Police Now

The additional funding made available by the Mayor enables an increase in the number of Police Now officers that we take into the MPS during the financial year 19/20 from 50 to 98. Authority is requested to increase the total contract value for Police Now by the maximum amount possible through regulations.

Police Now provide a high calibre of graduates, a broad diversity and potential talent pool for the organisation. Many of our officers have gone on to undertake TDC roles as part of the Detective Impact programme for alumni and continue to problem solve within those roles.

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to:

• Approve an increase in the number of Police Now officers in 2019/20 from 50 to 98 as a result of changes in the workforce plan following growth in officer numbers.
• Approve an increase for contract spend in Year 2 of the Police Now Contract to £1.12m. This represents an increase of £560,900 against the forecast and will result in an overall contract spend value with Police Now increasing from £1.12m to £1.68m.

1. Introduction and background

1.1. Initially launched in 2014, Police Now seeks to attract exceptional graduates into policing with a vision that goes beyond a career offer to delivering far reaching social change. The programme aims to mirror the success of both the ‘Teach First’ and ‘Frontline’ programmes in the teaching and social work sectors by addressing entrenched social inequality and fundamentally improving the lives of the most disadvantaged communities. Police Now’s mission is in line with the Mayoral Commitments as set out in the MOPAC Police and Crime Plan.

1.2. Traditionally, policing has not been considered a graduate career, but through Police Now the MPS is able to directly market to and attract an exceptional calibre of graduate. The MOPAC evaluation of Police Now indicated that the Scheme attracts people who are proactive, enthusiastic and possess a more positive attitude towards serving the public when compared to their peers.

1.3. The two-year Police Now offer provides graduates the opportunity to undertake industry placements during their second year and on completion of the programme, either to remain in policing or to move to other sectors. This is in line with the principles of the National Workforce Futures programme, which is looking to modernise our workforce framework to ensure that it is fit for future generations and create an environment in which flexible exit and re-entry into the Police Service is encouraged.

1.4. Police Now provide a high calibre of graduates, a broad diversity and potential talent pool for the organisation. Many of our officers have gone on to undertake Temporary Detective Constable roles as part of the Detective Impact programme for alumni and continue to problem solve within those roles.

1.5. If we are to engender a transformational cultural change within the MPS at the pace we aspire to; we need to invest in every avenue of recruitment that delivers the diversity in participants to help us to move forward with this change. Police Now has consistently delivered high levels of diversity of circa 50% female and circa 30% BAME candidates through their recruitment processes

2. Issues for consideration

2.1. This additional investment in Police Now will deliver at pace an additional 98 high calibre officers, who will be placed directly into Designated Ward Officer (DWO) posts in wards of significant deprivation within neighbourhoods

2.2. The project based activity that Police Now officers undertake has shown to have increased public confidence within those wards and their innovative problem solving has resolved some long-term challenges within their neighbourhoods and are shared as best practice with colleagues.

3. Financial Comments

3.1. The proposal is fully funded within existing revenue budgets. The proposal seeks an uplift within an existing contract, signed in July 2017 with Police Now.

3.2. There is further detail on the financial and commercial considerations in the Part Two of this report.

4. Legal Comments

4.1. The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) is a contracting authority as defined in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (the Regulations). All awards of public contracts for goods and/or services valued at £181,302 or above must be procured in accordance with the Regulations.

4.2. Police Now programme is the only graduate-entry recruitment programme of its type and that the key outcomes the programme provides is unique on the marketplace. Police Now is the only organisation that can legally provide the Police Now programme.

4.3. The use of Police Now will change following the introduction of the Police Education Qualification Framework towards the end of 2019/20.

5. Equality Comments

5.1. At the time of writing, the 2018 intake consists of 60 confirmed offers, 32 (53%) female; 17 (28%) BAME. Police Now is expected to deliver above its targeted number of 50 new MPS officers for 2018.

5.2. As this is a request to increase the value of an existing contract this work does not change any aspects relating to equality or diversity.

6. Background/supporting papers

6.1. Report