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Strathclyde Police: Primary Inspection 2000

3. People Management

Personnel

3.1 The assistant chief constable (personnel) has a responsibility for the whole human resource function within the Force including the development of personnel policy issues, which are then ratified by the Force policy group.

3.2 Informal benchmarking with other organisations such as the West of Scotland Community Relations Council, Clydesdale Bank and Scottish Power takes place. Formal benchmarking with other large police forces is something that the Force is likely to develop into the future.

3.3 Core personnel issues are dealt with at Headquarters to ensure corporacy. Divisions are responsible for day to day personnel management. This latter responsibility is discharged by the deputy divisional commander assisted by a divisional administration manager. Every 3 months the assistant chief constable (personnel) chairs a meeting of senior departmental staff with the responsible superintendent from the Force's divisions and departments. These meetings are opportunities to review policy and working methods within the Force.

3.4 In November 1998 the Force identified a need to change the structure of the personnel function. The assistant chief constable (personnel) requested that the Force inspectorate conduct a review of the personnel function. The review was concluded in January 1999 and recommendations for change are now being implemented.

3.5 One change was the introduction of 5 inspectors and 5 personnel officers (support staff) who will work together as a team and be responsible for a cluster of divisions and departments. Initially it is expected that the inspectors will deal with police officers and that the personnel officers will deal with support staff. Once the personnel officers have gained experience the Force envisages that they will be able to develop an expertise in police matters. This will assist with continuity as the inspectors are only expected to be in post for 2 to 3 years.

3.6 The inspectors and the personnel officers will provide guidance and support to divisional commanders, their deputies, and to divisional administration managers. They will offer career advice and counselling to police officers and support staff. A meeting with this group confirmed their enthusiasm for the new role but it was too early to consider impact and results.

3.7 Personnel information for police and support staff is held on separate computer databases. The Force recognise the weakness in this approach and has an aspiration to provide a fully integrated system. It had been anticipated that this would have been achieved by adoption of the national approach being developed by the Scottish Police Information Strategy (SPIS). However programme slippage with SPIS combined with the Force's Y2K preparations, have contributed towards the current position. HMIC has been advised that a national personnel management product from SPIS will be available in a little over a year, at which time Strathclyde will further consider its position.

3.8 At the time of Inspection the Force employed 2,111 support staff within a range of 74 different salary gradings. Table D indicates the numbers of staff clustered within the main salary gradings.

Table D - Support Staff Salary Gradings

3.9 The following table represents the police officer strength of the Force at the point of the HMIC Inspection.

Table E - Police Officer Strength

3.10 Police performance review forms are forwarded by divisions and departments to the personnel department at Headquarters. The overall grading on each form is entered into a computer database by administration staff and the forms logged as having been completed and returned. The personnel development review process for support staff has been implemented and is now in its second year. The Force in-depth examination of staff performance is assisted by analysis of information from the force-wide computer systems, such as command and control, crime management, absence management and others that have records of staff history.

3.11 The Force operates an external secondee development scheme with the West of Scotland Community Relations Council, Clydesdale Bank, and Scottish Power. A chief inspector is to participate in an exchange with an officer from Victoria Police, Australia. In the past the Force has participated in exchanges with officers from the Royal Ulster Constabulary and is willing to participate in officer exchanges with other forces. These opportunities for development are beneficial for the individual and the general developmental health of the Force and are strongly encouraged by HMIC.

3.12 The Human Resource (HR) Manager, with a background of human resource management within the Health Service, has been recruited on a 3 year fixed term contract. The Force has adopted this strategy in order to bring an experienced senior professional from outside policing. They anticipate the postholder will benchmark existing processes and introduce latest thinking and new concepts. HMIC welcomes this approach and looks forward to evaluating the impact at future Inspections.

3.13 The Force does not operate a tenure policy. HMIC has no fixed view on the question of tenure. However it is important that there is robust management and succession planning in place to ensure that there is a rotation of personnel with equal opportunities and the development of staff clearly in focus. This is an area where an equal opportunities monitoring group (see paragraph 3.45) would have a role.

3.14 The personnel department plan 1999-2000 reports on the objectives for 1998-1999, levels of achievement and evaluation details. These were not SMART objectives. Targets were set in relation to departmental service standards. The personnel plan 1999-2000 had 3 main themes:

• To maintain a notional police establishment level of 7,352 officers

• To continue to recruit Force support officers to duties which do not require police powers or experience and release police officers currently undertaking this work, either wholly or in part

• To recruit Force support officers to provide additional professional technical and clerical support to add value to and improve the efficiency of the Force.

3.15 Departmental objectives are listed for 1999-2000. There was no indication of departmental service standards for 1999-2000. The personnel function at Headquarters retains responsibility for policy, deployment of personnel, equal opportunities, grievances and resource allocation.

Recruitment and Selection

3.16 Recruitment of police officers and members of the special constabulary is the responsibility of the chief inspector (recruiting) based at Oxford Street. Currently the recruitment of support staff is a function of the personnel department at Headquarters. The new personnel plan 2000-2003 will bring police, special constabulary and support staff recruitment under the management of the chief inspector (recruiting). A policy file (manual) has been prepared to guide all aspects of recruitment.

3.17 The Force anticipates that it will experience a high wastage of police officers (300) during 2000-2001 who will need to be replaced. With the recently announced additional 100% funding from the Scottish Executive they will be able to recruit 150 extra officers beyond the number to meet wastage. A proactive recruiting campaign has been designed in conjunction with a recruiting agency. Previously the Force had advertised locally in The Herald and Sunday Herald. Advertisements have been placed in those papers plus the Daily Record, Sunday Mail and local newspapers in an effort to attract a wider range of applicants. In 1999-2000, 2,500 applications were generated from advertising. During a 7-day period in April 2000 the latest advertising campaign provided 4,110 enquiries. As of 18 May 2000, 1,100 applications have been received.

3.18 An applicant for Strathclyde Police submits a completed application form to recruiting and following a paper sift those assessed as suitable are invited to undertake the Standard Entrance Test. Successful candidates are invited to attend at the recruiting centre for an initial interview. Following the initial interview background validation checks are completed and referees contacted. The Force continues to make "home visits" in relation to all candidates as a matter of policy and believes the value outweighs the cost. HMIC considers this is an aspect that should be kept under regular review.

3.19 After successful completion of the background validation checks the applicant is invited to attend a final interview panel chaired by the head or deputy head of recruiting. Other panel members are from recruiting or training department with one divisional superintendent or chief inspector.

3.20 HMIC noted that because of the high number of applicants responding to the recent recruitment drive a number of sergeants were seconded to recruitment to undertake, as a major part of their duties, paper sifting. This was done to meet a short-term need but HMIC suggests that the Force consider whether this process could be undertaken by trained support staff.

3.21 The Force does not survey applicants whether unsuccessful or successful, in an effort to improve their selection process and quality of service. The recruiting department records progress through the recruitment process for black and minority ethnic officers. There were few real performance measures operating in the field of recruitment and training and the cost of securing a recruit had not been established. HMIC suggests that appropriate performance measures and costing be introduced.

Career development

3.22 The assistant chief constable (personnel) has responsibility for career development policy and the superintendent (personnel) manages the day to day requirements. Policy and practice is found in the new business plan for 2000-2003 and personnel plan for 2000-2001.

3.23 Police Officer career development is managed by a superintendent, assisted by a chief inspector and the 5 personnel inspectors. Currently career development advice for support staff is provided by the personnel officers but in time career development for support staff will be provided by the new teams of inspectors and personnel officers. For police officers the mechanism to inform career development is the performance review process. Information from that process is managed by the personnel inspectors. For support staff the mechanism to inform career development is the performance development review. Identified developmental needs are approved by the chief superintendent (personnel).

3.24 The Force promotion process for police officers is linked with the performance review process. In the first instance candidates must be holders of the promotion exams. Normally only candidates with an overall performance review grading of 5, 6 or 7 are considered (scale is 1-7 with 7 being the highest).

3.25 Divisional commanders identify officers with potential and they are interviewed locally (divisional panel). Panels are held quarterly, and successful candidates are graded and forwarded to the superintendent personnel. From the list of candidates submitted a paper sift identifies a number selected to appear before an interview board at a force level (force panel). Divisional commanders and the officers concerned are informed one week before the panel interview begins. The constitution of the Force panel depends on the rank of the officers being interviewed. Candidates who are constables and sergeants are given a set question 15 minutes before the panel. The "structured" interview lasts 30-45 minutes and the chairperson completes an "Assessment Form".

3.26 Officers appearing before the Force panel are assessed and successful candidates may attend a "promotion parade" before the Chief Constable. A promotion parade is a formal process where the chief constable personally confers promotion on individual officers. During the Inspection process HMIC was advised that a review of the promotion policy and procedures was to be undertaken. HMIC supports that step and recommends that the opportunity is taken to consider a number of options for a promotion selection process including an assessment centre style approach.

3.27 In Strathclyde, as with the other forces in Scotland, it is unusual for there to be much staff movement between forces. HMIC has commented in other reports about the need for at least vacancies at chief inspector and superintendent level to be advertised within and between forces. This is important for the development of individual officers and forces. HMIC will continue to raise this suggestion in the appropriate fora acknowledging that it is not an issue on which a single force should be asked to lead.

3.28 Although monitoring the performance of all officers on an annual basis the superintendent (personnel) takes a specific interest in all black and minority ethnic officers in the Force. Every 3 months he reviews their files to monitor the officers' performance and identify potential for the future.

Acting Ranks

3.29 In common with other forces Strathclyde makes use of 'acting' ranks to fill posts vacated by officers on protracted absence. This can be to support long term sickness or when staff are involved away from normal duties in research or project work. The opportunity to "act up to the next rank" offers development for the individual and the Force must ensure officers are qualified to do so. This is not an issue that the Force has chosen to include in their current promotion policy. At the time of the inspection the Force had the following acting ranks in place.

Table F - Acting Ranks

% of substantive ranks in brackets

3.30 The deployment of acting ranks can be an effective method of developing the career profile of those identified for future advancement in the service. While HMIC supports this principle on the basis of need, there should be recognition of the value of acting rank in the career development process and HMIC recommends that the Force include the management of this issue in the review of the Force's promotion policy.

Equal Opportunities

3.31 The assistant chief constable (personnel) has overall responsibility for equal opportunities issues. The Force equal opportunities (EO) officer has a responsibility for monitoring the Force equal opportunities policy statement. Divisional and departmental responsibility lies with all supervisors and managers. The EO officer works alone and although located at headquarters as part of the personnel department is independent of it, reporting directly to the assistant chief constable (personnel). The EO officer's role is to provide advice to managers and employees when requested, and to advise on the content of training policies. Attending the personnel officer quarterly meetings provides the opportunity to highlight equal opportunity issues.

3.32 The EO officer is reliant upon the personnel administration function extracting data from the police and support staff personnel computer databases. The information is produced in a raw format and requires manual calculation of totals and percentages. It is analysed for trends.

3.33 In October 1999 the Force commenced a 3 phase programme of equal opportunities training. The first phase involved training all superintendents and senior support staff. The EO officer was involved as a trainer in all of these sessions, which were conducted as a one-day seminar.

3.34 Phase II targets inspectors, sergeants and Force support officer managers, and is a one-day event. A booklet, to support the training, contains the force equal opportunities policy statement and provides comprehensive information on sex and race discrimination, harassment at work and disability discrimination. The force grievance procedure and employment tribunal issues constitute case study material. This stage is still to be completed.

3.35 Phase III will target constables and Force support staff and will be 'rolled out' during 2000-2001. The content of Phase III will be considered in light of any nationally approved training programme and the need to consider the range of diversity issues arising from the Macpherson Report.

3.36 The Force equal opportunities policy statement is reproduced in training course booklets and the statement is visible within offices and public areas of police buildings but it does not set out what management information should be collected and to whom it should be provided. A one-page statement confirms that there is a grievance procedure and that advice can be sought from the force equal opportunities officer, personnel department, welfare officers, staff associations or trades union representatives. The procedure is not explained in this document.

3.37 There have been 36 grievances recorded since 1994. At first sight this is a low number but the Force say they have created a climate whereby an informal approach is adopted for resolution. Clarity of the position would be enhanced by a recording mechanism for those dealt with informally.

3.38 Wastage from the Force is monitored on a 4 weekly basis. All officers who are retiring/resigning or retiring on ill-health grounds are given the opportunity of an interview with their divisional commander/head of department or assistant chief constable (personnel). All officers who are transferring to another force or are applying for a career break are interviewed by a representative of the personnel department. On leaving, Force support officers are interviewed by line managers at division/department and an exit report is forwarded to the personnel department.

3.39 The guidelines in relation to part-time working were being re-drafted by the EO officer to reflect recent developments. Currently there are 60 Strathclyde Police officers working part-time. In 1994 female officers represented 4.2% of all officers in the 10-15 year service bracket. By January 2000 this figure has increased to 20.1%.

3.40 Monitoring of recruitment, promotion, training, and wastage is carried out by the EO officer every 3 months. Gender, marital status and ethnic origin are examined.

3.41 The Force provides support to the development and delivery of an Access Course designed to assist prospective candidates improve their educational standards prior to sitting the Standard Entrance Test. The course is aimed primarily at black and minority ethnic communities but is open to everyone. The course has the support of the West of Scotland Community Relations Council. These Access Courses presently operate from Cardonald College, Glasgow and James Watt College, Greenock.

3.42 The Force have published their commitment and intentions to double again the recruitment of people from minority ethnic communities. Between 1994 and 1999 the Force doubled the number of police officers from black and minority ethnic communities working in Strathclyde Police to 38 which represents 0.53% of current police strength.

3.43 In an attempt to stimulate further interest in a police career amongst members of the black and minority ethnic communities 50,000 copies of the "Better Balanced Pocket Book" have been printed and will be distributed by postcode. This is an enterprising initiative using an information package in the form of a police officers notebook, that was distributed from May 2000.

3.44 In an effort to increase recruitment from the black and minority ethnic communities the Force has developed links with the West of Scotland Community Relations Council, Ethnic Minority Enterprise Centre, the careers service of Glasgow City Council, cultural and religious centres and schools guidance teachers. Recruiting adverts have been published in the millennium edition of "Diwali" and "Scotland's Oracle" an independent community newspaper".

3.45 Currently monitoring of equal opportunities within the Force is heavily centred on the EO officer. Much of the data gathering requires significant manual effort. Grievances are low and that might be because of the operation of the recording mechanism. While supported administratively the EO officer works alone. Given the importance of this issue HMIC recommends the establishment of an equal opportunities monitoring group with a wide representation.

Special Constabulary

3.46 HMIC established that the Force has recently reviewed special constabulary training with a view to considering the range of training which should be available to newly appointed special constables. At present all special constables receive a 5-day initial officer safety training course prior to deployment.

3.47 At the time of Inspection HMIC was advised that the Force has prepared a draft document outlining an induction training programme to complement the special constabulary Handbook. HMIC considers this to be an important development in recognising the value of special constables and earlier implementation is supported.

3.48 At March 2000 the Force had 322 special constables of whom 77 (23.9%) were women, and 9 (2.79%) were from black and minority ethnic backgrounds. In a Scottish context the Force appears under resourced in the number of special constables available to police the area. With a percentage of total Force strength at just over 4% they feature at the low end of the scale in Scotland. A small increase was achieved in 1999-2000

Table G - Special Constables

Table H - Special Constables in Scottish Police Forces

3.49 Since the last Primary Inspection there has been no change in policy or the duties performed by the special constabulary, but divisional commanders do have autonomy to utilise officers as they see fit in line with local policing objectives. HMIC had an opportunity to speak with a group of special constables. The group were enthusiastic and committed and ranged from recent appointments to a number with substantial public service. Flexible working practices were appreciated and further information about the provision and timing of the issue of safety equipment was awaited.

Sickness Management

3.50 The personnel department has a responsibility for collating and monitoring absence within the Force. In developing the absence management policy the Force have consulted with all other forces in an effort to develop and cultivate best practice.

3.51 The Force produces performance information which details for all employees, police officers and support staff the total days lost, the percentage loss and average days lost per employee. For each department days lost and percentage loss is detailed for police officers, support staff and overall.

3.52 A computerised sickness absence recording system has been in place throughout the Force for a number of years, having been developed internally by the communications and information technology department. The software provides details of individuals' sickness history, when the sick leave was taken in terms of shift and rest day pattern and the cumulative number of days of sickness taken by an officer during the past 12 months. Prolonged sickness can now result in police officers being reduced to half or no pay if they remain on sick leave.

3.53 The Guidance Notes (currently in draft) clearly explain what the divisional/departmental responsibilities are in relation to information that must be gathered, procedures to be adopted and the pay reduction criteria for members of Force support staff. The Force defines long-term sick leave as any absence exceeding 28 days. Reports are submitted at the end of the 28-day period and thereafter at intervals of 28 days until such time as the officer concerned returns to duty or is otherwise unable to resume duty. Supervisors maintain regular contact with staff on sick leave and if necessary home visits are made.

3.54 Weekly monitoring of sickness absence takes place. The Force believes the process readily identifies staff who may be considered to be abusing staff sickness. Staff returning to duty are subject to a return to work interview, which allows clarification of the reason for absence.

3.55 The number of staff leaving the Force through ill-health retirement has remained broadly consistent during the past 4 years. The following chart allows comparison of the number of such retirements against overall staff wastage during this period.

Figure 3 - Staff Wastage

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