Formal Complaint procedure about interviews

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.22.026946

I note you seek access to the following information:

With reference to the following vacancy, for which interviews were held on 12 September 2022:

Job Title: PMO Officer – Portfolio Office
Vacancy Number: 11984
Business Area: Portfolio Office

1. Please explain what the procedure is to make a formal complaint about how an interview was performed.

2. Please advise how many applicants were interviewed for the project manager position.a

3. Of that number, please advise how many interviews were conducted with the video camera function on enabling the interviewee to see the interviewers and therefore read and react to any facial and body expressions they might have observed.

4. Please advise if the successful applicant was already working for the Police when they were interviewed and if that was one of the interviews that was conducted with the cameras on showing the interviewers.

Decision

I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full.

Please find below information pursuant to your request above.

Q1 - Please explain what the procedure is to make a formal complaint about how an interview was performed.

If a candidate wishes to make a complaint or provide feedback about the selection process they can do so by contacting the relevant panel members directly or by emailing: [email protected]

General feedback and complaints can be made via the MPS feedback page: MPS Feedback

Q2 - Please advise how many applicants were interviewed for the project manager position.

5 interviews took place in total.

Q4 - Please advise if the successful applicant was already working for the Police when they were interviewed and if that was one of the interviews that was conducted with the cameras on showing the interviewers.

The candidate that was selected was internal to the MPS. The cameras were on for this interview.

Advice and assistance

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 provides a statutory right of access to information that is already held in recorded form, as defined within Section 84 of the Act. There is accordingly no requirement for public authorities to create new information or provide explanations or advice in response to requests.

Information on Question 3 of your request is not held in recorded form. However in this case information has been recalled from memory and is being provided as part of our normal course of business and as a gesture of goodwill. Please find this information below.

Q3 - Of that number, please advise how many interviews were conducted with the video camera function on enabling the interviewee to see the interviewers and therefore read and react to any facial and body expressions they might have observed.

Out of the 5 interviews that took place, the cameras were on for 3 of the interviews. The cameras were off for 1 interview. We are currently unable to verify whether the cameras were on or off for the fifth interview due to staff absence.