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Evaluating the Mixed Economy Model in Central Scotland Police

Evaluating the Mixed Economy Model in Central Scotland Police. Kenneth Scott Director, Centre for Criminal Justice and Police Studies University of the West of Scotland. CONTEXT. Surrey’s Workforce Modernisation Project Concurrent Organisational Developments

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Evaluating the Mixed Economy Model in Central Scotland Police

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  1. Evaluating the Mixed Economy Model in Central Scotland Police Kenneth Scott Director, Centre for Criminal Justice and Police Studies University of the West of Scotland

  2. CONTEXT • Surrey’s Workforce Modernisation Project • Concurrent Organisational Developments • Management of Organisational Change • Evaluation Timescale

  3. BUSINESS BENEFITS 1. Increased capacity of frontline response officers 2. Better quality of crime investigation and associated procedures 3. Quality of service 4. Improved staff morale 5. Criminal justice efficiency 6. Efficiency savings 7. Reduction in Groups 3 and 4 crime

  4. BALANCED SCORECARD

  5. DATA SOURCES

  6. KEY OUTCOMES

  7. Improved Investigation (1) • The benefits accruing from the PCU in terms of traditional police performance indicators are difficult to determine. In relation to crime reduction, a direct causal link between a Mixed Economy policing unit and these outcomes has not been established and is unlikely to be. • Detection rates raise the possibility that there may be scope for further analysis of the interface between investigative activities that can be carried out by IAs and detection procedures which relate appropriately to police officers.

  8. Improved Investigation (2) There is clear evidence that the PCU has contributed to the significant redistribution of time spent on investigations between police officers and police staff and in helping to reduce the life of crime. The evidence on the link between the PCU and the quality of investigative reporting through SPRs is much less conclusive.

  9. Improved Investigation (3) The impact of the PCU directly on the police contribution to criminal justice efficiency appeared inconclusive. Evidence from the Procurator Fiscal suggests that greater efficiencies in that domain may be driven by the Criminal Justice Business Unit than the PCU. All the new developments being undertaken by the Force, of which the PCU is a major part, inter-connect as a strategic response to policing problems.

  10. Better Quality of Service (1) • A specific aim of the mixed economy model used for Group 3 & 4 crime investigation was to improve the quality of service provided to the public, especially to victims of crime. • CSP’s latest quality assurance survey suggested that where crimes were processed by the PCU, victims’ perceptions of service delivery compared very favourably with those processed otherwise, especially in relation to routine updating to victims on progress of cases.

  11. Better Quality of Service (2) • The focus groups with victims of crime in all three Area Commands identified that there were still perceived problems with keeping victims in touch with cases after the initial contact by police officers. • The groups had no problems with investigations being carried out by non-police officers, and the Falkirk group had largely not recognised that in some cases their contact had been with the PCU. • This tends to reinforce the principle that for many members of the public the key to effectiveness in policing is not necessarily whether or not a police officer is always involved, but that the job is done professionally by someone.

  12. Better Quality of Service (3) • Police staff within the PCU saw the value of their work primarily in terms of providing a good quality of service to the public. There was no evidence of staff experiencing any difficulties in being accepted by the public in carrying out their tasks. • Staff used their skills and initiative to develop the quality of service aspects of their work in relation to Group 3 & 4 crime and as a result were delivering a level of service to victims which is more thorough, more comprehensive and more effective than that delivered previously. • The feedback received directly from victims was almost unanimously positive, as were the quality of service communications initiated by the PCU as part of its standard operating procedures. • The practice of ensuring that PCU teams were made aware of positive comments was helpful to staff morale.

  13. Increased Frontline Capacity(1) • A key outcome of the mixed economy policing model was that frontline policing capacity in Falkirk Area Command was increased. The introduction of the PCU had two direct measurable impacts on frontline officers: - time spent by officers on investigation of Group3 and 4 crime was released to the extent of 16,093.3 hours over a 10-month period; - the workload of response officers as measured by crime files was reduced by a monthly average of 52% as a result of redistribution of crime files to the PCU.

  14. Increased Frontline Capacity (2) Police officers in Falkirk Area initially raised concerns in relation to loss of crime files and de-skilling, but by the end of the evaluation period the benefits of workload reduction and the opportunities to develop other aspects of policing were beginning to be recognised. Police managers confirmed the reduction in workload and recognised the need for continuing communication with officers about the PCU’s role and function.

  15. Increased Frontline Capacity (3) There was some evidence of the benefits of the released time and reduced crime file workload of frontline officers beginning to be utilised by the end of the evaluation period: - partly through officers being able to focus on other aspects of their workload, such a patrol and proactive policing, and - partly through increased support for wider policing operations.

  16. Best Value (1) • The introduction of the PCU produced average monthly efficiency savings of approximately £2,250 over the first ten months of operation. Taken over the period of the full fiscal year this amounts to efficiency savings of £27,000 in the first year of operation of the Unit i.e. around 6% of pre-implementation and Year 1 costs. • On the basis of the potential for continuous improvement in future years, especially in the re-distribution of frontline capacity towards priorities that require officer powers, this can be seen as representing a reasonable improvement in the efficient use of Force financial resources.

  17. Best Value (2) The Mixed Economy Policing model of the Priority Crime Unit meets the main characteristics of Best Value. In particular, the model • has identified a clear set of priorities that respond to the needs of the community: • is organised to deliver those priorities; • has demonstrated that it can meet community needs; and • is operating in a way that drives continuous improvement.

  18. BALANCED SCORECARD OUTCOME

  19. REFLECTIONS Striking the balance between police officers and police staff in the mixed economy Clarifying the role of a Priority Crime Unit within the policing process Linking the benefits of the PCU to frontline policing activity Applying the mixed economy to different kinds of policing areas.

  20. Dr Kenneth Scott and Dr Peter Sproat Centre for Criminal Justice & Police Studies, University of the West of Scotland, Hamilton Campus. kenneth.scott@uws.ac.uk peter.sproat@uws.ac.uk

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