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This resource is from the final Report of the Morris Inquiry. This section contains chapter 11, "Delivering for a Safer London". This chapter provides a brief summary to the report, with concluding remarks.

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• 11: Delivering for a Safer London

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11: Delivering for a Safer London

“The first lesson I learned is to be careful when you are running a large organisation, to keep the windows open, keep looking outside and not to get too pompous about where you might learn lessons from.”
Sir Michael Lyons

11.1 During the course of the past year we have had a unique opportunity to examine one of the largest and most important organisations in the country. It has been a fascinating experience with many highlights.

11.2 One of the most interesting parts of our work involved meeting some of the people who carry out the day to day work of the MPS. We were very grateful for the opportunity to experience policing London during our night out on patrol with officers in Lambeth. We also enjoyed meeting officers and staff during our visits to London police stations, New Scotland Yard, Tintagel House, Regency Street, Cobalt Square and the Hendon Training Centre.

11.3 We were impressed by the people we met and consider that the MPS is fortunate to have such a committed workforce.

11.4 We recognise that policing London is an ever greater challenge and there is no doubt that the people who make up the MPS rise to that challenge on a daily basis, often at great personal cost. We feel privileged to have been able to experience the MPS at first hand.

11.5 We began our work by stating publicly that we did not just want to know what was wrong with the MPS but also what was right with it. Most importantly, we wanted to know what needed to be done to make it better. We remain impressed with the commitment and loyalty of the people we saw, even those who have experienced ‘ups and downs’.

11.6 During the Inquiry, we found much that was good about the MPS, as well as areas where we considered improvements could be made. We have dealt with both in our report and we hope that the recommendations we have made will assist the MPS in moving forward.

11.7 The MPS itself recognises that “how it treats, uses and plans for” its people will be crucial to its future success and its ability to meet key policing objectives. We concur with that view and it is against that background that we make these concluding remarks.

11.8 Our Inquiry focused on professional standards and employment matters and we examined a wide range of issues around how the MPS treats and manages its officers and staff. If there is one theme which ran through all our work, it is that so-called ‘people issues’ do not appear to be accorded the prominence they deserve within a modernised police service.

11.9 This manifested itself in a number of different ways. At the strategic level, the Human Resources directorate does not appear to have the profile it should have in a successful organisation. Issues of people management do not appear to be high on the organisation’s agenda.

11.10 As a consequence, when difficult management issues arise, they are not always handled as sensitively as they should be. We were concerned by some of the evidence we received about how officers subject to investigation have been treated, how some workforce disputes have been handled and how the MPS has approached flexible working and other work / life balance issues.

11.11 We were also concerned at the apparent difficulty some managers have in managing situations where difference is an issue. At its worse, this has led to discriminatory practices in the area of police complaints and conduct but we have also received evidence of problems in managing difference in other contexts, specifically matters affecting female officers and staff.

11.12 Many of our recommendations are designed to tackle these issues and introduce a stronger ‘people focus’ into the MPS. We would like to see an increased emphasis on management and a recognition that good management skills are a prerequisite to operational success and not optional.

11.13 To that end, we would also like to see the MPS focus more on internal communication. We accept that internal communication will not be an easy issue to address in an organisation of the size of the MPS. However, we consider that more could, and should, be done. Officers and staff are unlikely to be as motivated or as effective as they could be if they are not receiving the information they need to do their jobs.

11.14 We are confident that the size and scale of the MPS will not be used as an excuse to avoid tackling important issues, nor for not looking outwards to other public and private sector organisations for new ideas and ways of working. The MPS is not unique.

11.15 Like the MPS, we firmly believe that the way officers and staff are led and managed is the key to successful operational policing. Focusing more closely on the people who make up the MPS will bring dividends for both the organisation and the policing of the capital city.

11.16 The officers and staff we have met deserve the best and we wish them the very best for the future.

Sir William Morris
Chair of the Inquiry

Sir Anthony Burden

Anesta Weekes QC