Surrey PEEL 2017

Surrey Police and its workforce understand the importance of treating people fairly and with respect. The force has integrated the Code of Ethics into all training processes and promotes it regularly on the force intranet and in internal bulletins. Officers and staff have a good understanding of the importance of effective communication skills in their day-to-day interactions with the public. Most of those we spoke to had an understanding of unconscious bias and its effect on fair decision making.

The force ensures that its training includes a focus on how to use coercive powers fairly and respectfully but training on stop and search needs to be improved. In our review of records we found that some officers and supervisors still do not understand what constitutes reasonable grounds for stop and search.

Surrey Police could do more to scrutinise data about its use of force to identify trends and use learning to improve practice. The force holds ‘StopWatch’ meetings to provide detailed scrutiny of stop and search data, which are also attended by members of the independent advisory group. External scrutiny of the force’s activities is provided by an independent advisory group which also highlights community concerns. The force addresses any problems that are raised.

Surrey Police is good at ensuring that its workforce behaves ethically and lawfully. It promotes a strong focus on the Code of Ethics throughout the force. The force is developing a leadership strategy, framework and programme which will set out the chief constable’s expectations about standards of behaviour. It does not have an ethics committee, but the professional reference group provides an external forum where ethical dilemmas can be discussed. However, more could be done to encourage a wider conversation of everyday ethical dilemmas to promote ethical decision making at all levels.

The force needs to reduce the backlog in vetting its workforce so that all officers and staff have up-to-date security clearance. The existing plan to address this backlog will need to be revised because the force is merging its vetting database with that of Sussex Police.

Surrey Police has made it easier for members of the public to make a complaint and has improved how they can do this by using its website. Complaints can also be made by letter, phone and social media and at police front counters. However, the information on making a complaint is only available in English.

The force needs to improve the way it provides information and regular updates to complainants but it is good at informing them of the final outcome of their complaint. . It is also good at identifying and responding to potential discrimination, but could do more to investigate the complaints involving allegations of discrimination more thoroughly.

Surrey Police requires improvement in some aspects of the way in which it treats its workforce with fairness and respect. The force seeks feedback from its workforce, for example at communication events and through its online forum, but many are reluctant to express their views publicly. Despite the range of activities the force uses to identify workforce concerns, including regular staff surveys, it does not publicise the changes it makes in response and therefore is missing an opportunity to show that it listens to its workforce and takes positive action to address their concerns.

The force recognises that it has a disproportionately low number of black, Asian and minority ethnic people, and women in its workforce and is addressing potential disproportionality in recruitment, retention and progression of staff with protected characteristics.

Many officers and staff do not know about the force’s wellbeing projects because they are not well publicised. The projects are often based at headquarters, making access to them difficult for many people. The force could do more to take preventative and early action to improve workforce wellbeing. Supervisors have not been given sufficient training to recognise early warning signs and make appropriate referrals for support. Senior leaders are aware that the workforce is feeling stretched, but we found that the workforce do not feel that their welfare is a concern to the force.

The force’s approach to managing and developing individual performance remains inconsistent, although the use of PDR has improved since our last inspection and supervisors are generally aware of the importance of having regular conversations with officers and staff. Grievances are often being dealt with informally, which means that actions are not recorded and as a result some members of the workforce have little confidence in the grievance process.

The selection processes for development opportunities and temporary promotions are also inconsistent and are perceived to be unfair by the officers and staff we spoke to.