Final Report of the Morris Inquiry: The Case for Change

THE CASE FOR CHANGE
Promotion and specialist posts
9.90 Getting the right people into the right jobs at the right level of responsibility
involves more than simply identifying and developing potential. It also requires a
promotion system which is fair and transparent and is perceived to be so by those
to whom it applies.
9.91 We have received evidence of a number of perceived deficiencies in the way
that the MPS deals with the promotion of police officers and that the rigid policies
mean that the best candidates do not necessarily get promoted. If this were a
correct reflection of the outcomes of promotion processes in the MPS, it would
mean that not only are good candidates losing their career opportunities but that
the MPS is losing the benefit of the skills of talented officers at a time when its need
for managerial expertise is increasing.
“But the key issue as far as I am concerned is that we have centralised policies again that
mitigate against promoting the best at very senior levels, and I have an example only this week
of a very capable, exceptional female DCI who attended the promotion process last year for
superintendent but unfortunately did not get through; was disbarred from this year’s
promotion process because they changed the goalposts on the time criteria; you had to have
two years in the rank and she missed it by a matter of three or four weeks. She appealed
under the exceptional appeal process. I saw her appeal. She is an absolute star. And still she
was not called to the superintendent process. I would question the validity of systems that
disbar quality staff from progressing.” (Evidence of Detective Chief Superintendent Sharon Kerr.)
“My perception of the promotion system is that officers who meet a middling all round standard
will be successful but those who excel in most areas but cannot fulfil specific operational areas
will not be successful. This leads to evidence manufacturing by individuals who are more
interested in their own careers than to service or the public.” (Submission from IND 14.)
9.92 “We have officers, white and black and any other – female – at junior level who are still
sergeants and PCs with university degrees.They cannot move up the ladder because the promotion
system is failing them.We have youngsters who join the Police Service as cadets at 18 and they
are moulds: they will say the right things, obey orders, and if they have got a problem you push
it up. Common sense is not applied … It is a simple issue. The whole promotion system needs
to be addressed and needs to be changed.” (Evidence of Detective Sergeant Gurpal Virdi.)
9.93 We have also received a number of submissions from individuals raising issues
of concern arising from their experience of the promotion process.
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