August 2000 Volume 81 Number 8 "serving the protectors"
	Opinion
By Bernadette Zimmermann

The Met’s Five-Year Strategy

With the new intelligence-led policing model in place, it soon became apparent there were simply not enough police officers to do the job within that structure. So 113 extra police officers have been promised by the government. While police recruitment attempts to keep up with existing vacancies and recent promises, the LSA concept continues to work itself out with what staff there are.

Within all this is the proposed Promotion Qualification Framework (PQF): an attempt to address the hopeless situation facing most police caught up in a system of little opportunity. The new numbers (while desperately needed and appreciated) will only add to existing troubles of promotional bottlenecks.

I have very little faith in the proposed PQF being able to sort out the bottleneck which stifles so many experienced police in gaining their first promotion to senior constable. The proposal appears to be geared toward rejecting qualified applicants on a time basis - rather than a merit basis - simply because there are not enough promotional positions to cover the number who are suitable for that promotion. Maybe it is hoped that utter frustration will eventually cause members to accept their stagnation and just go into a state of complacency about their motivation and commitment to SAPOL. Not a healthy option.

This is not good for anyone, least of all SAPOL, as it struggles to cope with its own changes while expecting worn-out police to embrace another system of promotion. Before bringing in a new PQF, and in light of changed policing philosophies, it is a wonder that SAPOL HR professionals have not addressed something of a “people strategy” to coincide with these emerging changes.

My reference to people strategy comes from a document I retrieved from the Website address of the London Metropolitan Police Service.

This document reveals a five-year strategy aimed at recruiting, developing and retaining high-quality staff to meet London’s needs into the future. It hopes to do this by installing new workforce planning systems which will forecast recruitment needs, skills required of new and existing personnel and an improvement in succession planning and promotion planning.

This strategy is quite different from what South Australian police have seen of late. The topsy-turvy disagreements about staffing levels/needs, the ensuing battle taken up by the Police Association - which at least secured the extra numbers - and now, a proposed PQF that could never be considered an attempt at succession or promotion planning. It appears to hold people back rather than plan for their promotions and career development.

The (UK) Metropolitan Police strategy continually makes mention of policing being a “profession”. The slogan on every page of the strategy reads: “A five-year strategy to move our profession forward.” Excerpts from the strategy include:

• “For the first time, your appraisal will show you how you rate on all the professional skills for your role - as well as on the way you approach it. For police officers these professional skills include, for example, crime scene management and interviewing suspects.”

• “You’ll know that you are a professional and feel valued as one. How? Because what you’ve achieved in your professional skills will be compared with the Metropolitan Police Services (MPS) standards set for your role.”

• “You won’t receive blanket training that everyone gets. You will get training that’s relevant to your role and answers the development needs shown in your appraisal.”

• “Tenure will change and become more flexible. If you have done successful work in one aspect of policing, your next post should help you develop the experience and skills you’ve built up - rather than moving you to a different line of work that might not suit your abilities and interests, or use your professional skills to the best for everyone.”

• “Tenure must become part of an integrated career and operational performance package, not just focused on moving people. It must improve operational performance by building on individual’s experience and professional skills.”

• “In roles where pressure and burnout have proved to be high, maximum tenure periods will be set to reflect the organisation’s duty of care for the individual.”

• “For the first time, you will be in a specialist career group with people who have the same kind of skills as you, even if they do different work.”

• “As time goes on, you will find that you won’t be regularly asked to do extra hours, or be frustrated covering unfilled vacancies, or doing two jobs. You will be part of a well-planned workforce.”

• “You’ll be able to get free health and lifestyle screening and professional advice on the results.”

• “If you’re injured, we have a scheme that can cut the waiting time for diagnosis.”

• “Working with healthier and fitter people who, like you, will have less pressure, you will be able to find a successful balance between work and your private life - better for you and the people around you, the ones who support you in coming in to work.”

• “Recognition will be based on talent and ability, whoever you are and whatever your background. You’ll get respect for doing your work well - after all, we all approach our work in our own way.”

• “You’ll be recognised by the community, your colleagues and by your line managers as someone who is a professional.”

I urge readers to access the document and study its details on grievance handling, safety and health, and reducing resignations. I’m sure it has flaws and possible pitfalls as many of these systems do. Their appraisal system is of particular interest. It appears that it may be used to determine rates of pay. A notation under the list of ‘Constable’s Pay’ reads:

Payments linked to outstanding performance will be introduced when the appraisal system has been developed.

With an enterprise bargaining period about to begin, and a new promotional framework at draft stage, members need to take the initiative and have a viewpoint on the matters that directly affect them.

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