Agenda item

Report of the Commissioner of Police

The Committee received a report of the Commissioner of Police that provided Members with a detailed update on the Staff Survey, following the receipt of the full results by CoLP since the last meeting.

The Commissioner noted that the results were impressive by comparison to the national figures, but explained that the CoLP were not complacent.

The Commissioner explained that the CoLP would take note of the areas requiring improvement, and would provide updates on these as developments are made.

In reference to paragraphs 19-20 of the report, the Chairman requested that the more detailed analytical returns were submitted to the Professional Standards and Integrity Sub Committee.  The Chairman of the Sub-Committee agreed and explained that they were eagerly awaiting these findings.

The Chairman of the Professional Standards and Integrity Sub-Committee stated that they were somewhat confused by the ratings system used within the report, which in some cases related to information that was not included within the report.  The Commissioner explained that the report was merely aiming to provide a summary overview of the findings of the survey, and that the full datasets omitted were too voluminous and complex to be suitable.  He explained that the questions respondents had been asked were numerous so as to avoid predictability, and therefore had not been included within the report.

The Chairman of the Professional Standards and Integrity Sub Committee confirmed that, although a presentation of the methodology at the next Police Committee meeting would not be necessary, it would be useful to see a full explanation of measures at the next meeting of the Professional Standards and Integrity Sub-Committee. (3)

A Member noted that the level of respondents was high, and asked if there was any understanding of the reasons for those opting not to respond to the survey.  The Commissioner conceded that findings of previous surveys had not been utilised as effectively as they perhaps should have been.  He explained that the primary objective now was to give sufficient focus and action in response to the information that had been submitted, rather than attempting to contemplate “unknown unknowns”.  He explained that the goal would be to track longer term data as surveys are carried out going forward with the new methodology.

RESOLVED – That the report be received.