Over the last few weeks I have been campaigning to get the volume of police guidelines cut.
The list of standard operating procedures, guidelines and "best practice" notes runs to almost 6,500 pages and has been described by Sir Paul Stephenson, Met Commissioner, as "War and Peace".
The gargantuan tome covers things like how to use handcuffs, how to dismount a bicycle safely, says officer should be careful when smashing a window to gain entry to a house and advises that when deal with mob violence at cricket matches “missile throwing could certainly constitute threatening behaviour”. While I have no doubt that some of the notes are genuinely useful many are insultingly obvious.
There is however a serious point to this campaign. I have been told by many police officers that these guidelines have become so restrictive that they stifle initiative and creates an "if the book doesn't cover it, I won't do it" mentality. This negatively effects the ability of police officers to be flexible and use the judgement.
The second problem is the cost of creating, updating, disseminating and checking compliance with this mountain of paper. When looking for officers who could and should be spending more time on front line duties I can think of a good place to start looking.
At the last MPA meeting Sir Paul agreed that the guidance had gone too far and I pledged to support any attempts to cut them. Rather than attempting to cover every possible eventuality, the police should operate within the law and have a set of guiding principles within which they use their judgment. Recruit the right people, train them well and then let them to get on with the job.
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This is a good initiative and to be applauded. However how do we address the issues brought up on the Inspector Gadget blog (and elsewhere) when Theresa May abolished the Policing Pledge and 'performance targets': many forces including the Met simply ignored her and carried on - in most cases just rebranding the same tickboxes?
http://inspectorgadget.wordpress.com/the-naughty-step/
As well as pushing for even more rolling back of paperwork, could you challenge the Met Commissioner as to why he is ignoring instructions to that effect which have already been issued by the Home Sec?
So-called "beat" officers may hate the politically correct paper shuffling, but a certain layer of police middle-managers (for that is what they are) have built their careers around tickboxes and understand nothing else. That culture is the real problem.
And the Boris-selected bureaucrat Paul Stephenson will only add to this myriad of rules, regulations and paperwork rather than solve the problem.
Paul Stephenson lives by the 5 Ps - Paperwork, paperwork, paperwork, paperwork and paperwork.
Further developments on the police ignoring a direct instruction from the Home Sec to cut paperwork. Will you wear one of these wristbands?
http://inspectorgadget.wordpress.com/2010/08/07/coming-soon-awareness-wristbands/
...produced in police blue with the Home Secretary’s own instruction “Scrap The Pledge Now” embossed in large print.
I cant believe it hasn't been proposed before. Has anyone ever stop to think, why the current CRB process in this country can take months to complete, in peculiar the stage in regards to the Metropolitan Police. The Records Bureau is processing around 3,855,881 a year and anticipating 4.50 million to apply by 2013/14. With the NHS and other governmental departments moving information online for almost instant access. Does it not beg the question why can’t they do the same for CRB checks? Some may use the excuse its difficult. More difficult than say the Tesco loyalty card service who operates 15 million plus customers, and who knows how many transactions every day. Or even the current NHS plan to store every individuals medical record? I think its time the boys in home office do something constructive with their time!
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