The Scottish Government

Listen

HM Inspectorate of Constabulary for Scotland
May 2005

ISBN 0 7559 1106 7 (Web only publication)

This document is also available in pdf format (380k)

Contents

1 INTRODUCTION

2. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
2.5 Summary of Progress against outstanding Recommendations/Suggestions

3. RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE 2001 PRIMARY INSPECTION

4. SUGGESTIONS OF THE 2001 PRIMARY INSPECTION

5. NATIONAL AND COLLEGE ISSUES
5.1 SPC response to the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000
5.2 Impact of modular training in Leadership and Management Division
5.3 SPC strategy and plans for managing its property
5.4 SPC commitment to Best Value
5.5 SPC approach to the Implementation of the Freedom of Information Act
5.6 SPC commitment to internal inspection
5.7 SPC approach to complaint handling
5.8 Development of a qualifications framework
5.9 SPC commitment to the Gender Agenda
5.10 SPC commitment to child protection training

6. THEMATIC UPDATE
6.1 SPC Response to "Safety First"?

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary ( HMIC) has a statutory duty under section 33(3) of the Police (Scotland) Act 1967 to report to the Scottish Ministers on the effectiveness and efficiency of the police service in Scotland. It discharges this duty through an inspection programme that involves primary and review inspections of forces and common police services and through conducting thematic inspections on areas of particular interest or concern.

1.2 Following a review of the inspection process in 2002, HMIC has moved to a five yearly inspection cycle. The primary inspection, which initiates the process, comprises a comprehensive examination of all aspects of forces/common services activity at a more strategic level with subsequent field work focusing on areas of business which attract particular attention due to performance levels, variations from common practice or concerns identified about the approaches followed. The process also seeks to identify good practice from which other forces or common services could learn. The primary inspection is followed by two review inspections at 18-month intervals. These focus on:

• progress against the recommendations made in the preceding primary inspection.
• progress against suggestions in the preceding primary inspection.
• progress against the recommendations made in recent thematic inspections.
• items nominated by the Scottish Police College regarding its current position and issues seen by the College as representing significant challenges in the future.
• national developments in policing.
• events or developments relevant to the College as identified through the environmental scanning process by HMIC Knowledge Management Unit.
• outcomes of the college's self-assessment and internal inspection work.
• outcomes of other external scrutiny, for example, Health and Safety Executive ( HSE) Inspections and Commission for Racial Equality ( CRE) reports.
• review of performance information - leading to a risk assessment led focus on any area seen as under-performing.

1.4 HMIC methodology for review inspections involves the preparation of an appropriate set of questions to address the issues selected from the list shown in paragraph 1.3. This facilitates a structured and relevant examination of the organisation and ensures the inspection is evidence based.

1.5 Under the new inspection schedule a review of the Colleges' response to the recommendations and suggestions contained within the primary inspection report was carried out in 2003. This Review Inspection includes the College's response to the recommendations and suggestions as at 2003 which resulted in 5 recommendations and 15 suggestions being discharged. The remainder have been re-visited and progress is reported on. HMIC recognises that the recommendations and suggestions require to be carefully considered by the College, often have resource implications and may need to be approached in a phased and prioritised way.

1.6 The Scottish Police College may choose not to follow or adopt an HMIC recommendation and set out an argued case for not doing so. In turn, HMIC may comment on this but the debate is a public one for the Common Police Services Programme Board, Scottish Ministers and the wider public to take a view.

1.7 This review, which is made public through the programme board and the HMIC website, contributes to the transparency and accountability of the Scottish Police College.

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

2.1 The Primary Inspection of Scottish Police College in 2001 identified a total of 7 recommendations and 18 suggestions. The 2003 review found that significant progress had been made by the College in addressing these and HMIC was able to discharge 5 recommendations and 15 suggestions. During the course of this review, HMIC found that all the remainder of the recommendations and suggestions had been addressed by the college and HMIC is able to discharge the remaining 2 recommendations and the 3 remaining suggestions.

2,2 As part of this Review Inspection, HMIC asked for the college to provide information on a number of topics, which were identified through the process described at paragraph 1.1. This resulted in the inspection protocol extending to include

While a more detailed analysis can be found later in this report, HMIC found that Scottish Police College is actively addressing each of these areas and demonstrating clear progress.

2.3 HMIC also sought an update on progress made against the recommendations of certain thematic inspections conducted since the Primary Inspection of Scottish Police College. HMIC found that the College has successfully addressed the relevant recommendation in the following report.

• "Safety First" (October 2003)

2.4 Summary of Progress against outstanding Recommendations/Suggestions

2.5 HMIC acknowledges the positive progress made in addressing the recommendations and suggestions of the Primary Inspection Report 2001 and clear evidence of progress made, as well as good practice, across the range of issues examined at paragraph 2.2 in particular:

• Best Value Review action planning
• successful external accreditation
• development of a qualifications framework.

2.6 The next inspection of Scottish Police College will be conducted during 2006, and at that time HMIC will revisit those areas identified within the review which are of continuing interest.

3. RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE 2001 PRIMARY INSPECTION

Recommendation 5 - HMIC recommends that in the future an appropriately qualified member of support staff hold the post of Head of Learning Support Division. (Paragraph 6.1)

SPC Position 2003

A similar recommendation was highlighted during the Best Value review of staffing. The division has however increased in size, and the future roles of the personnel within it combined with the growth in responsibilities, led the college to retain the Superintendent meantime. The College agrees with the suggestion for the future and will review the post again, when the current post holder completes his secondment. Meantime, a number of supervisory roles have been created, which have been filled by Civilian Support staff, this in turn has released police officers to other roles within the College

HMIC Comments 2003

Developments in the size and role of the Learning Support Division have clearly impacted upon this recommendation. HMIC notes that the College supports future management of the Division by a support staff member, and will revisit this recommendation at the next Review Inspection.

SPC Position 2005

Since the initial inspection report in 2001, there have been significant changes to the size, role and structure of Learning Support Division. The Deputy Head of Division is now a member of support staff. The department has undergone a review, with six internal units being created to deal with the different aspects of the work. Five of these units are managed by support staff.

The role of the Division has evolved significantly and in more recent years has been involved in the following new areas of activity:

• Pro-active research (funded by the Scottish Executive) leading to the publication of a Labour Market Analysis report, on recruitment and training issues impacting on the service from 2003 to 2011;
• The accreditation of police training, with the first graduates (Probationer Officers) due to receive their award of Certificate Higher Education in Policing in October 2005;
• Wider opportunities to develop and modernise police training through a qualification framework, leading ultimately to a Degree in Police Leadership and Management, currently being considered by ACPOS.

In addition to developments in the foregoing areas, the wider training and development environment has changed, which requires a strategic overview from a policing perspective, as well as a training & development perspective.

Some of the activities associated with this are:

• Moderator for police qualifications;
• Chief Examiner for Police (Scotland) Promotion Examinations;
• Organisational understanding in terms of the training cycle and the relevance of Skills Assessment Exercises, Examinations, Training Needs Analysis & Overall Assessments;
• Representing the Police service in Scotland on the Skills for Justice, Police Licensing & Accreditation Board ( UK) and the Qualifications Committee (Scotland);
• Through these processes there has been greater involvement and liaison with awarding bodies such as Napier & Stirling Universities and the Scottish Qualifications Authority ( SQA), all of whom expect police officer involvement at a senior level;
• Greater involvement in international work, with particular reference to areas involving training and developing chief police officers (Latvia, China and Guyana), in joint projects with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Scottish Executive and other private companies. Much of this work has attracted funding from both European Union and Government bodies.

The level and range of involvement, plus the significance of areas of development, argues for the retention of a Police Officer as Head of this Division, with the able support from a far wider range of qualified and experienced support staff than ever before.

Previously the Sergeant post within the Exams Validation Unit was transferred to a support staff role. However, recently there has been a need to second a Sergeant from Probationer Training Division, to provide the required level of police knowledge necessary to validate the examination questions. This will continue to be monitored, to assess if this decision can be reversed in the future.

HMIC Comments 2005

HMIC notes the College's current stance in relation to the post of Head of Learning Support Division and the evidence now put forward in support of retaining a police officer as head. The College previously accepted HMIC's recommendation and indeed this was validated by its own best value review of staffing carried out in 2002 which argued that "there is no absolute need for any of the staff of this division to be police officers". It is acknowledged that the College has positively embraced the creation of a staffing environment that fills posts by police and support staff based on a range of factors including the nature and purpose of the role, cost effectiveness and consideration of appropriate qualifications. As proof, the current division has developed over the last decade from one where staff were almost exclusively police officers to one where staff are almost exclusively support staff.

The current Head of Learning Support Division is due to finish his secondment and return to force in September this year. From discussion it is clear that there is not a significant pool of suitably qualified police officers with both operational experience and specialist qualifications/knowledge, from which to select a replacement which presents difficulties for the College's current position. While HMIC recognises that the College has given consideration to the recommendation the opportunity will arise in September to reassess the case for an appropriately qualified member of support staff to hold the post of Head of Learning Support Division. HMIC will be interested to see the outcome of the recruitment process. Accepting however that the College has given the recommendation due consideration, HMIC feels able to discharge same. The next Primary Inspection of the College is scheduled to take place in the second half of 2006 and HMIC will again have the opportunity to examine staffing issues at the College within the wider context of the Common Police Services review, the outcome of which should by then be finalised.

Recommendation 7 - HMIC recommends that surveillance training be reviewed against the developing importance of the National Intelligence Model and be resourced to meet that need. (Paragraph 6.21)

SPC Position 2003

The current position at the Scottish Police College is that in conjunction with the Scottish Surveillance Users Group, a review of training has been undertaken. A bid for funding is currently being presented to the Scottish Executive for consideration.

If successful it will allow for a package of five key surveillance training courses to be delivered in Scotland for Scottish Officers in a manner that is consistent with Best Practice in England and Wales. The Scottish Police College intends to develop a partnership with the National Specialist Law Enforcement Centre, which delivers such training in England and Wales.

HMIC Comments 2003

The progress made in conducting a review of surveillance training is recognised and acknowledged. In view of the funding currently being sought to resource the resulting proposals, HMIC will revisit this recommendation at the next Review Inspection.

SPC Position 2005

The Scottish Police College has now entered the proposed partnership agreement with the National Specialist Law Enforcement Centre ( NSLEC) at Wyboston. Training staff from this establishment attended at the College and delivered re-skilling training to the current surveillance trainers in Scotland during July 2004.

The three week level one course delivered at the College since 1996, has now been replaced by the new four week National Surveillance Course, which is recognised as the most relevant and up to date training available for potential surveillance officers.

The Specialised Training Centre (Previously known as the Covert Policing Unit), is now resourced by a Detective Inspector and three additional Detective Sergeants, allowing for a full range of courses to be run and future developments to be assessed and planned for.

The College supported the funding of two of the Detective Sergeant posts within the unit, while the third post, with a specific role in relation to Counter-Terrorism training is separately funded from a special grant by the Scottish Executive. One additional Administration post has also been created to support this unit; however this post has not currently been filled.

HMIC Comments 2005

HMIC notes and welcomes the developments detailed in the College's response. From discussion with the head of Crime Management Division and the Detective Inspector in charge of the Specialist Training Centre ( STC) it is clear that a number of positive benefits have already started to flow from the agreement with NSLEC such as a reskilling of surveillance trainers throughout Scotland and the provision of training material. In addition the STC is now adequately resourced and offers a wide range of training courses. Additional vehicles and equipment including an appropriate communications system have been or will be delivered during 2005.

HMIC notes that developments have also taken place in relation to the delivery of counter terrorism training. A dedicated detective sergeant's post to co-ordinate such training has been created using short term funding supplied by the Scottish Executive. To date 2 courses have been held and 30 Senior Investigation Officers throughout Scotland have received training. A business case for continued funding has been made and will be submitted to the Scottish Executive in due course for consideration. HMIC will be interested to see the outcome of deliberations.

4. SUGGESTIONS OF THE 2001 PRIMARY INSPECTION

No 1 - It is less clear to what extent, and how, the Board can be satisfied that the training outcomes are delivered to the extent that service delivery is of an appropriate standard and continuously developed. HMIC suggests that this is an issue for the Board to discuss now and be central to the Review of Common Police Services. (Paragraph 2.1)

SPC Position 2003

Training outcomes of service delivery are measured as part of the ongoing evaluation process. Details of these evaluations are passed to the Board at regular meetings. Reporting progress will be subject of discussion when the Review of Common Police services has been completed.

HMIC Comments 2003

The ongoing evaluation of service delivery and the reporting line to the Board is acknowledged. In view of the ongoing Review of Common Police Services, this suggestion will be revisited at the next Review Inspection.

SPC Position 2005

At this time the Review of Common Police Services has not advanced to a stage where it has been able to offer a great deal of impact on this suggestion. The College Executive prepares and presents an information report for each meeting of the Common Police Services Programme Board. This is designed to inform the Board of the progress made by the College against its objectives and business areas.

However, in addition, the College would offer the following information in relation to the current evaluation processes within the College.

Significant work has and continues to take place within Probationer Training Division:

Courses are all subject to continual critical evaluation from students, Probationer Training Division ( PTD) staff, Learning Support Division ( LSD) staff, Forces and outside bodies to ensure that training/learning outcomes are satisfactorily met and that the highest possible quality of training provision is delivered.

Full consultation is maintained via the ACPOS committee structure and more recently a training users group with full Force representation, in recognition of the varied demands on the Training Sub-Committee, was created to allow detailed discussion of the Probationer Training Programme and feedback on Force observations and requirements.

Students are afforded the opportunity at Students' Forums to discuss their needs and ideas and, at the end of course, to participate in a structured debrief. Probationer Training staff are actively encouraged to submit their own ideas for continuous improvement during courses and take part in structured debriefs.

Learning Support Division staff conduct evaluations on behalf of Probationer Training Division: including disseminating & collating Student Reaction Questionnaire; steering Focus Group structured debriefs; validating formative and summative assessments; evaluating the delivery of inputs; and distributing & collating the results of Workplace Evaluation Questionnaires which explore how well the Initial Training Course has prepared officers for their operational duties.

As part of the Scottish Police College's partnership with Stirling University, the entire Probationer Training Programme is subject to an ongoing process of evaluation and assessment to ensure the robustness of processes, with academic scrutiny being provided by The Stirling University Academic Advisor and an external assessor from another UK university. This process is managed through a formal Examinations Board, which looks at the development of the programme as well as administration and staff performance with particular regard to assessment.

The various evaluations are monitored and recommendations made for further action in keeping with the College pledge to respond to Force and National needs. Particular examples can be seen in: the recent inclusion of inputs on the National Standard Statement both in the Initial Training Course and the Reconvention Course. This was to meet a national need and Probationer Training Division consultation with individual forces to maximise the correct completion of Student Developmental Needs forms for the Reconvention period. This ensured that Force's and individual officer's needs were properly addressed.

In addition, the other Training Divisions continue to undertake reaction evaluations of their individual courses to inform the continuous improvement processes within their areas of responsibility, and to ensure the needs and expectations of students are met. This information is then fed to Corporate Support as required for statistical purposes.

In regard to roads policing, the Road Policing Training Committee, which involves members of ACPOS, the college executive and roads policing staff, meets twice yearly to ensure that necessary reviews and evaluations are carried out. This body establishes the relevance of training outcomes and implements change for continuous improvement.

This is against a backdrop of the HMI report of the Scottish Police College (1999), which recommended that the number of evaluations conducted should be reduced. At that time evaluations were undertaken for some courses each time they were run, while for other courses very little was done in the way of formal evaluation.

A new process was established which ensured that each course was evaluated regularly, however, the number of times and type of evaluation conducted (Level 1-4 of the Kirkpartick Model) was determined by the frequency of which the course was delivered. The Scottish Police College Training Evaluation Policy documented this process and was approved by ACPOS P&T and the Quality Assurance Committee.

Up until the summer of 2004 training was evaluated in accordance with this policy. However, due to temporary shortfalls in staffing and a significant increase in the volume and variety of courses, it was no longer possible to meet the previously specified level of evaluations. Divisional Heads were consulted and asked to identify those courses that must be evaluated (at reaction and workplace). All evaluations requested by divisions have been conducted, however, the publishing of some reports have been delayed.

A significant weakness to the process is the Information Technology package upon which the evaluation questionnaire is created and the data scanned and analysed. Both the equipment and the technology are out of date and not functioning consistently. A replacement will cost approx £20K and this has been included in the 2005/6 budget bid.

New staff are now in place within Learning Support Division and work is underway to create an achievable schedule for 2005/6. In addition a Quality Assurance Sub Committee, which is an internal College mechanism, was recently established to assist the College in its preparation to achieve Credit Rating status under the Scottish Credit & Qualifications Framework.

The Board will undertake quality assurance work, similar to that undertaken in Higher Educational establishments by Programme Boards and Examination Committees. This is entirely necessary to ensure that quality mechanisms in place at the College are, at least equal to, those in Higher Education establishments. Only by ensuring that this is the case, and that our assessment methods meet our designed outcomes, will the College be in a position to achieve Credit Rating status, and thereby the ability to level and rate courses delivered in-house, in the near future.

This internal Quality Assurance Sub Group will work in tandem with the external Quality Assurance Committee, who will retain an overview of quality for the benefit of the Scottish Police Service.

However, this suggestion seems to imply a much wider evaluation of service delivery. Potentially this is a huge undertaking and lies, more realistically, with the Forces. Findings from Performance Statistics could be utilised to partially meet this objective.

HMIC Comments 2005

HMIC notes and welcomes the comprehensive response. There have been a number of significant developments around evaluation. In particular a Quality Assurance Committee chaired by a representative of ACPOS, and with staff association representatives, has been established. Its remit includes ensuring quality control mechanisms are appropriate, advising the then Board of Governors (now Common Police Services Programme Board) on matters of validation and accreditation of courses and examining course evaluation, feedback and review procedures and reports. In addition HMIC notes the involvement of Stirling University in the delivery of probationer training. Successful completion of probationer training now leads to an award of a Certificate of Higher Education in Policing validated by the University. Further independent oversight of probationer training is provided by an external examiner from a separate academic institution. Outwith probationer training ongoing work between the Scottish Qualifications Agency and the College, detailed later in this report (paragraph 5.8), is intended to develop a credit rating framework for courses delivered by the College.

HMIC acknowledges that the current governance arrangements for the College are an interim measure pending the outcome of the Common Police Services review with the CPS Programme Board undertaking the role of the Board of Governors. It is anticipated that, subject to ongoing consultation on proposals for legislation, during the second half of 2005, a Police Bill will lead to new permanent arrangements. In the interim HMIC is satisfied that this suggestion can be discharged. The effectiveness of new governance arrangements will be examined during the 2006 Primary Inspection.

No 9 - As regards the employment arrangements for support staff, HMIC recognises the goodwill and effort made by Fife Council, the (now) Scottish Executive and the SPC to make the best of 'awkward' arrangements. For example Fife Council fixes pay and gradings, the Chief Constable has a legal responsibility for the direction and control of staff while the Director SPC is responsible for their daily management. HMIC suggests that this inappropriate patchwork of logic be addressed by the Review of Common Police Services. (Paragraph 4.2)

SPC Position 2003

The College recognises the difficulties this position presents; the College has recorded this in our response to the Common Police Services Review Team.

HMIC Comments 2003

In view of the ongoing Review of Common Police Services, this suggestion will be revisited at the next Review Inspection.

SPC Position 2005

The College continues to recognise and work within the constraints and difficulties of this situation. However, at present work is still continuing in this area within the Common Police Services Programme Board. Until such times as the governance of the Common Police Service is established and employment arrangements confirmed the current system will continue to prevail.

HMIC Comments 2005

HMIC notes the current position. In discussions with the Deputy Director of the College she referred to the continuing uncertainty around future governance arrangements leading to a degree of anxiety amongst support staff. In February the Scottish Executive issued a consultation document "Supporting Police, Protecting Communities" which contains proposals for legislation to be included in a proposed Police Bill. Amongst the proposals put forward is one for the establishment of a single organisation encompassing all the common police services including the Scottish Police College. The organisation's service authority would be the legal employer and staff from the existing common police services would transfer to the new employing authority. Consultation is due to be complete by May with legislation forthcoming around the autumn of this year. Subject to successful parliamentary scrutiny it is anticipated the legislation would receive Royal Assent in April/May of 2006 with implementation of proposals later in that year. HMIC will be interested to see the outcome of this process. While possible future employment arrangements may be known at the time of HMIC's next Primary Inspection of the Scottish Police College in the autumn of 2006, it is possible that they will not have been implemented. This is a significant area to which HMIC will return but in light of the developments outlined the specific suggestion has been addressed and can be discharged

No 14 - HMIC suggests that Chief Constables facilitate the attendance of personnel identified for promotion on core management training at the Scottish Police College before they are promoted in order to maximise staff performance and effectiveness. (Paragraph 6.30)

SPC Position 2003

Management Development Division has introduced modular training and the prospectus, in broad terms specifies the criteria for attending each of the programmes. The prospectus is quite clear in that students are actually encouraged to attend programmes, either directly before or directly after taking up their posts. Since the introduction of this prospectus, on average two students per course have attended the training before being appointed in their new role. The College has again encouraged Forces to take this opportunity up, however the response has been patchy.

HMIC Comments 2003

There is clear evidence that the college has enabled and encouraged officers to attend relevant training prior to taking up a promoted role, although there appears to be scope for greater use of the facility by forces. The issue may be related to a generally low take up rate of senior management courses offered by the Management Development Division, and this matter is addressed at paragraph 5.2.2. Clearly ACPOS has an important role to ensure that agreed courses are attended and in the light of upgraded training due to be introduced later in the year HMIC will review progress at the next Review Inspection.

SPC Position 2005

This issue was raised through ACPOS Personnel & Training Committee, with a view to gaining their support for this approach. Since then there has been an increase, although not particularly significant, in the number of students attending this training prior to promotion. The under noted statistics give a flavour of the uptake from Forces. At this time it is not possible to provide figures broken down by individual Force. If this is required it can be collated in due course.

A review of the participant lists of core courses from 1 April 2003 reveals that:

• ILDP - 5 % of those attending programmes did so prior to promotion.
• Int. LDP - 5% of those attending programmes did so prior to promotion.
• SLDP 1 Programme 10 - 9 % of those attending did so prior to promotion.
• SLDP 1 Programme 11 - 10 % of those attending did so prior to promotion.
• SLDP 1 - Programme 12 - 5% of those attending did so prior to promotion.

NB. The maximum number of possible participants on each of the above courses is 24. These figures are bases on this average of those attending.

As of 1 April 2004, Management Development Division title was changed to Leadership & Management Division ( LMD).

In addition to the above, the College has facilitated training situated within individual forces to address significant need for management training. This has involved Leadership & Management Staff travelling to forces and presenting the course material to groups of officers in the single force area, in an attempt to reduce a backlog of officers requiring training and to provide the opportunity for additional pre promotion training.

The early work around the project to review the Initial Leadership Development Programme has identified a considerable backlog of sergeants within Forces, awaiting training courses. To address this the staff of Leadership & Management Division have developed a medium term strategy, which will see the delivery of additional training programmes at satellite venues around the country and which will commence in early 2005.

HMIC Comments 2005

HMIC notes that there has been some improvement but from the statistical information supplied agrees that this improvement cannot be called significant. For example, over the last 2 years, only 5% of Initial Leadership Development Programme students have attended courses prior to promotion. Figures for the Senior Leadership Development Programme 1 are only slightly better. Part of the vision of LMD is to "encourage students to attend appropriate Programmes prior to taking up their new role". HMIC endorses this approach.

The College's own review has identified a backlog of sergeants awaiting training. To address this, additional ILDP training at satellite venues is scheduled to commence in May this year with the first course to be held at Strathclyde Police's Force Training Centre at Jackton and a further series of dates scheduled throughout the year. Other potential venues elsewhere in Scotland are being examined. The head of LMD has secured agreement from Strathclyde Police that once the backlog has been cleared they will send suitable Constables to ILDP. This could have a significant impact and HMIC welcomes this.

HMIC notes the effort made by both the College and ACPOS to address this suggestion and feels able to discharge it. However the onus remains on forces to be pro active in nominating suitable personnel to attend courses prior to promotion. HMIC will maintain an interest in this issue at future inspections.

5. NATIONAL AND COLLEGE ISSUES

As part of the revised Review Inspection process, the Scottish Police College was asked to provide information on a range of issues which have come to prominence nationally or locally subsequent to the Primary Inspection as well as developments identified by the College itself. Some of the findings of this exercise have informed HMIC comments in the previous sections whilst others are presented below.

5.1 SPC response to the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000

The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 requires certain public authorities to publish a Race Equality Scheme ( RES). The Scottish Police College is not specifically covered by the legislation, but a conscious decision was taken by the Director to adopt its principles on a voluntary basis. At the last review inspection (November 2003) HMIC recognised that " the race equality scheme has been adopted by the SPC on a voluntary basis, and views this stance as wholly appropriate. However, the scheme as it currently exists requires a sharper focus on service, rather than curriculum issues if it is to be fully fit for purpose. This is an area that will be revisited by HMIC at the next Review Inspection."

HMIC notes that the scheme has now been revised and is publicly available via the College's website at http://www.tulliallan.police.uk/online_docs/raceeq/raceeq.htm. HMIC welcomes the progress to date but, as has been highlighted in other HMIC reports, the RES is not simply a piece of paper but is a catalyst for action. HMIC will be interested to see the progress made by the College in addressing the Scheme through action planning.

HMIC has now had the opportunity to examine and comment on the Race Equality Schemes ( RES) produced by the main common services viz.SPC, Scottish Drugs Enforcement Agency ( SDEA) and the Scottish Criminal Record Office ( SCRO). As with the SPC neither the SDEA nor SCRO were statutorily bound to produce such schemes but voluntarily undertook to do so which has involved a commitment of time and resources. Some similar organisations do not have an RES but an action plan linked into a scheme devised and maintained by a parent body. For example the Ministry of Defence Police have an action plan linked to the Ministry of Defence's RES. HMIC believes that the Review of Common Police Services represents an opportunity for a similar arrangement to be entered into with the emerging organisation's service authority having its own RES to which the constituent parts would be linked via individual action plans.

HMIC also acknowledge the degree of pro activity that is ongoing within the College to promote diversity and all its strands. A Diversity Working Group chaired by the Deputy Director has been set up. This meets to review progress within the College and address issues raised as well as oversee the SPC Diversity Action Plan. It is intended that the RES be incorporated within that Plan. This working group is replicated within divisions to ensure the work is filtered across the entire College. All the work conducted is linked to work ongoing in response to the ACPOS Diversity Strategy.

Amongst the initiatives introduced are the following:-

• Staff Consultation Forum - This group consists of representatives of Support Staff and their Trades Unions representatives, to provide an opportunity to discuss the contents of policy documents and any likely issues for resolution prior to new policies being introduced.
• Staff Counselling Service - Staff at the College are now afforded the services of confidential counselling should they feel they would wish to discuss private matters, which may or may not relate or impact on their work.
• Independent Advisory Panel ( IAP) - The College has an IAP, who review the College divisions through an ongoing programme and provide advice and feedback on policies and initiatives or training being designed and developed within the Scottish Police College. Currently, work is ongoing to have IAP representatives included in the College Diversity Working Group. Recently there has been a restructuring of the IAP members; they now work in divisional 'cohorts' which should allow for more effective working relationships and the provision of more focused advice to divisions.
• Harassment Advisors - The College has reviewed and is about to re-launch its College Harassment Advisor Scheme, where volunteer staff members are trained to provide support and assistance to staff who may wish to discuss situations they feel anxious about.
• Diversity Awareness Training Advisor /Coordinator - Since the initial inspection the above member of staff has been employed and located within Leadership & Management Division, and has added particular value in relation to diversity matters, where advise can often be sought at a local level.

HMIC spoke to both the Diversity Awareness Training Advisor/Coordinator and the current Vice Chair of the IAP. The Adviser/Coordinator now has responsibility for the College's Diversity Action Plan and in addition has responsibility for its Harassment Advisor Scheme. The Scheme which has not been widely used, 4 instances in 2 years, is about to be relaunched within the College and the term Harassment dropped given the scheme is not restricted solely to staff seeking advice in such scenarios.

The Independent Advisory Panel was established in September 2002 and is made up of 15 representatives nominated by the 8 Scottish forces and from across the range of Diversity. Membership is based on a 3 year tenure but to allow continuity a staggering of tenure is being considered. The panel meets as a body quarterly but as referred to earlier have now started to drill down within the College and work with divisions looking at, for example, training material and courses. In terms of impact, the Vice Chair felt that it had taken members some time to familiarise themselves with the College environment. Now that they had, differences were being made from the practical, such as ensuring lighting remained on in parts of the College for those with sight impairment, to the strategic, for example the beginnings of a mainstreaming of diversity within College policies and processes.

Diversity remains a key issue and is a continuing focus of HMIC's inspection work. HMIC will revisit this area at the 2006 Primary Inspection.

5.2 Impact of modular training in Leadership and Management Division

At the 2003 Review Inspection HMIC identified that attendance on programmes 5, 6 and 7 aimed at Chief inspectors and above had been poor but that upgraded training was soon to be introduced and, together with the co-operation of the then ACPOS Personnel and Training Committee, was intended to address this. HMIC returned to this area during the current review.

SPC Position 2005

Programmes 5, 6 and 7 have since been developed to form the main modules of the Senior Leadership Development Programme 1( SLDP1). In 2004 the SLDP 1 was rolled out and while one course had to be cancelled due to insufficient uptake the general pattern has been positive with attendance levels approaching or hitting the maximum for each course. The divisional evaluations of the programme have become increasingly more positive and consistent as adjustments have been made in terms of speakers engaged and subject matters refined.

No formal review of the impact of modular training has taken place. However, on the basis of data available and carried knowledge the most significant impact seems to have been in terms of SLDP 1 where a 'menu' approach appears to have been most favourably applied by potential students. Many students now attend the modules in a sequence which best suits their capacity to abstract themselves from the workplace and to address their current needs.

With regard to the Initial Leadership Development Programme ( ILDP) the pattern is one where students generally attend for the entire programme. The exception relates to support staff who, for the most part, do not require the operational components of the programme and in general will only attend for programmes 1 and 2 of the overall training course. While the potential remains for students to attend in whatever sequence is thought best, the reality is that the grounding in leadership skills and knowledge provided in programme 1 provides a foundation upon which to link the remainder of the programme.

In addition, a Project Initiation Document ( PID) has been created for the review of the Initial Programmes of modules 1, 2 & 3. An approach is to be made to ACPOS Personnel & Training Committee for approval to set up a Leadership & Management User Group similar to the current sub groups in place for Crime Management & Roads Policing, as no such group exists to provide support and guidance in this area.

HMIC Comment

HMIC welcomes the efforts made to address attendance within the review of this area of training. While overall there has been a general improvement, a statistical analysis of attendance of all SDLP1 Courses since February 2004 still shows variations in attendance levels ranging from a 100% take up rate to 44%. The head of LMD recognises the continued requirement for pro activity in this area but, equally, as referred to at Suggestion 14, there is a key role for forces to ensure that suitably qualified officers and support staff are making the most of the developmental opportunities that this training presents. The ACPOS Personnel and Training Business Area has a key role to play.

5.3 SPC strategy and plans for managing its property.

The following work has been undertaken by the College in direct response to the Disability Discrimination legislation:

• a hearing loop system has been installed in the Reception area, Assembly Hall, Court Room and Lecture Theatre
• disabled toilets have been fitted with alarm systems in accordance with the Act
• a new disabled toilet facility has been installed within the Castle providing full wheelchair access and an alarm system
• all passenger lifts have been fitted with grab rails and voice announcements for each floor
• the College alarm system has been adapted and reconfigured to provide visual indication of fire in the disabled rooms and in various corridors within the College
• work is underway and is expected to be completed to provide full permanent disabled access at the Castle and Parade Square entrances.

All of the above will make the College fully compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act and associated legislation, as far as is practicable and within the restrictions of the listing on the building.

Several proposals in relation to development of the estate are currently being considered and are, of course, dependant on finance being made available. An extensive options appraisal has been conducted by the College and is currently being considered by the Scottish Executive, with the College recently receiving a visit of the Finance Sub Committee to review the current facilities. The proposal is for the implementation of the Options Appraisal, which lays out the existing major restrictions the College is experiencing and the options for dealing with expected increased demand for training over the next 5- 10 years and possibly beyond.

This includes a proposal for additional accommodation for students (100 bedrooms), classrooms, offices, an officer safety training facility, and upgrading of the infrastructure of the kitchen and dining room areas to serve the increased demand.

HMIC has had the opportunity to examine in full the Options Appraisal and looks forward to considering the outcome of this work.

5.4 SPC commitment to Best Value.

The college as part of its commitment to providing best value has undertaken to complete service reviews of all its areas of activity over a five year period. This is a significant piece of work as evidenced in the College's response.

SPC Comment

Since the Primary Inspection of the College by HMIC, 8 Best Value reviews have been undertaken. These have included:

• recruitment;
• financial Management
• energy Management
• staffing
• waste Management
• purchasing
• property Management
• reprographics.

The first five of these have been fully completed with a total of 222 recommendations made to improve these areas of business. A great deal of work has been undertaken, however on many occasions some of the recommendations have required to be suspended pending the provision of funding to implement them. Nonetheless, a comprehensive action plan has been produced and is managed by Corporate Support to achieve these and monitor progress.

Additionally, the review of Purchasing has just been completed with the final report due before the end of the financial year.

The remaining two reviews are currently underway and due for completion in 2005.

The College is committed to Best Value and utilises the European Foundation for Quality Management ( EFQM) business principle to achieve linkage with its core business. The College works within the framework of EFQM model and has initiated an extensive programme of continuous improvement throughout the Divisions. This has provided meaningful best value solutions to divisional issues and better value for money than the current Best Value Review Process, which is extremely resource intensive and can on occasion provide a costly exercise which greatly outweighs the benefits it provides. The new Corporate Plan 2005 - 2010 (Currently under production) clearly sets out the links between the strategic mission and vision and the individual divisional objectives and processes. A programme of training in Process Improvement was rolled out within the college and this continuous improvement approach is used to good effect to involve staff in all aspects of improvement.

HMIC Comment

HMIC has examined the College's Best Value Review Action Plans and found ample evidence that a robust process is in place that has addressed or is addressing the recommendations flowing from reviews. The pro-activity of the College in this area is to be commended.

HMIC has also examined the ongoing developments in relation to Process Improvement. The College has identified 9 key process areas, e.g. Property Management, for which an individual or champion has been appointed to oversee the improvement of the performance of these processes in each area. In a similar vein to the Best Value Review Action Plan, a process atlas is being devised that will allow progress to be measured. This is an area that HMIC will revisit at the next Primary inspection.

5.5 SPC approach to the Implementation of the Freedom of Information Act

The Freedom of Information Act came into effect on 1 January 2005 and, prior to and immediately after, HMIC has been assessing the Scottish police service's preparedness for the Act during primary and review inspections. As part of its response, the Scottish Police College appointed an Information Security Officer ( ISO), in November last year, who has responsibility for all Freedom of Information and Data Protection issues. The post holder is also a member of the ACPOS Freedom of Information Practitioners Group which ensures she remains aware of and involved in national developments within the Scottish police service. To date the College has received 4 requests under the Act. All have been addressed.

Policies and guidance documents have been created to ensure staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities. Additionally, staff training was carried out in March 2005, to ensure Divisional Administrators, in particular, are aware of and understand the processes related to requests for information.

The ISO has created policies in relation to Protective Marking; Freedom of Information; Data Protection; as well as Data Security and Information Technology issues. In addition the College's publication scheme has been approved by the Freedom of Information Commissioner and is now available via the College's website at: http://www.tulliallan.police.uk.

Through consultation between the College appointed Information Security Officer and the Senior Management, changes to previous working practises have been identified and are in the process of being implemented.

Three main areas of change have been highlighted:

• The need for a robust weeding policy has been identified to ensure that documents are only kept for a certain period of time. At present previous directives have set this at five years but this is currently under review with the anticipated amended timescale being three years.
• The development of an IT based student recording system. This system will ensure that any requested information can be retrieved and presented with minimum abstraction to the College.
• An undertaking to regularly review the type of data kept, thereby ensuring only essential information is retained.

5.6 SPC commitment to internal inspection.

The College was asked to provide evidence of relevant strategies / plans / policies and outcomes from SPC self assessment and internal inspection activity. In addition it provided the following commentary relating both to examples of both external and internal inspection activity.

SPC Position 2005

Since the Primary Inspection, the College has undergone several external assessments (IiP, EFQM, Charter Mark & Scottish Executive Audit Unit).

The College has been accredited with the Charter Mark of two occasions, however a dramatic change to the criteria and administration of this award, has resulted in the College being unable to apply on a third occasion for accreditation.

The College has been assessed twice in relation to Investors in People and has successfully been reaccredited. At the most recent re accreditation in 2004, the Lead assessor was extremely impressed with the College in relation to its work around IiP. Several initiatives in particular were commended in the area of communications (Lets Talk, Staff Forums).

Two self assessments, involving a variety of staff at all levels within the College were conducted since the Primary Inspection. Following on from these three assessments against the EFQM principles have been undertaken by Quality Scotland Business Excellence Assessors. Action plans were raised to address any areas for improvements. However, in 2003 & 2004 the Scottish Police College won the Scottish Public Sector award for Excellence in relation to the EFQM Model.

In the latter part of 2004, the College received a further award "Recognised for Excellence in Europe" in relation to our business processes and work.

Also in 2004, the financial propriety of the College was inspected in an audit carried out by the Scottish Executive Audit Unit. The draft Audit Report has only recently been received.

However, the Audit Team findings are that on the basis of their review the College has established a sound system of internal control and that there is a sound financial control framework in place. The report also states that there is strong focus on achieving value for money and maximizing income, through the hosting of external conferences and events; that financial records are well maintained and controls are in place by the College; bank accounts were operating well with robust internal checks in place; and procurement processes were also found to be satisfactory. The report contains several minor recommendations to further refine control processes which the College will implement as soon as possible.

All feedback received from external & internal inspections is considered by the College Executive and approved actions are integrated into the action planning process and monitored on a regular basis.

The College, in keeping with the ethos of continuous improvement, has instigated an internal Audits & Inspection programme which will examine eleven areas within each division to identify any areas for improvement or good practice. This process will take effect from April 2005.

The entire Performance Management Process within the College has been redefined after a number of working sessions with the Management Team. Progress against divisional objectives is closely monitored and discussed at each Management Team meeting as a standing item, with any concerns being aired and addressed when possible. The new Performance Management Process links all the Areas of Vision, Mission and Corporate Policy to Divisional Objectives, actions and Key Processes within the College. As a result a clear linkage can be drawn with the work being done.

Internal review of training materials is also subject to a structured process and lesson notes are regularly examined and any necessary amendments in terms of improvement of content and layout and changes informed by Case Law/ Statutory provisions are made.

HMIC Comment

HMIC notes that, in addition to self inspection based on EFQM principles, the College also undergoes robust external scrutiny and indeed invites such scrutiny by seeking accreditation under IiP for example. This is to be encouraged and HMIC regards this as good practice. Internally the instigation of an Audit and Inspection programme is also welcomed. Each Division will examine a number of areas including correspondence, performance statistics, communications and perception. This will be an area that HMIC will revisit at the next Primary inspection.

The College has also provided comment on its performance management process. HMIC chose not to examine this during the review inspection. Instead it will be considered in some detail as part of a thematic inspection of performance management within the Scottish Police Service which HMIC is currently undertaking.

5.7 SPC approach to complaint handling

Complaints involving the conduct of officers are dealt with by referral to the officer's home force. The College has however put in place a formal system for dealing with organisational complaints that arise at the College. In essence staff, students or external customers using the College's conference services can raise issues through the internal intranet or by completing a paper form, copies of which are made available throughout the college. This facility has been used to record complaints regarding catering, accommodation and facilities. Details are subsequently published by the College. The College also collates letters of appreciation which are similarly published allowing a balanced perspective to be presented around customer service delivery. The latest figures for calendar year 2004 show 2 formal complaints regarding accommodation were received alongside 86 letters of appreciation. While in the main the latter come from visitors to the College, they also include students who have attended training courses. In addition the College carries out an annual survey of external service providers on the service provided and seeking suggestions on any improvement the College can make. HMIC is supportive of the College's pro active stance to quality of service.

5.8 Development of a qualifications framework

The College has for some time been working in partnership with the Scottish Qualifications Authority ( SQA) developing a qualifications framework for the Scottish Police service as well as creating a number of Professional Development Awards ( PDAs) around core developmental areas for police and support staff. To facilitate this a member of staff from the SQA has been seconded to the College and now works there, full time, 3 days a week.

PDAs in call handling and road policing have been developed while a similar award is being piloted within the field of community safety. Further ahead, consideration is being given to a PDA for intelligence analysis. Each PDA has been or will be accredited and means successful completion leads to either a number of Higher National ( HN) Units or Scottish Vocational Units ( SVQs) being awarded which can contribute to further qualifications should the individual choose to go down this path. For example the PDA in Road Policing awards HN units which can contribute to a subsequent HNC or HND qualification.

Such PDAs along with other qualifications, for example the Certificate of Higher Education in Policing validated by the University of Stirling and awarded on successful completion of probationer training, are all part of a developing qualifications framework for the police service in Scotland encompassing training and development for police and support staff from initial recruitment right through to management and leadership levels. While HMIC acknowledges that much remains to be agreed and undertaken, the significant achievements to date are welcomed. The opportunity to measure progress and examine the framework in detail will arise during the next Primary Inspection of the Scottish Police College.

5.9 SPC commitment to the Gender Agenda

The Gender Agenda is intended to help women working in the police service achieve their full potential. In Scotland, to progress the Gender Agenda, the then ACPOS Personnel and Training Standing Committee sponsored the Women's Development Forum to prepare an Action Plan. A key area of the Action Plan is training and career development and in support of this the College has developed a new two module course, the Senior Women's' Leadership Development Programme, in partnership with an outside consultant, to provide an opportunity for a single sex course to examine areas of leadership and develop skills while helping delegates develop strategies to support future career aspirations. A pilot programme was held in September 2003 and March 2004. Following evaluation it has been decided to run the programme again and to facilitate this a familiarisation day is being held by the College in May this year. HMIC will be interested to assess the take up of the programme and subsequent evaluation.

5.10 SPC commitment to child protection training

In 2002 the report of the Child Protection Audit and Review ¹ made a number of recommendations to Scottish Ministers on how protecting children could be improved. The Child Protection Reform Team was set up within the Scottish Executive to develop and take forward a reform programme. The reform team have produced two documents:

Protecting Children and Young People: The Children's Charter and
Protecting Children and Young People: Framework for Standards

The audit and review recommended that a "further national review of child protection" should be undertaken three years later. This recommendation was re-affirmed by Scottish Ministers at a Child Protection Summit in March 2004 when they announced a programme of multi-disciplinary inspections which would include all the relevant child protection services provided by the different agencies, in each local authority area of Scotland, over a three year period.

Inspections will be carried out by the Services for Children Unit within Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education ( HMIE). Inspection Teams will be made up of inspectors from HMIE, the Social Work Inspection Agency ( SWIA), the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care (Care Commission) Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary ( HMIC) and NHS Quality Improvement Scotland ( QIS).

Although the Scottish Police College does not fall within the scope of integrated inspections, given the significance of these developments and implications for the Scottish Police Service the opportunity was taken during this review inspection to examine existing training provision within all teaching divisions of the College.

Probationer Training Division

During the initial 15 week training programme undertaken by all probationary constables HMIC was pleased to note that this includes the delivery of various inputs on child protection under the headings:

1. Protecting Children
2. Compulsory Measure of Supervision and
3. Children and Young Persons (Domestic Disputes)

Collectively these inputs provide an overview of the relevant legislation to protect children and young people, recognition of abuse and taking appropriate action including referral to other agencies.

Learning is re-informed through facilitated activities and is supported by comprehensive lesson notes. Lesson notes conclude with internet links to allow students access to further information. HMIC identified scope for additional links to the two documents produced by the child protection reform team previously mentioned viz:

Protecting Children and Young People: The Children's Charter and
Protecting Children and Young People: Framework for Standards

Both can be accessed from the Scottish Executive website and, during the inspection, arrangements were made by the college to include links to these documents when the lesson notes are next printed.

Crime Management Division

The Detective Training Unit within Crime Management Division provides a wide range of specialist courses including a 3 week child protection training course and the recently developed Joint Investigative Interview Training for Trainers Course.

HMIC was pleased to note that there are child protection inputs on the Initial Detective Training Course, The Advanced Detective Training Course and the Senior Investigating Officer's Course and there is a specific input on interviewing children on the Interview Advisors Course. The Head of Crime Management Division was alive to the need for students to consider these issues on other specialist courses, particularly the Drugs Course.

HMIC noted that the Head of Crime Management Division represents the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland on a recently formed Scottish Executive Inter-Agency Child Protection Training Group who have been tasked to produce an inter-agency training strategy for Scotland.

Leadership and Management Division

HMIC was pleased to note that there was a child protection input on the Initial Leadership Development Programme - Operations Management Module which is designed for police officers who lead or are about to lead people for the first time.

The People, Partnership and Performance Module of the Senior Leadership Development Programme which is aimed at police officers and support staff who are responsible for the implementation of the strategic vision of the Force has a specific focus on partnership development. The Head of Leadership and Management Division was planning to explore opportunities for a child protection focus on this module utilising a new member of staff who has considerable child protection experience. HMIC would offer him his encouragement in to do so.

6. THEMATIC UPDATE

As part of this review inspection, Scottish Police College was asked to provide an update on progress made in addressing the recommendations of recent thematic inspections conducted by HMIC.

6.1 How has the SPC responded to the thematic inspection "Safety First"?

The HMIC report 'Safety First' on Police Protective Equipment, published in July 2004, made the following recommendation;

" HMIC recommends that initial officer safety training at the Scottish Police College should be extended to include training in the deployment and use of CS incapacitant spray."

SPC Position

The Officer Safety Training Practitioner Working Group ( OSTPWG) meets quarterly at the Scottish Police College and consists of representatives of each Scottish Force in their capacity as the Officer Safety Training Co-ordinator.

In response to the Thematic Inspection recommendation, the issue of CS Spray training at the College was discussed at length, during the 2004 meetings.

All members of the group were advised that if approval was given to the programme, Generic CS Spray Training would commence at the College, in January 2005. The current CS Spray training package contained within the generic manual was to be the one used to train students. All members of the group were consulted about the Generic CS package and were asked if any amendments to the CS programme were required. No amendments were made to the CS programme and all members agreed with the content for training.

CS Spray training, including general exposure, began with course 1/2005 on 10 January 2005. The training being delivered adheres strictly to the approved CS Spray training programme contained within the Generic Officer Safety Training Manual which contains the following essential elements:

• CS Theory
• General Exposure Training
• General Exposure Site
• CS Practical Training

In conclusion, the recommendation that CS Spray Training at the Scottish Police College should be extended to include training in the deployment and use of CS incapacitant spray has been fully implemented. There has been a rigorous process of consultation at practitioner and ACPOS level.

As CS Spray training commenced with the Initial Training Course 1/2005 on 10 January 2005, it can be seen that from recommendation to full implementation, including consultation, the process has taken slightly less than 6 months.

Footnote

¹ "It's everyone's job to make sure I'm alright" - Scottish Executive 2002