Agenda item

Commissioner & Chief Officers to be heard.

Members received a verbal update of the Commissioner and Chief Officers, including an update on National Lead Force (NLF). The following areas were covered:

·         Overall crime within the City had increased slightly as more people returned. This was to be expected as the City came back to life, which was to be welcomed. In comparison to 2019, crime was still reduced but this would continue to be monitored.

·         XR presented a substantial challenge for the Force, City of London and local communities. The extra demands on the Force from increased patrol to overtime. would be reported on in due course. Positive partnerships were established with businesses but also with communities and residents. The Assistant Commissioner thanked the local community for the support received. It was felt that communications had largely been positive throughout the protests.

·         Tendering had closed on the Fraud and Cyber Crime Reporting and Analysis Service procurement (FCCRASP), with the bids going to the programme board and then FCCRASP Committee on 1 October 2021.

·         There had been an article in MyLondon based on the results of the inclusive employer survey from 2020. This highlighted behaviours that were not welcome within the organisation. The Force gave assurance that equalities, diversity and inclusion (EDI) was being actively worked on, which had been reflected in the report to the Professional Standards and Integrity Committee, with reports due at the October Board. The Assistant Commissioner was acutely aware that COLP needed to be inclusive as well as diverse. It was a disappointing article to read but the Force acknowledged it and expressed a drive to improve.

With regard to the MyLondon article, the Force confirmed that it did not highlight any issues that were previously unknown, although it was also acknowledged that the Force could do more to make BAME colleagues feel more comfortable about coming forward to voice their concerns.

Whilst both the Board and officers agreed there was a lot of work to do, they also recognised that an enormous amount of work was already underway. There were six work streams being led by senior officers all reporting to an internal EDI Delivery Board. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) were being developed, with an action plan already in place, in tandem with the work of the NPCC toolkit. More positive news from the IE survey included that two thirds of participants felt they were treated with dignity and respect and there was a positive culture in the Force.

There was a general push from Members to drive forward with this work at pace and a request that the work of the EDI Delivery Board tie in with the work of the Tackling Racism Taskforce, that provided recommendations relevant across the City Corporation and all its institutions.

RESOLVED, that the update be noted.