Operation Hotton recommendations - Metropolitan Police Service, September 2021

Yes

The Metropolitan Police Service (“MPS”) has reviewed and accepts this recommendation by the IOPC. 

Since 2018, the MPS has made significant changes which includes investment in inclusive leadership campaigns, management training, our grievance and mediation framework and upskilling of leaders. We will review current channels and processes to identify whether these need refreshing or re-communicating in order to address bullying and aggressive behaviour. 

This is included in the Commissioner’s ‘Rebuilding Trust’ plan under ‘Improving our Culture’. Actions include, upskilling 10,000 leaders across the MPS on ‘Inclusive Leadership’ and the ‘Operation Signa’ programme (a programme to tackle sexual harassment and misogyny in the MPS) which will work to ensure our people actively intervene and challenge inappropriate behaviour. This is built on the feedback from women in the MPS, to increase confidence in reporting sexual harassment and unacceptable conduct. 

The MPS has comprehensive systems and processes in place for reporting wider bullying and aggressive behaviours. These are clearly signposted on our Human Resource’s advice pages on our internal website and include; the ‘Right Line’, a facility for officers and staff to anonymously report wrongdoing or crime to the Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS); Crime Stoppers and direct to the IOPC. These have recently been strengthened under the MPS ‘Raising Concerns’ Policy. 

‘Knowing the Line’ is an initiative that deals specifically with sexual harassment, supporting the NPCC campaign ‘Know the Line’. This makes clear that sexual harassment is ‘completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated at any level.’ There are also regular Bullying and harassment at work is unacceptable and it is recognised that this is even more serious given the difficult job that officers have to undertake and the likely abuse they may experience from the public when carrying out their frontline duties. communications, such as blogs that highlight specific relevant topics and issues, for example, the grievance process and informal resolution champions. 

The introduction of the PEQF (Policing Education Qualifications Framework) recruit training model has created a new landscape to manage in respect of recruit professional standards. We now run four different recruit training programmes delivered at six different geographical sites, four of which are outside the MPS estate. Most officers now complete their initial training out of uniform (the warrant card is issued in week 11). In support of robust independent accreditation, there is an integrated training delivery team comprising colleagues from the MPS, Babcock and the four Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). At any one time, we have approximately 1,200 in their initial foundation training. 

A range of interventions are in place focused on professional standards: 

• The introduction of a new three day recruit induction / engagement event with a strengthened focus on professional standards (including a presentation from the Deputy Commissioner). ‘Not In My Met’ content is now also covered.
• The DPS Prevention and Learning Team present to all recruits. Messages are reinforced by a Learning and Development Superintendent when recruits commence their HEI based training. This emphasises our personal responsibility to step forward and challenge wrong doing. If it feels wrong then you must say something. Recruits are made aware of all the mechanisms in place to report wrong doing. 
• Further specific inputs are provided at week 7, week 12 (BCU Familiarisation Week) and week 17 (immediately prior to Street Duties). These inputs are delivered as part of the curriculum by officers from Learning and Development. 
• A specific induction programme has been created for Tutor Constables and Tutor Sergeants to ensure the transition from central training to BCU retains the appropriate focus on recruit professional standards. Under Year 2 growth, 24 additional police sergeant posts have been built into Front Line Policing for recruit line management.
• Recruit line managers (sergeants) are based permanently at all HEI sites to focus on recruit professional standards, performance and welfare. The recruit training Target Operating Model approved by MPS Management Board under the PEQF Full Business Case, affords a 1:90 sergeant to recruit ratio for the first 20 weeks. Additional sergeants are being mobilised (pressure posts) to ensure we hold this ratio under Year 3 of uplift.
• A monthly Performance and Assessment Board ensures central oversight of recruit performance throughout their probation period under all training pathways. This includes central oversight of professional standards issues / themes, resignations as well as the use of Regulation 13 of the Police Regulations 2003 in support of consistency and proportionality. This feeds into a monthly joint agency Service Review Board chaired by the Director, Learning. 

The MPS systems for recording cases of grievance, misconduct and employment tribunals enable us to identify and monitor trends and to share this information at both local and Chief Officer Group levels and to intervene where there are issues of concern. A risk management approach is used to triage grievances to further identify patterns and provide support to management teams, upskilling them to deal with behavioural issues.

A recent improvement has been the implementation of a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued by our Grievance Management Team (GMT). This provides clarification on channels for officers and staff to raise concerns and guidance as to whether grievance is appropriate, or whether an alternative process should be used. Grievance (and deputy) Single Points of Contact (SPOC) have been appointed to each business area and are available to provide advice and support. They receive annual training and are building this capability, networking and sharing of learning through a Microsoft Teams channel and training is being extended to line managers. A data ‘dashboard’ is circulated monthly to these SPOC’s who sit on local Senior Leadership Team meetings and use this data to highlight themes and trends so that appropriate action can be taken. The GMT meets quarterly with HR Business Partners to highlight risks and trends to be discussed within Chief Officer Groups. 

This recommendation aligns with planned continuous improvement activities with the Grievance framework. Our recently launched new SOP clearly defines roles and responsibilities and has seen us increase the volume of independent assessors. We will ensure we continue to communicate and assure complainants regarding the independence of the process. We acknowledge the feedback in regard to training. Whilst input regarding intolerance and discrimination has been covered within previous training packages, we will work with providers to ensure this is fit for purpose and increase the level of input if required. 

We will undertake this work as part of the roll out of our training programme (from April 2022). We agree that building transparency and confidence in the grievance process is a high priority for us. We can see the value in better reporting outcomes and will incorporate this within our action plan for 2022/2023 and are relaunching a satisfaction survey to inform this work. Lastly, we note the comments regarding reviewing cases with senior leaders and staff associations. Such a forum already exists and we will review the terms of reference and frequency to ensure this remains fit for purpose. We are keen to share learning across the MPS and continue to explore ways to enhance this approach. Sharing learning from grievances and employment tribunals will be incorporated within the new organisational learning app being developed. 

In addition, and in support of the Grievance Management Team, the MPS remain the only police service in the country who has a dedicated Discrimination Investigation Unit (DIU) within the Directorate of Professional Standards. Their work encompasses all allegations of bullying and harassment in the workplace when at a level of gross misconduct or linked to a grievance or employment tribunal. Considerable steps have been taken to improve the communication and the working relationship between the HR led Grievance Management Team and the Employment Tribunal Team. This includes bi-monthly meetings to discuss cases, revised tri-unit working instructions and process maps to ensure every element of the concern is addressed by the most appropriate unit.

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

The Metropolitan Police Service (“MPS”) has reviewed and accepts this recommendation by the IOPC. 

The MPS is anti-racist and does not tolerate racism. In fact, the MPS does not tolerate discrimination in any form. 

The MPS has spent many years working to eradicate racism within the organisation in a range of ways since the Macpherson Report’s publication in 1999, best documented in our regular and published returns to the Home Affairs Select Committee (HASC). Most recently in 2019 the MPS made a full submission to the HASC on our progress against the 27 relevant recommendations of Macpherson. In July 2020, the Commissioner appeared before the HASC and confirmed her position that ‘we have come an enormous way’ since Macpherson. There is a lot of activity that has been undertaken, and will be continued to be undertaken, set against the Report’s recommendations. 

The MPS has publically stated that it has a zero-tolerance approach to racism. DAC Javid (MPS Professionalism) recently stated on BBC Newsnight (February 2022): “Let me be really clear on this: there’s absolutely no room for racism in policing, and especially here in the Metropolitan Police. We made that very, very clear to our people, anyone who works for us and demonstrates any type of racism or discrimination behaviour will be removed from the organisation…You know, we’ve done a huge amount of work over a long period of time to make it one absolutely clear stance for anti-racism, and zero tolerance on any form of discrimination”. This was widely reported by mainstream media channels. 

Met Direction makes clear that the principles of fairness, championing difference and diversity; creating an open and reflective culture and caring for each other are at the forefront of our strategic vision. 

Our priority to ‘mobilise partners and the public’ states that, ‘we will work harder to earn the trust of more young people and ethnic minority communities.’ This is reinforced in the recent update to the strategy to focus on ‘improving trust and confidence.’ It is also underpinned by the Met Business Plan, which describes the key activities to progress this strategy. Our position on not tolerating racism (or other kinds of discrimination) is made clear to officers and staff when they join the MPS. This includes ‘unintended’ and ‘misunderstood’, as well as overt discrimination. This is reinforced by mandatory training on racism awareness, diversity and inclusivity. Recruit and promotion training includes input on challenging and reporting inappropriate behaviour and officers on promotion also receive training on unconscious bias. 

Our Strategy for Inclusion, Diversity and Engagement (STRIDE) has been refreshed as STRIDE 25. This is in line with recommendations from the Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) inspection in 2020. It also directly supports the Mayor’s Action Plan which aims at increasing the transparency, accountability and trust in policing, particularly among London’s Black communities. It provides commitments set against four key themes underpinned by an Action Plan with 16 commitments, each with a senior lead reporting progress to MPS Management Board, a declaration that ‘our pace must accelerate’ and ambitious targets to be achieved by March 2022. This work has a strong governance and delivery framework. 

Our 16 Commitments, by theme, are: 

Protection: The MPS’s core mission is to keep London safe for everyone. We achieve this through preventing crime, solving crime – which prevents further crime – and protecting people from a range of harms. 

1) We will confront those who cause pain and fear through hate crime.
2) We will work proactively with communities to reduce violence by building trust. 
3) We will work with partners to reduce criminal victimisation of those who are most disadvantaged. 
4) We will work with partners to increase opportunities to divert people away from offending. 

Engagement: The relationships between the police and the public in London are strong – and there is always more to do to improve them. Every day our officers and staff are working to strengthen those relationships, to speak to, and hear from, the breadth of London’s diverse populations. We want the MPS to be a trusted and effective social institution so we will engage with communities and partners about the challenges London faces and how we can address these together, as well as how we can make a wider positive contribution to society and support the values that matter to Londoners. 

5) We will ensure that every ward has a ward panel which people can engage with online. 
6) We will transform our two way communication with the public. 
7) We will engage with, understand and celebrate all of London’s communities.
8) We will make more relevant equalities information available to all. 

Equality: Working together as a diverse organisation will help us break down systemic and institutional challenges inside and outside our organisation and make London a safer city. It will help us increase public trust across all groups in London. It will mean that all our people, with all the diversity and commonality that they bring, will thrive. 

9) We will work with communities and partners to achieve our recruitment, retention and progression aspirations for those from under-represented groups. 
10) We will work to ensure that our people feel included and that they are treated with fairness and respect. 
11) We will continue to reduce disproportionality in our internal processes. 
12) We will improve the inclusion and confidence of our Disabled officers and staff members. 

Learning: Our overall Met Strategy, The Met Direction, sets out learning as one of our most important priorities. 

13) We will develop a generation of inclusive leaders. 
14) We will improve our response to complaints from the public. 
15) We will make community engagement central in our use of powers. 
16) We will increase transparency and understanding of our use of powers. 

The Commissioner chairs the Inclusion, Diversity and Engagement Management Board which meets every six weeks and provides oversight on performance. Diversity and Inclusion is also a key agenda item for the People and Learning Board, chaired by Chief of Corporate Services, and Performance Delivery Board, chaired by the Deputy Commissioner. The MPS is committed to equality for all, whether due to formally protected characteristics or otherwise, and each action and commitment area is reviewed regularly at STRIDE Boards. To maximise public awareness of this work and show its priority to the MPS, we will publish publically annual action updates.

The current STRIDE Strategy is directly linked to the work of the Deputy Commissioner’s Delivery Group (DCDG), which was established in 2020 as a time-limited group focused on improving the confidence of the Black community. The confidence of the Black community in policing, notably the MPS, is recognised as an area of historical importance; the murder of Stephen Lawrence being pivotal in that history. Reflecting on the Macpherson Report has been part of the DCDG Delivery Plan. 

The DCDG function remains in place and is delivering the Mayor’s Action Plan alongside other MPS actions. Its oversight is maintained internally by the Deputy Commissioner directly as well as through relevant MPS/MOPAC Boards. This is complemented by quarterly public meetings, where the progress and detail of the Mayor’s Action Plan are shared and feedback obtained. 

The MPS promotes the Code of Ethics and the MPS Values that both set out standards and principles on race and diversity. Failure to comply with these high standards and allegations of racism by members of the public or internally by MPS officers or staff, are treated very seriously. The MPS is the only police service which has a dedicated Discrimination Investigations Unit (DIU). 

The DIU is part of the DPS and investigates discrimination allegations, whether made by a member of the public or a MPS officer or member of staff. It works closely with the Grievance Management Team which deals with all internal grievances. The Discrimination Thematic Working Group (which includes DPS, Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC), Crime Prevention, Inclusion and Engagement, Independent Advisory Group and Learning and Development) monitors outcomes from complaints of discrimination and supports implementation of recommendations from the IOPC race thematic review. Research conducted by MOPAC in 2015, found that Black , Asian and Multiple Ethnic Heritage officers were twice as likely as White officers to be the subject of a misconduct investigation. The MPS has made changes which aim to improve consistency of decision making in this area and to promote early management intervention to prevent escalation to misconduct. 

The MPS has been criticised also for disproportionality in the use of force, handcuffs, stop and search and Taser in respect of Black, Asian and Multiple Ethnic Heritage communities. The Commissioner has frequently explained the challenge of seeking to drive down serious violence which disproportionately impacts on young Black males. These are nonetheless areas for improvement. 

We have actively worked to implement the Mayor’s Action Plan, with public updates released on the MOPAC website. The MPS has 23 actions under the plan, all of which are shown as either progress on track or complete. These cover a range of diversity and inclusion issues, including operational (stop and search, use of handcuffs and Taser), community confidence (development of a cultural awareness toolkit, reform of public complaints handling with confidence survey) and ambitious recruitment targets for officers from under-represented ethnic groups. 

We seek to achieve 16% Black, Asian and Multiple Ethic Heritage officer recruitment by next year, rising to 28% by 2030. This means Page 28 of 53 40% of officer recruits being from Black, Asian and Multiple Ethnic Heritage communities over the next decade. In 2021, the MPS introduced Outreach teams, supported by recruitment specialists, on all 12 Basic Command Units (BCUs) dedicated to work in the community to recruit Black, Asian and Multiple Ethnic Heritage and women officers. Recruitment events are held in locations such as high footfall areas, transport hubs, shopping malls and places of worship. Events have also been held in higher and further education establishments, schools, and in partnership with external groups and community forums. Analysis has indicated that community and large scale four day events have been most successful. The effective use of the cultural calendar enables the teams to plan events in advance and brigade the support of volunteers from the London Safety Centre, Cadets and Specials and Staff Support Associations making this a truly collaborative effort. 

Over the past 12 months, over 20% of Black Female (our biggest recruitment challenge) applicants heard about the police officer vacancy from Outreach. 27% of Black Female applicants spoke only to an Outreach member before making an application. It is within this group the biggest impact has been seen. Similar successes are seen for Black candidates as a whole (22%), Female candidates (14%) and Asian Female applicants (17.3%). The highlighted percentage of each group of these candidates spoke only to an Outreach member before making an application. We have sought to strike the balance between getting sufficient candidates from London to apply, whilst also ensuring we continue to attract more broadly for the skills and experience we require for some of our more specialist pathways.

Yes

Yes

Yes

The Metropolitan Police Service (“MPS”) has reviewed and accepts this recommendation by the IOPC. 

In June 2021, the MPS launched the ‘Raising Concerns Policy’. This brings together a number of existing policies to provide clarity to officers and staff on the requirement to report wrongdoing and the methods through which to do this. This widens the scope of the previous ‘Whistleblowing’ policy to include ‘anyone who raises any concern to anyone.’ It sets out clear responsibilities for line managers and the expectation that anyone who raises a concern in good faith will be listened to and supported. It reinforces the flexible range of options for reporting improper conduct. 

These include contact with line managers, direct contact with the DPS Intelligence Bureau, the Right Line telephone and online reporting (including anonymous reporting), Crime Stoppers Integrity Line and the IOPC. The ‘Raising Concerns Policy’ is available on the MPS internal website via both the Rebuilding Trust and Professional Stands portals. 

This has been reinforced under the Deputy Commissioner’s priority to ‘actively intervene and challenge’ which clearly states ‘to earn the trust of the public it is not enough to behave professionally we must all actively intervene and take appropriate action to challenge or report it. We are all part of the solution to ensuring high professional standards are maintained and creating an environment where wrong doing is not tolerated’. 

Training on this policy, and the systems and processes that underpin it, have been delivered to local Professional Standards Units and is part of the regular training input that the DPS Prevention and Learning Team delivers.

The DPS Prevention and Learning Team has an MPS wide commitment to improve public trust and confidence in the MPS’s professional standards. The team deliver professional standards presentations to newly recruited police probationers, Metropolitan Special Constabulary and police staff, newly promoted police officers up to and including the rank of superintendent and officers transferring into the MPS from other police forces. 

In addition, the team are often asked to deliver presentations to existing officers on locally facilitated professional development days. Presentations are tailored to the audience, but they all include core delivery of the Raising Concerns Policy and the National Police Chief Council (NPCC) key threats (STUDIOS: Sexual misconduct, including abuse of position for sexual purpose; Theft and fraud; Unauthorised disclosure of police information; Drugs use and supply; Inappropriate associations; Organised crime and Social media). The presentations encourage audience engagement, with the inclusion of scenario and case study led learning, concluding with a dedicated question and answer session. In addition, dedicated Professionalism Chief Inspector posts are now in place in all 12 Basic Command Units (BCU’s). 

Their role has a specific focus on driving better professional standards, including:

 • Supporting the BCU Commander to lead and ensure effective oversight of standards across all aspects of local activity.
 • Setting standards, identifying risks and ensuring a timely and effective response to improving standards across all operational areas (uniform, behaviour, buildings, vehicle fleet and equipment).

• Raising awareness and educating in standards, ensuring any organisational learning is shared and acted on. 
• Driving a culture where standards matter and implementing an appropriate performance management framework to identify areas of risk. 
• Overseeing a local communications and engagement strategy to explain expectations, communicate the rationale and ensure understanding amongst the workforce. 
• Where necessary, addressing poor standards and ensuring appropriate action is taken at the individual, team and BCU level. 
• Leading the local BCU Professional Standards Unit and undertaking the role of Appropriate Authority. 
• Acting as Organisational Learning specific point of contact. 

The Commissioner’s ‘Rebuilding Trust’ plan under ‘Improving our Culture’ includes: 

• The “Not in My Met” campaign where all officers and staff have been spoken to regarding the standards we expect, their role in rooting out inappropriate behaviour and clear guidance on where to go and get support and report all wrongdoing. We have launched the ‘Not in my Met’ tile on the MPS internal website home page, signposting key messages and materials / support for managers and staff. 
• Upskilling 10,000 leaders across the organisation on ‘Inclusive leadership’. 
• Operation ‘Signa’ programme which will work to ensure our people actively intervene and challenge all inappropriate behaviour. 

The MPS will make it clear as part of our attraction and recruitment process for officers, staff, volunteers and contingent workers what we expect in terms of values and standards. We will enhance our hiring manager guidance to support hiring managers with selection so they clearly assess that candidates’ values and behaviours align with those of the MPS. 

The MPS Learning and Development Command are currently updating the corporate induction packs and supervisory training.
 

Yes

The Metropolitan Police Service (“MPS”) has reviewed and accepts this recommendation by the IOPC. 

The MPS accepts this recommendation and points to policy that is already in place to address this. Our ‘Raising Concerns Policy’ makes clear the responsibility of all staff to raise concerns when they identify unethical or unprofessional behaviour by a colleague, irrespective of rank, grade or role. It confirms that such behaviour should never be ignored and that the same professional standards apply whether an individual is on or off duty and communicating in person or online. We do recognise that, in order to achieve the aims of this policy, there is a requirement to understand the reasons why staff on occasion fail to raise concerns at an early stage. To address this, the following additional changes are proposed to identify officers and staff who have ‘failed to raise concerns’ and the reasons for this:

 • Met Form MM1 (used for reporting misconduct) has a section, ‘Reporter of Wrongdoing’, which documents the information provided and makes clear that the reporter is to be properly supported. It does not have a specific section to identify occasions where staff have been identified for failing to report. A ‘Failing to Report’ section could identify officers or staff where there is an indication that they knew of certain events or behaviours that should have been reported, but were not. This section should include the reasons, if known, why they failed to report.

This will assist the Appropriate Authority in their decision-making as to whether that person should be dealt with by reflected practice or investigation for misconduct or on occasion, for criminality. Outcomes would be assessed for wider organisational learning. There is a review of the current MM1 as part of a wider work to deliver the future Professional Standards operating model.

• Centurion is the system used by DPS to record complaints and misconduct. It includes an ‘organisational learning’ page. DPS investigators will be directed to include in their closing report, occasions where witnesses have been identified who are police officers and staff and who should have raised concerns earlier and the reasons why they failed to do so. This information could will then be recorded on Centurion to better understand underlying themes and to help identify mitigations. This is being explored under current work to improve use of Centurion. 

• Specific guidance should be developed for Appropriate Authorities as to when officers and staff might be considered for misconduct for failing to report. However, it is important to acknowledge that the MPS supports a learning culture through processes such as reflective practice and encouraging staff to raise concerns through a variety of overt and discrete reporting systems.

 • The above changes would have oversight under the DPS Organisation Learning team, which already has responsibility for collating identified learning from DPS cases. A new performance category of ‘raising concerns’ could be created to identify best practice of what encouraged staff to report, or prevented them from doing so. This would then be cascaded through the Professional Standards Units across the MPS to drive improvements. 

• It is important that any focus on failure to report does not set back recent progress in staff confidence in reporting. Each case should be decided on its own facts and must be proportionate to the gravity of the principal matter reported. In addition, guidance should consider the subject of the allegation and whether they hold a more senior position over the officer or staff member reporting, as this may have influenced why a report was not made. 

In February 2022, the Directorate of Professional Standards launched a new Learning Through Reflection scheme. 

The process is designed to promote greater use of line manager led reflective practice, supporting the MPS’s priority of developing a culture of learning, listening to feedback and intervening early to encourage small changes in behaviour, and where necessary, identify training needs. 

The scheme is not part of the legislated misconduct or performance processes although it is aligned with guidance laid down by the Home Office and College of Policing on the wider use of reflective practice within the police service.
 

Yes

The Metropolitan Police Service (“MPS”) has reviewed and accepts this recommendation by the IOPC. 

The health and wellbeing of people is one of the five priority areas for the Commander of Central West Basic Command Unit. There is a dedicated Chief Inspector (Westminster Neighbourhood Policing Team) leading the wellbeing pillar of their people strategy. Wellbeing days are held with Charing Cross Officers and Occupational Health Services are on hand. 

In respect of Leicester Square, the MPS would like to point out that this specific team no longer works permanent night duty, but rather performs a range of early, late and night shifts. This reduces risks around permanent work in a night-time economy environment. The stresses and demands are challenging, but these are largely consistent with those in other areas of response policing in Westminster. Within Central West Command Unit they have introduced a Welfare Support Team, a Trauma Incident Management (TRIM) processes is in place, a robust review of Operation Hampshire (response to injuries to officers on duty) and a weekly governance processto review cross-strand resourcing for the West End. 

The MPS Senior Lead for Occupational Health and Wellbeing has, in liaison with the Chief Inspector Neighbourhoods for Central West Basic Command Unit, commenced a role related risk assessment against identified Front Line Policing roles to assess the psychological risk and requirements for psychological monitoring/additional support. This does not, however, include the roles already on our psychological monitoring programme.
 

Yes

The Metropolitan Police Service (“MPS”) has reviewed and accepts this recommendation by the IOPC. 

The MPS agree with the spirit of this recommendation. Improving our effective management and the visibility of middle to senior managers in general is being progressed by MPS Learning and Development. 

Our organisational design works on a principle of supervisory ratios. Over the last couple of years, as part of the Growing the Met Programme, we recognised that in some areas our supervisory ratios were becoming too large to effectively manage the number of new recruits. We have already added supervisors to frontline policing to create an additional 84 posts. We have reviewed supervisory ratios across the MPS and are awaiting Management Board decision for an agreement for an officer uplift to increase supervision as part of the MPS Year 3 Growth Uplift. It is anticipated this will be completed by March 31st 2023. 

Over the past couple of years we have significantly invested in leadership training to improve our supervision and support to officers. This includes the ‘Leading for London Programme’, an NCALT (online) Training package on ‘Inclusive Leadership’, Health and Safety Leadership Excellence Courses which are now mandatory for ranks from sergeant to chief superintendent, the ‘Leadership Framework’ underpinned by practical ‘toolkits’ and ‘Time to Talk’ campaign. 

We would also like to highlight changes in hand with our new ‘Blended Working’ policy. This reflects opportunities identified from policing through COVID, our Estates Strategy, enhanced digital capabilities and achieving the right work-life balance. The policy places emphasis on the role of supervisors; ‘visibility and accessibility’ of our leaders plays a key part in the efficient and operationally effective running of the MPS with a requirement for supervisors to spend an agreed and reasonable proportion the bulk of their time working flexibly across buildings in their Basic Command Units or Operational Command Units.
 

Yes

The Metropolitan Police Service (“MPS”) has reviewed and accepts this recommendation by the IOPC. 

The MPS has clear structures and processes for effective supervision. Supervision ratios are dependent on the roles of teams, and a lower ratio is used where teams are assessed to be managing more risk that requires more supervisor oversight and decision-making. 

This was strengthened by the ‘Leading for London’ programme delivered in 2018 - 2019 to ensure all our officers and staff, from first line managers to Management Board, understand the importance of good leadership and to provide quality training to improve our leadership skills and capabilities. The more recent ‘Inclusive Leadership’ programme builds upon this. 

On a local level, the BCU’s hold supervisor training days, where leadership values, positive culture and behaviour are discussed. In addition, the MPS has invested in Professionalism and Standards Chief Inspectors now posted to each Basic Command Unit (BCU) to improve ethics and standards of behaviour (see above). Presently, all staff and officers are expected to complete a performance review once a year, however, going forward there will be an expectation that line managers will have more regular conversations and record this. 
Specifically in relation to Central West BCU (Charing Cross Police Station), there are now: 
• Five dedicated inspectors leading the West End Team. 
• One chief inspector, providing leadership dedicated to the West End area. 
• A performance framework being developed to monitor officer output and outcomes regarding crime and anti-social behaviour in the West End. 
• Weekly West End Resource and tasking meetings against priorities, chaired by the Superintendent Neighbourhoods. 
• Each new officer joining Central West BCU is personally hand delivered a letter of expectations regarding high standards expected of them. West End Officers productivity is monitored by the Neighbourhood Superintendent with key performance indicators including, but not limited to, stops and searches, arrests, etc. 

The MPS currently has 19 Town Centre Teams (“TCT”) across the 12 Basic Command Units (BCUs). 

Each TCT provides monthly data on performance/work output for review. For example, arrests, stop and search, weapons/drugs seized and inclusive of proactive initiatives such as partnership policing, ‘trust and confidence’ activities, crime reduction and positive activity initiatives (PIAs) are all monitored. 

Each officer has a clear set of personal objectives recorded within the PDR (Personal Development Review) process which should include; 

• Contribution to MPS violence suppression and Violence Against Women and Girls strategy (VAWG).

• Contribution to the MPS Direction objective of detection of crime that results in demand reduction in the town centre area.

• Contribution to improving confidence, trust and legitimacy and personal development objective that links to the values of the MPS; Integrity, Professionalism, Courage and Compassion. 

These objectives are agreed and managed by sergeants and inspectors and reviewed quarterly.
 

Yes

The Metropolitan Police Service (“MPS”) has reviewed and accepts this recommendation by the IOPC. 

The MPS policy on ‘acting up’ is set out in on the MPS internal website under Knowledge Management Section of “MyHR”.

 ‘Acting up’ is a non-pensionable allowance available to those ‘acting up’ to work at a higher ranked role to manage a short-term vacancy of up to 56 days. 

For longer vacancies, temporary promotion should be used. The MPS policy is that officers that have completed the Objective Structured Performance Related Examination (OSPRE) / NPPF Legal Knowledge Exam will, in most circumstances, be given priority over non-qualified officers. 

The MPS will be reviewing guidance (to make expectations clearer for leaders) and compliance locally to assure ourselves this is being interpreted and implemented consistently as per the policy intent. 

We have recently introduced Career Development Leads (Chief Inspectors) on BCUs who are leading work to ensure we have a transparent and consistent process to identify officers for acting up opportunities. Currently this is being trialled in East Area, North East, Central North and South Area, although Front Line HQ Superintendents took part in a survey to understand disparity in approach in autumn 2021 and have since been briefed on the trial process. There is a strong desire to implement a structured process across all BCUs and Specialist Crime once evaluated.

The pilot process is designed to prepare applicants for substantive promotion processes through an online evidenced based competency and values application, and creates a select list which allows the HQ Superintendent to hold responsibility as a single point of contact for all acting promotion. Moderation and selection is overseen by internal engagement groups for transparency.