Human Resources
Workforce modernisation
Effective policing is delivered by an appropriate mix of police officers, police staff and police community support officers (PCSOs). The government is committed to supporting forces in developing their workforce, reflecting a more effective mix of police officers and staff.
The right person in the right job
Workforce modernisation is about putting the right person in the right job. It means fewer officers behind desks, greater visible police presence on our streets and freeing up officers to take jobs that make best use of their skills and training.
By engaging with the concepts of workforce modernisation, participating forces will have a distinct advantage in preparing for the comprehensive spending review (CSR) years because of the efficiency savings they will have already made. Workforce modernisation will give forces the chance to look again at how their policing is delivered and to realise significant improvements in their effectiveness and value for money.
Workforce modernisation programme
The national workforce modernisation (WFM) programme is managed by the National Policing Improvement Agency. The Home Office funds the independent evaluation of the programme being carried out by Deloitte.
The programme aims to help the police improve the quality of service it delivers to the public whilst also delivering value for money. Fundamentally, it involves bringing together mixed teams of officers and staff based on an assessment of roles, skills, experience and powers required to perform certain policing tasks. The premise is that a more efficient and effective workforce can be created and that officers can be freed up to use their powers, skills and training where most needed. Similarly, it can help to enhance the potential of police staff - providing them with greater flexibility and opportunity in the roles available to them.
We have seen evidence from the pilot sites running during 2004 to 2006 of the benefits to forces in developing a more effective workforce mix. Independent consultants at Accenture undertook an evaluation of the 10 pilots and the Accenture report, published in November 2006, identified some improvements in force performance and efficiency savings.
The national WFM programme was officially launched in July 2007 and initially included eleven demonstration sites across thirteen police force areas. It currently comprises nine demonstration sites in nine forces* (fourteen projects) and a number of ‘associate’ forces aligned to the programme but which are not subject to the formal evaluation process. The models in the demonstration sites in the main reflect a team approach to response, investigation, neighbourhood and intelligence policing capabilities. The evaluation is examining a range of issues including cost; performance and service delivery; efficiency, and; measures of public confidence (customer satisfaction and stakeholder perceptions). NPIA provides support to forces through a number of regional field officers and they have also provided consultancy help, for example on areas such as analysing demand and process mapping.
As part of the approach to help forces and authorities to benefit from valuable learning at an early stage as possible, a series of interim evaluation reports are being released during the lifetime of the programme rather than waiting for a final report at the conclusion of it.
The first interim evaluation report was published on 3 March 2009 in line with the Green Paper commitment and Flanagan review recommendation.
The second interim report was published in July 2009 with a third planned for September before the final report is published.
The third interim report was published in October and is the last interim report ahead of the final report due to be published in January 2010.
The workforce inspection by HMIC in 2010, Working for the Public, will examine whether the workforce is led, organised and developed to deliver better services for the public more productively. Getting the best possible workforce mix is one of the key elements of the way in which forces and authorities organise their workforce. Learning developed through the WFM programme will help forces and authorities assess the appropriate balance between officers and staff as part of their preparation for the inspection.
The programme team is pleased to share with you their quarterly e-zine, The Knowledge. Please read the latest edition of The Knowledge, which provides insight into two of the national demonstration sites.
Further information is available on the WFM Programme website (new window). (new window)
* Avon & Somerset, Durham, MPS, Northants, Northumbria, Staffordshire, Surrey, West Yorkshire and Wiltshire
