Policing in Schools- Safer Schools Officers’ (‘SSOs’)

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.23.028560

I note you seek access to the following information:

On 5 December 2022, the Mayor of London issued a press release, ‘Fresh action announced by Mayor and Met Commissioner to tackle disproportionality and improve community confidence in policing’.

1 The press release confirms that the Mayor and MPS will take “bold new action to try improve trust and confidence in the Metropolitan Police”, including through the “development of new partnership panel for [SSOs] and commitment to publish innovative Body Worn Video analysis in 2023.”

We also refer you to an article published in the Guardian on 5 December 2022, ‘Met officers in schools to be checked to see if black children are being targeted’

2. The article states that, as part of measures agreed by the Mayor and the Commissioner, SSOs “are to be monitored to see if they are disproportionately targeting black children”, and that “the use of powers by so-called [SSOs] in London, such as arrests and stop and searches, will be examined to see if there is racial bias.”

We have been unable to locate any further information online about the actions the MPS will take in respect of monitoring the use of police powers by SSOs

1. The scope and terms of reference of the SSO monitoring project and community partnership panel, including the date of commencement and the duration of monitoring.
2. List of stakeholders to be included in the community partnership panel.
3. Details of when the monitoring data and findings will be published.
4. Any other policy or guidance documents relating to the above-mentioned monitoring of SSOs and community partnership panel.
5. Clarification as to whether the body-worn video analysis to be published in 2023 will include footage from SSOs, or whether it is a separate action to the SSO monitoring.

Decision

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

Please find below information pursuant to your request above.

Q1 - The scope and terms of reference of the SSO monitoring project and community partnership panel, including the date of commencement and the duration of monitoring.

There is no ‘monitoring’ function of the panel or timescales associated with any monitoring. Consideration of disproportionality will form part of the panels’ thematic discussions. Please see the below.

Following a legal case raised against the Metropolitan Police on behalf of the family of a Black, autistic young person, an agreement was reached where the roles of Safer Schools Officers would be considered and reflected on in relation to any identified or potential disproportionality. Part of this would be to form a Safer Schools Partnership Board, This panel will be set up to improve policing under the Safer Schools Partnership. It is recognised that there is significant benefit in drawing on the views and learning of other key sectors who are invested in or have influence over the education of young people. The role proposed of this panel is –

• To provide independent review and comment on the existing approach taken by the Schools Strategic Partnership Board
• To provide independent review and comment on proposed new initiatives.
• To provide independent review and comment on emerging organisational learning.
• To act as a ‘think tank’ with a specific focus on presenting ideas which may assist the MPS is approaching its Safer Schools policing differently.
• In order to fully discharge its function, the committee will be able to speak to any member of the MPS who is involved in Safer Schools Policing.

The committee will remain entirely independent of the MPS and will not replace or replicate any of the statutory oversight and governance functions either within the MPS or those provided by The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC).

The panel will be led by the Met Commander with responsibility for youth and schools. Its membership is still being agreed but it is likely that it will contain representatives from MOPAC, the MPS, stakeholders from within education, academics and representative from the third sector with an interest the wellbeing of children in education.

The TOR are still to be finalised as is the scope of the panel.

Q2 - List of stakeholders to be included in the community partnership panel.

This is currently being formed, please see the below.

Q3 - Details of when the monitoring data and findings will be published.

The panel is not monitoring data or producing findings, it is an advisory panel.

Q4 - Any other policy or guidance documents relating to the above-mentioned monitoring of SSOs and community partnership panel.

There are no documents which have been set for this panel as yet.

Q5 - Clarification as to whether the body-worn video analysis to be published in 2023 will include footage from SSOs, or whether it is a separate action to the SSO monitoring.

The MPS would not release BWV footage of children with the publication of a report of a review.