Policing UK 2013 - Police Federation

THE POLICE REFORM PROGRAMME
“As the police service looks to
meet the challenges in the current
economic climate and achieve
savings from the CSR, the private
sector cannot be ignored.”
that within the private sector. Delivery is
assessed against a detailed suite of agreed
performance indicators.
Transformation has already
commenced with the introduction of new
services such as a G4S prisoner escort
service (Street to Suite) that enables
officers to remain on patrol or to secure
and preserve evidence at a scene while
persons arrested are transported to police
custody suites by the partner’s personnel.
The partner and authority are also
focusing on the schedule of projects
included in the contract that will assist in
future-proofing the force.
Examples include numerous ICT
initiatives and the option to build a
new police station and custody facility
providing fit for purpose facilities for the
term of the contract and beyond. Such
investment and improved infrastructure
would simply not have been possible
without the engagement of a strategic
partner.
Transferred learning
On 1 April 2012 some 600 police
staff were successfully transferred to
the partner and the focus is now on
maintaining and improving services,
while also jointly exploring opportunities
for other forces to receive services from
the agreement. Should other forces
decide to join the contract through the
framework mechanisms in place then
G4S will be in a position to consider
further capital investment in estate, and
the force will be in a position to realise
further savings through economies
of scale.
An unforeseen bonus for the force
has been transferred learning from
the private sector. For example,
the procurement process exposed
Lincolnshire Police to the G4S ‘Red
Review’ system used to ruthlessly drive
down costs to prepare competitive bids.
The same techniques are now used by
the force to maximise the productivity
and minimise cost in areas of business it
has retained.
As a result of the strategic partnership
Lincolnshire Police has secured
guaranteed savings of £28 million
smoothed over the 10-year contract and
the potential to save considerably more
through a series of predefined projects
and the shrewd handling of budgets
monitored and managed on behalf of
the force.
What is clear is that as the police
service looks to meet the challenges in the
current economic climate and achieve
savings from the CSR, the private sector
cannot be ignored and for those forces
that choose to have services delivered
from such companies it is essential that
they are intelligent clients, securing
flexible future-proof contracts, that
improve the services provided to the
public as a whole. After all, the delivery
of policing services to the community is
the core business.
The application of an expedited
procurement process in the policing
sector has led to the development of
very specific expertise within the force
at all levels. Senior staff now coach and
mentor teams from other forces.
Delivering savings
It’s important to understand too what
the contract is not about. The partner
runs the central heating and computer
systems – it doesn’t run policing.
The partner serves meals and takes
fingerprints in custody cells. Inspectors
and sergeants will always run the custody.
The partner receives calls and passes
radio messages to officers, under police
officer supervision. The partner provides
a shuttle service between custody suites,
there is no patrol role. There will never
be a patrol role.
Lincolnshire Police is firmly committed
to warranted officers and PCSOs being
the face of policing in the county.
What the contract has delivered is
£3m worth of savings already this year,
which has enabled the force to limit the
cuts it would otherwise have had to make
to the front line of the force.
36 | POLICING UK