Date: Wednesday 26th March 2025 – 10:00hrs
Chair: John Campion
Minutes: Lucy Milner
Attendance
- John Campion (PCC) – Police and Crime Commissioner
- Marc Bayliss (DPCC) – Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner
- Charity Pearce (CP) – Senior Policy Officer, OPCC
- Nicola Lowery (NL) – Policy Officer, OPCC
- Lucy Milner (LM) – Business Support Officer, OPCC
- Richard Cooper (T/CC) – Temporary Chief Constable, WMP
- Rachel Jones (T/DCC) – Temporary Deputy Chief Constable, WMP
- Grant Wills (ACC) – Assistant Chief Constable, WMP
- Rachel Hartland-Lane (RHL) – Director of Business Services, WMP
Review of Action Tracker
It was confirmed that all actions within the tracker were for an update at future meetings.
Case study video – DE&I
A victim case study video, that had been circulated to attendees prior to the meeting was presented. The video highlighted the account of a victim with autism and their experience with the force. It was noted that the victim’s own voice had been used for the video on this occasion.
Workforce Representation and Inclusivity
In advance of the meeting the T/CC had provided a briefing paper on Diversity, Equality and Inclusion, and the current position of the force. The paper outlined the T/CC’s ambition to ensure every person in West Mercia was treat as an individual with a verbal overview given on the force’s work to ensure this in their interactions with the public. The T/CC acknowledged areas of disproportionality that remain in the force and spoke of the progress made over the last 12 months, detailing examples and evidence to support this.
- Progress on West Mercia Police’s Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Strategy:
The PCC sought reassurance on the effectiveness of governance and oversight of the DE&I Strategy to ensure that it is delivered in line with the priorities for the force. The T/CC stated that he received assurance through several formal oversight structures such as the Inclusion Strategy Board which he is due to Chair for the first time in April of this year and gave an overview of the performance reports that provide valuable insight into progress made by the force and challenges faced. The T/CC advised that his attendance at relevant events provided an opportunity to gain a first-hand understanding of the impact and opportunities within the DE&I work currently being undertaken by the force.
The PCC asked for further detail on how the force engages with and learns from the workforce on progress being made within the organisation. An overview was given to the PCC on the regular engagement with staff and officers to ensure that leadership is listening to and considers their experience. The importance of DIP sampling as an effective way of gathering feedback to provide an indication of progress being made within the force was also discussed. It was confirmed that ACC Grant Wills also periodically attends local Scrutiny Panel meetings to gain an overview on DE&I progress and listen to the viewpoints from within the organisation on what a good and inclusive service should look like.
The PCC considered the work of the force’s Inclusion Strategy Board to ensure that effective governance was taking place. The T/CC provided further insight into the governance structure for DE&I in the force, this included the Inclusion Strategy Board which sets the direction and priorities for the Operational and Organisational Inclusion delivery boards which review activity on an operational level.
- Workforce Diversity:
The paper detailed a current workforce breakdown of representation within the force and its ambition to have a diverse workforce that represented the local community.
The PCC sought the T/CC’s view on if he was content or sought improvements in the diversity of the force. The T/CC advised that he was encouraged by increase in female police officers as this was a significant improvement, but stated he was less satisfied by the progress made with attracting and retaining a more ethnically diverse workforce.
The DPCC sought clarification on what work was being done to address this and if the force had identified any challenges and opportunities within the vetting procedure that could help improve this. RHL stated that disproportionality existed in vetting and that the force does encounter issues with individuals not disclosing all relevant information when completing the vetting form. RHL advised on the force’s current focus on ensuring greater guidance on disclosure is provided to individuals and spoke of the work was being done to analyse vetting decisions and examine the frequency of refusals. RHL also discussed the recruitment pipeline for student officers and the focus on officer retention to allow representation figures to improve.
The PCC sought clarity on the current career progression opportunities in place to ensure everyone has an equal chance of progression. RHL emphasised the current work to improve female representation at certain ranks within the organisation. This work includes encouraging females to apply for promotion posts, improving their confidence and offering support to applicants throughout the recruitment process.
- Workplace Culture and Training:
Neurodiversity in the workplace was discussed, and the PCC sought assurance that enough progress was being made in this area. The T/CC stated that progress was evident from the number of individuals that were empowered and confident enough to join the groups available and talk about their experience as a neurodivergent individual. The T/CC acknowledged this but advised that there was still work to be done to improve the workplace to ensure that individuals feel able to report areas of concern or improvement. The T/CC added that training and processes are now in place to assist with this, and progress is being monitored.
It was acknowledged that mandatory Procedural Justice training, which had been delivered face to face with all front-line officers and staff, had proven valuable. The T/CC confirmed that the force was ahead of some areas regarding neurodiversity awareness, but that there was still improvement required regarding workforce engagement with individuals from ethnically diverse backgrounds.
The PCC requested further clarity on the internal reporting of unprofessional behaviour in the force and questioned if the T/CC had confidence that the workforce felt empowered to report. RHL provided an overview of the improvement work taking place to ensure there is support available and the force’s aspiration to challenge unacceptable behaviour.
Discussion took place on reporting the outcomes of any unprofessional behaviour investigations for lower-level reports and consideration was given to improving internal communications on this to increase confidence to report poor behaviour.
ACTION: Force to examine and provide an update on the progress of reviewing internal comms and management interventions that may give officers confidence to report low-level unprofessional behaviour or offences.
Community Engagement and Transparency
- Engagement with Diverse Communities:
The paper provided in advance of the meeting detailed the revised Independent Advisory Group (IAG) structure which includes three Thematic IAGs for black, minority and ethnic communities (BME), Disability and LGBTQ+.
The PCC sought reassurance that the revised IAG structure will achieve effective outcomes and how public feedback is shaping the force’s approach. The T/CC expressed his confidence in the revised structure but acknowledged that more time was required to understand the overall effectiveness of the IAGs. Further insight was provided by the T/CC on the force’s engagement with the public and the need to ensure that this takes place across West Mercia.
- Service Disparities:
The briefing provided identified disproportionality in the force’s stop and search activity, particularly affecting individuals from ethnically diverse backgrounds. The PCC sought assurance that this disparity was understood and proportionate. The T/CC confirmed that he was reassured that the force’s use of powers was closely monitored and reflected on the areas of service disparity for individuals from ethnically diverse backgrounds.
The ACC confirmed that the Operational and Organisational Inclusion boards have introduced a comprehensive report which details further requirements to be put in place to ensure that stop and search activity continues to be monitored closely moving forwards
- Building Trust and Confidence:
The work carried towards building trust within the communities was discussed and the PCC sought further clarification on what had been learned from past communication challenges to inform the new strategies. The ACC recognised the force’s impact on public confidence and the need to listen to communities. Further insight was provided into the implementation of new strategies, including the IAG Police Process, to ensure early engagement and improved communication.
Governance and Accountability
The development of an Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) for the force’s new operating model (Op Franklin) was discussed with the PCC emphasizing the need to ensure consideration was given to an EIA as part of the implementation. It was advised by RHL that it is a current objective of the Quality and Inclusion team to achieve more impactful assessments and improve awareness. The PCC expressed his interest in EIA for Op Franklin and the review of EIAs. The following actions were agreed:
ACTION: To share Equality Impact assessment for Op Franklin with the PCC.
ACTION: Force to engage with OPCC and share findings as part of the review of Equality Impact Assessments to improve usage and value.
The National Policing Culture and Inclusion Strategy 2025 – 2030 was discussed and RHL reaffirmed that the force’s commitment to building on the improvements made within DE&I to ensure that the force take an inclusive approach.
Executive Conclusion & Next Steps
The force’s progress within DE&I was recognised by the PCC. However, it was acknowledged that challenges remain and the need to continue to drive improvements at a strategic level. The PCC sought reassurance on the leadership team’s commitment to delivering their strategic objectives and areas of improvement.
The T/CC provided a commitment into the review of disproportionality and the Executive’s dedication to ensuring an organisation that is both caring and compassionate within the workforce and in their interactions with the public.
Summary of Actions Arising – OPCC
ACTION: Force to examine and provide an update on the progress of reviewing internal comms and management interventions that may give officers confidence to report lower-level unprofessional behaviour or offences.
ACTION: To share Equality Impact assessment of Op Franklin with PCC.
ACTION: Force to engage with OPCC and share findings as part of the review of Equality Impact Assessments to improve usage and value.
Confirmation of Next Meeting Type / Date / Time / Venue
A&A Q4 Performance – 30 May 2025, 10:30-12:30, PCC Conference Room 12.
