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How the organisation releases the full potential of its people
Human Resources
4.1 Despite having its own budget and accountability mechanisms, SCRO does not have the legal capacity to be an employer. Consequently, the solution of convenience is for Strathclyde Joint Police Board to be the employer of the SCRO support staff. A charge of 4.4% of the pay bill is levied on SCRO as an administration charge for the use of Strathclyde Police's finance and personnel and training services. No service level agreement exists between SCRO and Strathclyde Police regarding the provision of these services. This relationship, while convenient, is not without its tensions, not least of these being the timescales to recruit additional staff. SCRO may have made a case for and obtained approval for additional or changed posts from the Executive Committee responsible for the governance of SCRO. While it has secured funding from its own budget, recruitment, which is undertaken by Strathclyde Police, cannot commence until a suitable report on the application is submitted by Strathclyde Police for approval to the Joint Police Board. While the propriety of the processes required by the Board is recognised, the time taken for this additional layer of scrutiny can be frustrating to an organisation trying to respond to business pressures in an extremely competitive employment market. It can be seen as an impediment to the effective and efficient management of the organisation. Because SCRO's civilian support staff are all employees of the Strathclyde Joint Police Board their terms and conditions including salary, training and welfare are all managed by Strathclyde Police Personnel Department.
4.2 This description is not an implied criticism of the action of the Strathclyde Joint Police Board and pending the review of Common Police Services the Board has agreed to changes in the processes, consistent with current legal and procedural requirements, in order to secure improvement.
4.3 Recruitment of staff is via the Personnel
Department of Strathclyde Police for force support staff. Adverts for key posts
are advertised nationally in magazines such as the Police Review and use made
of Scottish National Newspapers as well as the 8 Scottish force publications.
SCRO has an internet site where certain posts are advertised.
Core competencies
are identified for each post within the person specification and job description.
In some posts, eg trainee fingerprint officer, tenprint identification officer
and IT posts, specific tests are used. In line with the recent HMIC recommendation
(No. 22 in the Fingerprint Report), all SCRO adverts now identify SCRO as a separate
organisation, with applications being forwarded to the recruitment section of
Strathclyde Police on behalf of SCRO. All SCRO adverts contain a statement regarding
equal opportunities and acknowledge an under representation in relation to ethnic
minorities. The Personnel Department of Strathclyde Police, who at this time handle
most recruiting requirements, undertakes short listing of applicants in the first
instance. They also monitor the statistics in relation to the ethnic origin of
applicants. SCRO interview all candidates put forward to them by the Personnel
Department of Strathclyde Police. The recent recruitment process to appoint the
Head of the Scottish Fingerprint Service involved the Personnel Department of
Strathclyde Police but was managed and facilitated by the ACPOS Project Team.
Use was made of commercial recruitment and advertising specialists and the interview
panel chaired by the Chairman of the SCRO Executive Committee, supported by the
Secretary ACPOS Personnel and Training Committee and the Director of SCRO.
4.4 Police staff are seconded from their home force for a period of 3 years. Secondments can be extended by mutual agreement on a year by year basis. Each Force Personnel Department who have seconded officers at SCRO manages their officers' personnel issues. A comprehensive induction pack, which HMIC recognises as good practice, outlining policy and procedures is given to all new staff on their arrival at SCRO.
4.5 A part of the Deputy Director's role in human resource management is to identify the police and support staff posts required in the organisation, prepare person specifications and job descriptions, and forward these to Strathclyde Police Personnel Department for them to advertise. Applications are sifted by the Strathclyde Police Personnel Department and SCRO managers interview candidates. The Deputy Director is the endorsing officer for support staff personal development review forms and the police performance review forms. The Deputy Director liaises with the Strathclyde Police Occupational Health Unit who provide occupational heath services and advice to SCRO management and personnel. The Deputy Director deals with disciplinary matters should the need arise. For seconded police staff the ultimate responsibility rests with the seconding force. For support staff the ultimate authority is the Strathclyde Joint Police Board.
4.6 The only plan in relation to personnel rotation is that for Police staff who are seconded on a 3 year tenure basis. Each year, as part of the financial bid, posts which require to be filled or new bids for additional posts are presented to the Executive Committee for approval. A personnel plan to recruit fingerprint experts has been prepared. A review of the Computer and Research and Development departments has been undertaken and was implemented with effect from 1 April 2000 (see paragraph 6.12). As a component of the Part V Project a review of the staffing of the User Support Bureau Disclosure Unit will be undertaken.
4.7 All police personnel are subject to the national performance review process. Police officer training needs are identified through a job requirement/personal development plan by either the appraiser or appraisee. Support staff have an annual personal development review at which training needs are addressed. Such needs are routinely identified during the working year. For fingerprint staff certain courses are required for qualifications towards expert or Tenprint Identification Officer status. A significant number of support staff interviewed during the inspection described the personal development review process as "ritualistic" and stated that they would prefer to be the subject of a performance review process similar to that for police officers. This issue should be monitored by management.
4.8 SCRO considered consultants to assist with an examination of their personnel system. While the advice they offered was of assistance, the cost to employ them was judged to be too great and they were not engaged. However consultants were used to facilitate an SCRO corporate meeting at the Scottish Police College. SCRO are investigating the purchase of a computer based personnel management system.
4.9 SCRO
was scheduled to appoint a new Human Resources Officer in January 2001.
At
the time of reporting 40 applications had been received and were being processed.
Initial responsibilities for the postholder will be focused upon the recruitment
of staff in line with the requirements of Part V of the Police Act 1997. Thereafter
the Human Resources Officer will develop working practices including absence management
procedures for the whole of SCRO. HMIC recognises the appointment of the Human
Resources Officer as good practice.
Absence Management
4.10 The Sickness Absence Policy Statement is contained within the SCRO Induction Pack which is given to all new staff. The policy does not include detail concerning how sickness absence will be managed, the review triggers, or the effect upon the employee of prolonged sickness. The policy does not overtly state what the effect of sickness has on SCRO as an organisation.
4.11 SCRO operate a computerised personnel database which is recognised as being of limited value and as per recommendation 9 of the Primary Inspection of the Fingerprint Bureau a replacement system is being progressed. From initial investigations the system being considered also has a personnel management information facility in addition to an absence management capability.
4.12 Currently, details of staff absence are forwarded to the Strathclyde Police Personnel Department for formal recording. The Personnel Department highlights to SCRO the requirement for either a return to work form or a self-certification form. Details of the absence of police officers on secondment are reported to the officers' parent force. Within SCRO the secretary to the Director updates details of absence on the personnel database which automatically generates a memorandum to the relevant Head of Bureau detailing the number of periods of sickness in the last 12 months. The Head of Bureau can thereafter request sickness monitoring information from the secretary.
4.13 In relation to support staff SCRO complete a Strathclyde Police employee attendance record detailing days at work, sickness, and annual leave. Strathclyde Police, but not SCRO, use information from this card. This is a practice that serves no apparent SCRO purpose. As most staff are Strathclyde Joint Board employees, absence monitoring is in line with Strathclyde Police's policy and if necessary interviews for staff have been arranged with the Strathclyde Police Occupational Health Unit and welfare officers. Return to work interviews are carried out where welfare issues and, if necessary, re-familiarisation facilities are given (ie in relation to Fingerprint Experts). It is important for SCRO management to have a clear and unambiguous responsibility for absence management.
Equal Opportunities
4.14 SCRO recently produced an equal opportunities policy having previously followed the policy of Strathclyde Police. This policy is contained within the Induction Pack given to new members of staff and key extracts are prominently displayed at the entrance to SCRO. In respect of a policy covering part-time working, maternity leave, career breaks and exit interviews, these fall within the general conditions of service of the employee. Therefore, in the case of support staff, the policies of Strathclyde Police apply and in relation to police officers, the seconding officer's force policy applies.
4.15 All new support staff attend a 2 day induction course with Strathclyde Police and a one day induction course with SCRO. On both these courses input on equal opportunities is given. Police staff receive equal opportunities training as prescribed by their own Forces.
4.16 There is a Grievance Policy in existence, it is part of the Induction Pack and is readily available to all staff. Since the last Primary Inspection there has been one grievance relating to work attendance that was resolved by reconciliation.
Health and Safety
4.17 The Head of the User Support Bureau (USB) is the Health and Safety Co-ordinator. Health and safety issues are highlighted to her. She organises the bi-monthly Health and Safety meetings chaired by the Deputy Director. Each Bureau is represented at meetings and health and safety is a standing item on the agenda of management meetings. All reports of injury are recorded in an accident book at SCRO and notified to the Strathclyde Police Health and Safety Advisor. Any liaison, if it were required, with the Health and Safety Executive would be conducted by the Strathclyde Police Health and Safety Advisor. There have been no Health and Safety Executive inspections since the last primary inspection.
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