 2015 and a further 160 are expected to convert later this year. Whilst this represents a loss to the MSC it must be seen as positive in the wider context of boosting regular PCs.

3.12 In light of these changes the MPS has been working to consider how to recruit specials with different motivations, not necessarily those that desire to become a full time officer. The MPS has commissioned market research to explore how becoming a special compares with other voluntary roles and will also review its medium to long term strategies for the deployment of specials.

3.13 It is anticipated that going forward, Special Constables will increasingly come from amongst employed people who perceive, or whose employers perceive, being a special to be important either in terms of developing new skills, demonstrating corporate social responsibility or both; and from active young retired people (amongst whose numbers are likely to be increasing numbers of former police officers).

3.14 MOPAC and the MPS are working on designing a scheme which will harness the potential of these routes into the MSC both to make best use of the enthusiasm of those sources of people, and to add to the skills available to the MPS more widely.

3.15 Rather than simply augment front line policing through supporting Neighbourhood Policing Teams, the best use of Specials is likely involve deploying expertise in specialist roles. For example in areas such as business crime and cybercrime MPS Specials provide the opportunity to bring in bespoke talents and skills – such skills may not be readily available from regular constables and thus present a more efficient deployment of specials. This presents an opportunity for a fundamental shift in how specials are deployed and has implications for future recruitment targets. It may be that the MPS is best served by fewer but more technically skilled specials.

Delivering on Other Mayoral Commitments

3.16 The Mayor’s Office for Policing And Crime (MOPAC) has worked to increase the offer to special constables across London through the delivery of the Mayor’s commitment to offer special constables a 50% rebate on the Mayor’s share of council tax. All qualifying specials were written to, notifying them of the rebate, and nearly one thousand specials have taken it up, over two-thirds of those budgeted for.

4 Objectives & Expected Outcomes

4.1 The vast majority of MPS workforce recruitment is proceeding in line with the Mayor’s commitments in his Police and Crime Plan.

4.2 Although challenges remain around the Metropolitan Special Constabulary work continues to stabilise their numbers and further develop the offer to volunteers. Further investment in MSC recruitment is now superseded as priority . The emphasis instead should be on a communication strategy which reflects the success of the wider workforce strategy in meeting the Mayor’s overarching commitments and delivery of the Police and Crime plan.

5 Equality comments

5.1 The diversity of police officers continues to steadily improve. In 2001 only 4% of officers were from a Black and/or Minority Ethnic (BME) background. Today it is nearly 12%. The representation in the constable recruitment for the whole of the last financial year was just under 30% female and just under 17% BME.

5.2 We are still awaiting the final impact of some policies such as the London Only Residency Criteria.

5.3 PCSOs show good diversity with 36% female and 36% BME.

5.4 The MSC also has good diversity, 32% are female and 30% BME. Increased diversity and skills is one of the reasons that conversion of MSCs to PCs is ultimately beneficial.

5.5 The VPC are effectively representative with circa half their number from BME backgrounds and half being female.

6 Key Risks and Issues

6.1 Growing of the MSC remains a challenge but this risk is mitigated by success by other elements of the workforce strategy (namely increasing officer numbers and diversity through other recruitment channels) and by implementation of a council tax rebate which provides an incentive for further routes of recruitment.

7 Financial comments of the Executive Director Resources

The policies in this paper are fully costed and affordable. The Mayor provided additional funding in his 2015-16 budget to MOPAC to fund the costs of the 50% rebate on his precept granted to specials resident in London.

8 Legal Comments

8.1 Non applicable

9 Next steps

9.1 The next steps following consideration/in-principle approval by IPB are summarised below:

Activity Timeline MOPAC and GLA media to develop messaging around success For July plenary of Mayor’s workforce initiatives for MPS. and MOAPC annual report

Appendices: None