Merseyside PEEL 2017
Efficiency
How efficient is the force at keeping people safe and reducing crime?
How well does the force understand demand?
Merseyside Police has a good understanding of the demand for its services. The force has a comprehensive, up-to-date demand assessment which considers the wider effect of demand for the services it provides. The force has also developed processes and workforce skills in order to identify more of the demand that is less likely to be reported. Through the use of IT solutions, the force has made improvements to officer efficiency and in the understanding and monitoring of the increasing threat from cyber-crime.
The force has clear governance arrangements for its change processes. Its prompt assessment of the ‘community first’ operating model demonstrates the benefits and results of achieving organisational change. However, the force may benefit from some independent examination of its change programme.
Force leaders welcome ideas and feedback from the workforce and suggestions are progressed, but at the time of our inspection this was not reflected in the opinions of some of its uniformed officers. The force is improving the recognition it provides for innovative ideas from its workforce.
How well does the force use its resources?
Merseyside Police is good in how it uses its resources to manage demand. The force is developing its future leadership skills and has senior officers on supported development schemes, with another nine graduates entering the force this year as part of the Police Now programme.
We found that the force reviews the benefits realised by the investments it makes and is prepared to trial and implement innovative ideas across the force, including partnership working. We found that a skills analysis had been undertaken in preparation for the ‘community first’ operating model, but that it did not extend across the workforce. The force can demonstrate a very accurate assessment of its capacity, but needs to extend this to its capability in preparation for future workforce planning. The force has become more flexible in deploying its resources through the new operating model which has no set boundaries, allowing it to move resources across Merseyside to meet demand. Its planning of major events, in particular sporting events, continues to make the best use of its resources and meet public expectations and safety.
Areas for improvement
- The force should undertake appropriate activities to fully understand its workforce’s capabilities, in order to identify any gaps and put plans in place to address them. This will enable the force to be confident in its ability to be efficient in meeting current and likely future demand.
How well is the force planning for demand in the future?
Merseyside Police is good at planning for the future. The force has assessed its future demand for its services and carries out assessments of the impact of change on demand as shown through the prompt review of the ‘community first’ operating model. The force has identified the advantages and threats from technology. It has responded by investing in mobile working to improve efficiency and by putting in place more robust processes for cyber-crime analysis. The force is part of an innovative tri-force collaboration and is investing in IT software and equipment to enable efficient information-sharing with these forces.
The force leadership has changed and new senior officers have been appointed. The Police Now scheme has progressed and nine graduates are due to enter the force this year. Merseyside Police considers that leadership is from its entire workforce not just the senior managers and the force is investing in ‘one team’ events with individual personality-profiling for all its employees.
The financial plans of the force are based on sound planning assumptions. The force has reserves of capital and these are replenished through its ongoing workforce vacancy underspends. The force is on track to meet expected savings.