I try my best to meet as many police officers and staff, of all ranks,
as often as possible. I want to know how people on the frontline feel and I
want officers and staff to have the confidence that they can raise any issue
with me.
With that in mind, I’m happy to answer these kinds of questions in
Manchat, but I would rather have the conversation directly with you. I
understand why people ask questions anonymously in a public forum like this,
but I also want you to be able to raise issues with me privately.
To that end, I have created a new email address where you can contact me
in confidence.
You can get in touch at confidential.feedback@gmpcc.org.uk
Use this address to raise any issue or problem, to give me feedback or
ideas about how we can build safer communities in Greater Manchester. I’ll
stress again, that anything I receive through this email address will be
treated confidentially.
I look forward to hearing from you.
1)
Police Pensions - Fire Brigade able to go on strike and negotiate a better
deal. This is close to my heart as I understand that most of the people in a
position to help us are in the old Pension scheme and won’t have the same level
of interest. How will you lobby the government to insure that we are not
left out to dry as we are unable to strike?
Police officer terms and conditions have to be fairly negotiated, which
requires legitimate lobbying via the Police Federation, supported by those who
have an interest in policing. I recognise that police morale is important and
that this is affected by pensions. I’m happy to play my part but police
officers can also lobby their local MPs on this issue.
2)
Direct entrant at SLT level - how is this likely to work and how will it affect
those in the promotion ladder at present?
I would need to be strongly persuaded that direct entry would be in the
interests of the communities of Greater Manchester and would add benefit to
GMP. I’m not convinced at all that there is merit in this scheme. One of the
great benefits of policing in Britain is that every single senior police
officer has started as a constable and worked their way up. Peter Fahy can look
every officer in the eye and say he has walked in their shoes. We change that
system at our peril and I have no plans to introduce direct entry.
3)
Do you think introducing compulsory redundancy for police officers is fair
bearing in mind police have no recourse to full industrial rights that other
employees enjoy`.
In Greater Manchester we have no plans for compulsory redundancy. We do
all however have to recognise that the cost pressures being put on our budget
by the government are ridiculous. None of us can know what will happen in the
future as there is no sign at present that spending cuts are coming to an end,
a further £3bn of public sector cuts were announced this week. Central
government has got to recognise the choices they are making on behalf of me and
the Chief Constable. That’s why I will continue to lobby Government on your and
the people of Greater Manchester’s behalf to change course.
4)
One issue that is currently playing on my mind is the occasional process
whereby officers are bumped up a rank, usually on temporary promotion, for
their last 12 months of service. Clearly, this is of little benefit to the
public, as their role becomes vacant 12 months after they start and someone
else has to fill it and start over, but of more significance is the impact on
the pension. The officer subsequently gains an enhanced pension for the
remainder of their lives for 12 months work, at public expense. This is of
particular relevance where that temporary promotion is from Sgt to Insp or C/I
to Supt. I would welcome the PCCs views on such practice in the current times
of value for money?
I’ve raised this issue with GMP and the Federation and the Federation is
satisfied this practice is not happening. Promotion should always be based on
merit, and if anyone believes they know of an instance where this has not
happened, I would urge them to contact me in confidence so that it can be
looked into.
5)
I’m not naive, and understand that there will be minimal recruitment of new
officers in the future which will not come close to replacing officers we have
lost through retirement, resignation etc. Therefore, we must look at ways of
reducing the demand placed on the police service by the public and our partner
agencies. What plans/ strategies does the P.C.C. have in order to reduce the
demand on police officers?
Budgets are being cut across the public sector it’s vital that agencies
pool resources and work together to make our communities safer. Many agencies
are dealing with the same families and the same issues so it’s common sense and
is something I’ve been driving forward.
One thing I was shocked by when I became Police and Crime Commissioner
was the sheer scale of demand mental health issues have on policing. Too often
police officers are being called on to detain people suffering mental health
problems, but you are not health workers and a police cell is not the place for
someone suffering a mental health crisis. That’s why I recently brought
together local authorities, police and health service leaders to discuss the
issue with the commitment to create a hub which brings together police, NHS
staff, local authorities and other agencies.
A pilot scheme was launched in Oldham in December that gives police
officers access to a mobile number which they can call when responding to an
incident. They will be able to speak to someone at the local hospital who will
be able to tell the officer if the individual they are dealing with is known to
the NHS, and come to a joint decision about the best course of action to deal
with the individual. This means that the right type of intervention can be made
much earlier. I’m optimistic this scheme will actually be a really practical
way of starting to reduce demand on officers.
6)
I am 47 years old with a young family. How is the PCC planning for an aging
Police Force with all the obvious problems this will bring?
We’ve lost hundreds of officers from the streets of Greater Manchester
because of the irresponsible cuts to our budget. This makes the job of setting
the budget much more challenging, and protecting neighbourhood policing is at
its core. I’ve committed to recruiting 50 new police officers, along with
additional police staff so officers can spend less time behind a desk and more
time on the frontline, policing our communities. I’m also working with the
Chief Constable and partner agencies to look at how we can reduce demand on
policing services. I’ve touched on mental health in the above answer, and we’re
also looking at more co-location of services, to encourage better information
sharing so we’re not replicating work.
7)
Due to the reduction in Policing across our force - officers are being put at
increasing risk while waiting for prisoner transport as often there are long
delays often reaching over an hour for suitable prisoner transport to be
allocated.
If the
prisoner is a drink drive offender, vital evidence is lost. Due to the
lengthy delay and also often due to not being conveyed to the nearest Custody
Suite.
What can
you do as a PCC to ensure officer’s safety is not compromised and to prevent
these unnecessary delays? There are obviously not enough divisional
officers to assist.
The
impact on Policing is massive as if a patrol in a van from the P Division, may
have to convey to either Bury, Chadderton or Ashton. This then impacts on
the P Div resources, if they are then assisting with transportation for
officers on the Specialist Departments, ie Traffic.
I would need to see some evidence that delays are increasing as this is
an issue which has always been a bone of contention. But we need to get these
kinds of logistical issues right. I can understand the frustration for
frontline officers when there are delays in getting prisoners transported – it
frustrates me as well. This is already on my agenda and we will shortly review
how prisoner transportation is carried out as I’m sure there are more
intelligent and effective ways of getting someone who’s been arrested from the
street and into a cell.
8)
With the introductions of INPT’s and the amalgamation of CID with
neighbourhoods it feels like the role of the detective is not appreciated by
the force. We have been put into cupboard holes and do not have adequate
space to work and fulfil our role. Can the PCC come out and visit
stations and see what we have to put up with and then do something about
it? If he can start his visit at Pendleton it will be appreciated.
The changes to neighbourhood policing teams to include CID officers is
not to undermine the role of detectives, it’s precisely the opposite. Having
specialist officers based locally, investigating local crimes is for the
benefit of local communities and means officers, with knowledge of that area
can respond to and investigate incidents more effectively. I do regularly go
around Greater Manchester visiting police stations, officers and staff. I will
get in touch with Mary Doyle and arrange a visit to Pendleton soon. If anyone
has concerns about their working environment, please email me in confidence on
confidential.feedback@gmpcc.org.uk
9)
There are rumours flying around about the closure of some custody
offices. I can understand the need to save money but has any real thought
been put into this decision. Currently prisoners are sent all over the
force and this causes problems with transporting and the queuing at the
station. This means an officer is off his/her patch for a lengthy period
of time whilst this process is being done. Surely if we close more sites
this will become more of a problem?
The number of custody sites is being looked at to make sure the best use
of available resources is being made. There are no immediate plans to close any
custody offices, but it’s an issue that does need to be kept under review. What
I will want to be satisfied on is that any changes to custody provision will be
looked in the context of the overall pressures, which links back, for example,
to the earlier answer about prisoner transport. There’s no point in saving
money in custody offices if it creates an additional and unsustainable burden
elsewhere in the service. Rumours may be flying around, but there currently
aren’t any proposals on the table and, even if that does happen at some point
in the future, no decision would be taken without consideration of the wider
issues and genuine consultation with those potentially affected.
10)
How can the PCC allow the chief constable to employ civilian child
protection investigators who have no previous investigative experience, without
any proper training to carry out a role that is complex and skilled to the
detriment of the people of greater Manchester?
Historically, police officers have been doing jobs that police staff can
do, which means officers aren’t out on the street policing communities, and we
need to reverse that trend. These positions are about managing convicted sex
offenders, not investigating sexual offences. This seems like a pragmatic
proposal as a warranted officer is not required for the bulk of the work.
But, I do recognise that there are concerns about this change to the
unit and both the Chief Constable and I are keen to ensure that these concerns
are listened to. I want reassurance from the Chief Constable that the changes
will not risk public safety. The changes are being carefully monitored and will
only be brought in permanently if they are successful. The police staff moving
into the unit have been fully trained and will be accompanied by a police
officer when visiting offenders, in case an arrest needs to be made.
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