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6 Metropolitan Police AuthorityAnnual Reportindependent assessment of our reviews of consultation and crimemanagement. Final reports are awaited but the initial prospects forimprovement were rated as ‘good’.Fatal incidentsThe Authority is keen to lead the debate surrounding the highlyemotive and contentious issue of deaths in police custody. A viewingof the film ‘Injustice’ was facilitated for the Authority members anda special meeting of the full Authority was held where members ofthe public involved in cases were able to contribute to the debate.Following the meeting the Authority agreed to examine the policy onwhen police officers are suspended following a fatal incident anda working group will make recommendations on how different fatalincidents should be dealt with according to their circumstances. TheAuthority views these issues as essential to instil public confidenceand to ensure that the police response to a fatal incident is seen tobe transparent and fair. RecruitmentThe aim to recruit 1,050 extra officers in 2001/02 highlighted theissue of retention of experienced officers. To achieve the net increase,a recruitment target of 2,475 was set to take account of the numberof officers who left the service through retirement or for other reasons.In actual fact, 2,745 new officers were recruited by the end of theyear, which placed a strain on training facilities. The MPA ismonitoring and taking steps to redress this problem.This was a particularly busy period in terms of recruitment, butthere is no let-up in the determination of the Authority to increasethe number of police recruits, and specifically the number of recruitsfrom black and visible ethnic minority communities and womenrecruits in the current financial year. The Authority also recognisesthe importance of strategies to ensure that well trained andcommitted officers stay in the service.The overwhelming demand from Londoners has been for safer streets,higher visibility policing and lower crime. Consequently the MPAinsisted that the police officers recruited in 2001/02 were all sentto police the boroughs. It is planned to continue this policy as muchas possible as extra officers are funded and recruited year-on-year.Consultation, diversity and equalitiesDuring the year, the Authority developed its arrangements and workaround consultation, diversity and equalities.The recommendations of the Best Value Review of Consultationwere progressed, including the selection of Hackney, Kensingtonand Chelsea, Greenwich and Harrow boroughs as areas to pilot theCommunity Consultation Co-ordinator roles. Funding was found forrecruitment in 2 of these boroughs. A core part of the review dealt
MPA7with the Authority’s management and development of communitypolice consultative groups and much of the work focused onimproving the central co-ordination of these groups to achieve moreconsistent standards across London. The authority participatedin the GLA group’s ‘Listening to London’ review, which sought toestablish shared practice with regards to consultation arrangementswithin the GLA group.The Authority consulted on its duty to operate an independent custodyvisiting scheme and new Home Office guidelines. A frameworkdocument was prepared on the Authority’s role and managementarrangements.A key area of work was the consultation carried out on the StephenLawrence Inquiry Report’s Recommendation 61 to require all policestops to be recorded. The Authority organised innovative exercisesto hear the views of a wide-range of stakeholders. A report reflectingthe majority support in favour of the recommendation was producedand submitted to the Home Secretary, who has since agreed to itsimplementation.Disproportionality emerged as a central issue in the Authority’sequalities and diversity work. The Authority worked in partnershipwith the MPS and other agencies, including the GLA, to look at stopand search, deaths in custody, recruitment and fair practice in theMet. It supported the controversial screening of ‘Injustice’, a filmhighlighting the concerns of families of victims who died while heldin police custody.The death of Damilola Taylor highlighted concern about youthsafety and youth crime. Considerable attention was paid to how theMetropolitan Police deal with youth crime. The Authority supporteda conference on youth crime and the black community.A number of significant areas of work kicked off during the year. A Race Hate Crimes Working Group was set up, preparations ofa Race Equality Scheme in compliance with the Race RelationsAmendment Act began, a review into diversity training for policestaff was scoped and the Authority worked with the GLA groupin carrying out a best value review of equalities.The Authority worked closely with the Met’s Diversity Directorate,for example in developing a domestic violence strategy, andin development of various elements of its diversity strategy.Comprehensive performance management information systemscovering equalities issues were also developed.Perhaps the outstanding issue of the year was community reassurancepost September 11 and disturbances in northern towns during thesummer. The Authority organised a range of events to ensure thepolice worked closely with communities and community leaders.These events highlighted the importance for the Authority to continuedevelopment of inclusive consultation and diversity objectives.MPA/MPS annual report 2001/02
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