Metropolitan PEEL 2017
Efficiency
How efficient is the force at keeping people safe and reducing crime?
How well does the force understand demand?
The Metropolitan Police Service requires improvement in how well it understands current and likely future demand. A rise in 999 calls and staffing difficulties in MetCC have contributed to a reduction in call-handling performance, particularly in respect of 101 calls, that is suppressing demand. Response times in the ‘pathfinder’ boroughs have also increased partly because of new ways of working. The force is aware of these problems and is taking action to address them.
The force has many ways for communicating with and listening to the workforce; they are widely used but are not regarded highly by the workforce. The strengthening local policing programme will completely change the way frontline policing is organised, but communication and engagement on this has been slow to develop. Some of the reasons for this are beyond the force’s control such as the need to consult the public and get mayoral approval for the changes, but the force now needs to engage fully with the workforce so these and other changes are not undermined.
Areas for improvement
- The force should ensure that it has sufficient capacity available within the Metropolitan communications command to fulfil its resourcing model, and so to meet its demand.
- The force should build upon the improvements it has made to its benefits identification and review processes so that it is able to fully assess non-financial benefits.
- The force should ensure it has credible processes in place to identify good ideas and innovation from the workforce.
How well does the force use its resources?
The Metropolitan Police Service requires improvement in how well it uses its resources to manage current demand. It has built on its 2016 work to understand the skills it needs in its workforce as a whole and requirements are regularly reviewed. However, the force has not completed a meaningful skills and capabilities audit, so there are likely to be gaps in the workforce’s skills that have not been identified and addressed.
The force worked with MOPAC to set its priorities and public views were considered. There are routine processes in place to understand the demands for its services, although the next stage of work, to understand how changing costs will affect the services it provides, has yet to be started. The force is able to quantify the financial benefits in many cases, but further work is required so that all benefits can be identified. It is too soon in the implementation of the OMM2020 programmes to evaluate the extent to which the force is getting a return for its investment. Progress in its collaboration work with the other ‘blue light’ services is also in its very early stages, so the force is not yet able to confirm the benefits.
Areas for improvement
- The force should ensure that it understands the level of service that can be provided at different levels of costs, so it can identify the optimum level of service provision.
- The force should review the workforce skills and capabilities information that it already has, including for its leaders, to assure itself that its understanding is as comprehensive as it can be. It should then put in place plans to address any gaps. 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?
The Metropolitan Police Service is good at how well it is planning for the future. The force analyses various information to identify trends in demand. This work is not complete, but the analysis to date is being used to help plan its response. Consideration has been given to changing public expectations in the force’s vision of the future, and its business plan sets out how it intends to achieve its priorities.
The force has plans for very significant investment in new technology to improve access to services as well as to streamline back office functions and make frontline policing more effective and efficient. It is developing its approach to succession planning for senior leaders, but it does not have a meaningful skills and capabilities audit and development opportunities at an officer’s existing rank are immature.
The force offers an extensive range of recruitment and development opportunities that it has decided to target at police officers. Its plans for change are ambitious and match its vision for the future. There are robust governance arrangements in place to monitor progress of OMM2020, but the force faces significant financial challenges over the next three years to make savings of £400m; this amount could increase if the government grant allocated to the force is reduced.