PCD 1597 HO Winter Homicide Prevention Initiative Funding

PCD 1597 HO Winter Homicide Prevention Initiative Funding 

This paper seeks approval to accept a one-off Home Office (HO) grant funding of up to £80,000 to support the HO led Winter Homicide Campaign which aims to reduce homicides of males under the age of 25 and those over, between December 2023 and February 2024. 

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to:   

1. Approve to accept a one-off HO grant of up to £80,000 to fund the implementation and support existing winter homicide prevention initiatives. 

PART I - NON-CONFIDENTIAL FACTS AND ADVICE TO THE DMPC. 

1. Introduction and background. 

1. Homicide is one of the most devastating forms of crime, the impact of which causes enormous grief, concern, and fear in communities.  

2. Data indicates that there are two groups or clusters (3 and 5) that are significantly impacted by homicide.    

3. Group 5 consists of males, aged 25 years or older who have committed non-domestic, public space homicides, where drugs, alcohol, and sharp objects are relevant factors. A significant number of these cases involve suspects who have had a serious previous conviction. Analysis shows that group 5 has the highest levels of homicide and has not reduced significantly since 2019.   

4. Group 3 consists of males, under the age of 25 who have committed violence impacting young people and public space homicide often due to organised crime groups, and that the incidents involve a high proportion of sharp instruments being used, and again a significant number of these cases involve suspects who have had a serious previous conviction 

5. The limited amount of data available for analysis makes it impossible to determine which of the above-mentioned aggravating factors is the primary contributor in each occurrence. The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) is already working on these factors by examining violence in public spaces, licencing, and violence related with alcohol. 

2. Issues for consideration.  

1. This funding initiative is compatible with and strongly supports the MPS strategic goal of putting communities first, as well as the goal of building more trust, less crime, and high standards. The capability to contribute to proactive tackling of homicide is key. 

2. The campaign will be a joint endeavour between the various parts of the homicide reduction system, at a time when this victim cohort is particularly at risk due to the seasonal prominence of the Night-Time Economy (NTE) and increased alcohol prevalence. 

3. Restructuring efforts, such as the creation of new Basic Command Unit (BCU) proactive units and the Violence Harm Index (VHI), are being made to enhance activity to locate and arrest offenders and reduce the level of group 5 homicides.  

4. The funding will be used towards implementing and supporting the new BCU proactive units as well as the VHI. This will be in the form of extra officer hours, which each BCU will be in charge of managing locally through extended hours of duty overtime, or overtime rest days. 

5. Targeting of High Harm Offenders (HHO) would be made easier and there will also be funded support to the BCUs to arrest the most violent individuals and wanted offenders. 

3. Financial Comments.  

1. The one-off grant of £80,000 would be funded by the HO and would be used to facilitate the targeting of High Harm Offenders.  

2. MPS assure that they will continuously monitor the progress and impact of the funding allowing for scrutiny and understanding. 

4. Legal Comments. 

1. MOPAC acceptance of this Grant is permitted under Schedule 3 Paragraph 7 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011, whereby MOPAC may do anything which is calculated to facilitate, or is conducive or incidental to, the exercise of the functions of the Office which includes entering into contracts and other agreements (whether legally binding or not). 

2. Paragraph 4.8 of the MOPAC Scheme of Delegation and Consent provides that the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (DMPC) has delegated authority to approve all bids for grant funding made and all offers made of grant funding and/or where appropriate a strategy for grant giving” and to approve “The strategy for the award of individual grants and/ or the award of all individual grants  whether to secure or contribute to securing crime reduction in London or for other purposes.” 

3. MOPAC has an obligation to publish a grant agreement pursuant to Schedule 1, Paragraph 3(g) of the Elected Local Policing Bodies (Specified Information) (Amendment) Order 2012. 

5. Commercial Issues. 

1. There are no commercial issues.  

6. GDPR and Data Privacy. 

1. MOPAC will adhere to the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018 and ensure that any organisations who are commissioned to do work with or on behalf of MOPAC are fully compliant with the policy and understand their GDPR responsibilities.  

2. The MPS is subject to the requirements and conditions placed on it as a 'State' body to comply with the European Convention of Human Rights and the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018. Both legislative requirements place an obligation on the MPS to process personal data fairly and lawfully in order to safeguard the rights and freedoms of individuals. 

3. Under Article 35 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Section 57 of the DPA 2018, Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIA) become mandatory for organisations with technologies and processes that are likely to result in a high risk to the rights of the data subjects. 

4. The Information Assurance and Information Rights units within MPS will be consulted at all stages to ensure the project meets its compliance requirements. 

5. The project does not use currently personally identifiable data of members of the public, so there are no current GDPR issues to be considered. If the project uses personally identifiable data of members of the public at a later date DPIAs will be completed as needed. 

7. Equality Comments.  

1. MOPAC is required to comply with the public sector equality duty set out in section 149(1) of the Equality Act 2010. This requires MOPAC to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations by reference to people with protected characteristics. The protected characteristics are age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.  

2. The MPS assure that, having undertaken an initial equality screening, no positive or negative impact has been identified to any individual and/or group safeguarded by a protected characteristic and those who are not. 

8. Background/supporting papers. 

1. Appendix 1 MPS Report Home Office funding Winter Homicide Prevention Initiative.