CRIME REDUCTION INITIATIVES
tical methods used in analysing perform- ance data; the other looks at questionnaire survey methodology and other forms of consultation used in understanding per- formance relating to confidence and sat- isfaction, and establishing the needs and priorities of local communities. For police authority senior leaders, the NPIA leader- ship college at Bramshill runs free training built around a relevant business exercise. This involves making a number of strate- gic decisions relating to finance, perform- ance, partnership, collaboration, national and local demands and determining stra- tegic priorities - all issues identified in the HMIC/Audit Commission Thematic ‘Learning Lessons’ (February 2010).
This approach to training and support aims to help authorities to obtain more of a grip on both force finance and perform- ance, which will in turn help police au- thorities and police forces to work together more effectively.
To bridge the funding gap, transforma- tional change is needed in the police service focused on the business processes and systems utilised to deliver services; and the mix of the police workforce, how it is structured, deployed and equipped. The HMIC report ‘Police Governance in Austerity’ advised that police authori- ties will need to make difficult decisions, rarely made before, to improve productiv- ity while reducing costs. They believe this will involve, amongst other issues, levels of overtime and shift patterns and that police authorities will need to be confident that decisions impacting on police visibility and availability are based on a clear rationale.
The NPIA uses evidenced-based meth- ods for addressing how the workforce is shaped, deployed and equipped to meet budget requirements, whilst remaining fo- cused on maintaining the performance of frontline services.
A team of experts are available with tools and solutions, including:
Continuous improvement
This enables forces to make quick cost reductions whilst simultaneously improv- ing services and performance. Following a thorough end-to-end review of service de- livery processes, any activity that does not add value is sustainably removed. In doing so, a high-quality, cost-effective service valued by the customer is delivered.
Services are conveyed at reduced cost, cashable savings are quickly available through the opportunity to provide im-
proved services with fewer people, man- agers’ business skills are enhanced and staff culture is transformed, leading to im- proved leadership, better decision making and staff innovation. The work aims to de- liver short-term financial savings and per- formance uplift as well as leave the serv- ice in a better position to provide future services through the capability building of staff to identify and progress effective chance and realise cost and performance benefits.
Workforce planning
This involves close analysis of the demand for services, enabling future workforce needs to be identified to ensure the right people, with the right skills are in the right place at the right time, doing the right things to solve demand driving problems.
Effective deployment
Using specialised software, resources are aligned to demand more effectively, with roster and shift patterns designed accord- ingly. This, in particular, addresses the overtime issues mentioned in the HMIC report.
Changing the workforce mix
This methodology, with supporting toolkit, assists with the change needed to make the most of mixed policing teams. It has been proven to increase capacity and produc- tivity by more closely matching the skills, knowledge and powers of officers and staff to police tasks.
Resilience
Analysis tools assist forces in assessing and mitigating the resilience risk when planning the workforce. They provide a guide as to the impact on resilience should a number of extraordinary events and crit- ical and major incidents of differing scales occur simultaneously.
Capability support
Peer support provides a confidential, im- partial and bespoke service. Peers are a mix of specialist advisors and experienced senior police staff and officers selected specifically for each review.
The force/authority receives recommen- dations and, if requested, support in im- plementation. The police service is both the client and the supplier.
By working collaboratively with the NPIA, police authorities and police forces can be supported in the use of all these tools to understand the complexity of the work- force, make sound resource decisions and lead this most vital public service through these aus- tere times.
Bethan Page-Jones
FOR MORE INFORMATION Visit
www.npia.police.uk
public sector executive Mar/Apr 11 | 45
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