OPR

Operational Policing Review

Most officers will have received an initial briefing regarding the Operational Policing Review. The Force is going to change from a geographic based management structure to a functional one.

On the 10^th December 2009 Surrey Police Authority gave permission for the Force to progress the plans and move into more detailed planning. Surrey Police Federation issued a position statement that day and this is copied below.

Surrey Police Federation

Position Statement with regard to the Operational Policing Review

10^th December 2009

1.      The Federation recognises the financial challenges facing the Force and we will support changes to try and address this as long as it has no significant adverse impact on policing and the members of the Police Federation.

2.      The Federation supports and welcomes the aim to increase constables by up to 200 officers.

3.      The Federation supports officers working from premises that are up to date and fit for purpose and providing local services.

4.      The Federation are concerned that a 33% reduction in inspecting ranks and above may overburden managers and lead to supervisory failures. We are particularly concerned regarding:

The stretch that managers will be placed upon with large numbers of staff and additional responsibilities.

The resilience of individuals including on call and other responsibilities such as firearms, SIO etc.

The lack of opportunities for careers to progress over the next three to five years and the diversity issues that lack of progression for minority groups may bring about.

The additional workloads that may be placed upon a reduced number of inspecting ranks following the reduction of superintending ranks.

The additional workloads that may be placed upon sergeants by a reduced number of inspecting ranks and the increase in constables giving us a large number of inexperienced officers with less supervisors.

We will challenge the plans as they develop to ensure that the numbers of supervisory officers are robust and resilient enough. Where we cannot agree we will insist that the Police Regulations apply regarding Rest Days and On Call, for example.

5.       We will work with the Superintendents Association and the Police Federation

             nationally concerning the review and matters of national interest.

6.      The Federation does not support any plans to compulsory retire officers at 30 years pensionable service under the Pension Regulation A19. Any consideration of the use of the Regulation must be conducted on an individual basis and in every case we will consider challenging the decision using the judicial process.

Where as a result of the review officers are given significant additional responsibilitie or workload we will seek to negotiate additional rewards and remuneration for those affected.

The selection process for inspecting ranks must be open and transparent and should be preceded by a preferencing exercise.

Officers not selected for a role within the new functional model must be given a meaningful role. If Pension Regulation A19 is considered by the Force those selected for roles should not be treated more preferentially than those without.

Substantive ranks should be appointed in preference to those in temporary roles unless there are exceptional reasons.

There are four functions and the Chief Superintendents have already been provisionally selected for those roles:

Response and Contact - T/Chief Superintendent Doyle

Neighbourhoods and Partnership – Chief Superintendent Stephens

Investigation – Chief Superintendent Collins

Tasking and Intelligence – Chief Superintendent Pennant

The model will come into effect from the 1^st April 2010 but there is a lot of work to be done and it will not be fully implemented until April 2011.

Underneath the Chief Superintendent leads there will be a reduced management structure. The numbers are not finalised but provisionally there will be 12 Superintendents (previously 16) 12 Chief Inspectors (previously 30) and 74 Inspectors (previously 100.) There are no plans to change the numbers of sergeants. A reduction in managers may be seen as welcome but we are very concerned that managers will be overburdened with too much responsibility. We are also concerned that some responsibilities will be pushed downwards onto front line supervisors reducing their capacity to manage a large number of new inexperienced staff.

The majority of officers will be working from five main buildings at Guildford, Staines, Reigate, Mount Browne and Woking. The latter two will house most HQ functions. Neighbourhood Teams will continue to work in their Boroughs but based with Local Authorities or in other premises such as libraries. The Force has promised that no police stations will close until there is a suitable alternative in place. Around 22 police stations will be sold or leased or developed in some other way.

With the savings from a reduced number of managers and from the sale and reduced running costs of the estate the Force plan to reduce the budget gap and invest in up to 200 more constables. We welcome any additional officers and officers working from up to date premises that are fit for purpose.

At present the plan is to put all new officers into Neighbourhoods, Cross Border Crime and Surveillance. It makes sense to invest in areas of the business that will reduce crime. We do want some resources placed into response and custody where officers are overstretched.

There will be more managers than are required as of April 2011, particularly inspecting ranks. Police officers cannot be made redundant as we are not employees. The Force anticipates that some managers will move to other roles on secondment or to other forces. Some officers will retire upon reaching 25 or 30 years service. Some officers may choose to stay on after 30 years because of the lack of opportunities elsewhere in the job market. Under the Pension Regulations, the Force can require officers to retire upon reaching 30 years service if it is necessary for the effective and efficient running of the Force. The Force wants to realise the savings from the reductions in management by April 2013. It is clear that the Force does not wish to use the Regulation unless it absolutely has to. It is hoped that sufficient managers will move to other forces or secondments and sufficient officers do retire to avoid this.

Early in 2010 all inspecting ranks will have an opportunity to preference for a role in the new structure and a selection process will take place, which the Federation has been invited to take part in. Those not selected for roles are likely to be given work to help with the programme of change. It is possible that some officers may be asked to take jobs at a rank below theirs although they will remain on their rank pay scale.

Promotion opportunities over the next 3 to 5 years will be severely curtailed. The Force has said that they will not stop promotions completely but they will be very limited.

The Federation will be working with the Force to influence the planning process and to ensure that the management structure is robust, resilient and will not overburden managers. Further updates will be posted as the plans progress.