Data on policing recruitment /cognitive diversity and personal safety
Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.23.033486
I note you seek access to the following information:
• A copy of your organisations strategic HR plan or the planning document that relates your recruitment strategy and any related policy documents related to cognitive diversity.
• A copy of your organisation's latest statistics for complaints against police regarding the use of excessive force.
• A copy of your organisation's latest statistics for assaults against police.”
Clarification:
This notice is to inform you that the MPS is unable to proceed with your request as we require further information from you. In respect of your request for:
• A copy of your organisation's latest statistics for complaints against police regarding the use of excessive force.
• A copy of your organisation's latest statistics for assaults against police.
Can you confirm the period you seek statistics for please? For example, you may wish to request statistics covering the period 1 January 2022 to 30 September 2023 or another period?
Clarification:
The date range that would be ideal is 2022/23 although earlier if those are not available.
Decision
I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full.
Please find below information pursuant to your request above.
• A copy of your organisations strategic HR plan or the planning document that relates your recruitment strategy and any related policy documents related to cognitive diversity.
The MPS does not hold a document that matches the description set out in your request for information. The requested information cannot accordingly be provided to you as it is not held by the MPS. The MPS does however, hold positive action plans that are focused on catering for neurodiverse police officers and members of police staff. To assist you with this part of your request for information, I have provided an appendix from the MPS Police Officer Promotion Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) which concerns additional information for candidates with neurodiverse conditions.
Police Officer Promotion SOP - Appendix 1
“Additional Information for Candidates with Neurodiverse Conditions
1. Neurodiversity is an overarching term that applies, but not exclusively, to conditions such as Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Dyscalculia, Attention Deficit Disorder, Specific Language Impairment (SLI) and Asperger’s Syndrome SpLDs amongst other impairments.
2. The first step in making adjustments is to ensure that the individual concerned has undergone a formal assessment of their neurodiverse condition.
3. The aim of an assessment and the resultant report is to:
• Determine if someone has a condition under the term neurodiversity.
• Identify the nature of the condition (e.g. Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Dyscalculia, or Attention Deficit Disorder).
• Diagnose the specific mental processing abilities affected.
• Determine the extent of any impairment.
• Provide practical advice and guidance associated with the diagnosis.
• Provide recommendations for reasonable adjustments that accommodate the specific impairments diagnosed.
4. A good quality diagnostic assessment also ensures that the candidate receives the most appropriate advice, guidance and appropriate adjustment to meet the needs of their impairment. Ensuring there is clarity about what the impairment is and avoids the need to generalise about what their needs might be. This can be helpful in ensuring the candidate receives the appropriate adjustment for their needs.
Obtaining a Diagnostic Report
5. Currently the most common neurodiverse condition which candidates request adjustments for is dyslexia; for further information on obtaining an assessment, please refer to the British Dyslexia Association (www.bda-dyslexia.org.uk)
6. The Met may pay for the cost of an assessment where there is evidence that the candidate may have a neurodiverse condition and there is a need to identify workplace adjustments. This is considered on a case by case basis. It is important, in the first instance, that the individuals support needs are discussed with their line manager. Candidates can request their manager complete an OH referral in Cohort setting out:
• why further support and information about neurodiversity/SpLD conditions including dyslexia is needed.
• the impact it is having on the individuals work.
• identify any suitable adjustments that can be implemented locally that may assist the individual.
7. Assessments are usually undertaken by an external specialists with appropriate qualifications and experience in assessing adult neurodiverse conditions in an occupational context. Normally the specialist would be: a Chartered Occupational Psychologist, a Chartered Educational Psychologist or a specialist teacher with a Practicing Certificate in SpLD Assessment.
8. Alternative forms of supporting information will be accepted for candidates who have a neurodiverse condition but do not yet have a full diagnostic report:
• Evidence of exam/assessment access arrangements obtained while in education (known as Form8)
• Diagnostic report
• Evidence of Disabled Students Allowance report.
• Evidence of Study Aid and Strategies report completed while in education.
• Evidence of Workplace needs assessment report.
All of the above still need to be completed by suitably trained and qualified individuals (i.e. Psychologist or qualified SpLD Teacher/Practitioner/Assessor trained under The Dyslexia Guild, British Dyslexia Association or Patoss) We will not accept evidence of screening tests (examples include, DAST, QuickScan/QuickScreen, LADS (Lucid Adult Dyslexia Screening) on their own. Please ask the candidate to provide alternative supporting evidence and recommendation by a specialist specifically supporting the request.
Specification for specialist reports
9. For the Met to be able to provide the appropriate adjustments specialist reports must meet the following requirements:
• All reports are accepted, regardless of when it was undertaken.
• The report would normally need to include, verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, working memory and processing speed, phonological processing (e.g. Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing), memory ability (e.g. Wechsler scale), executive functioning (e.g. Hayling and Brixton Tests).
• Achievements in literacy and numeracy i.e. speed of reading, decoding and comprehension, spelling (e.g. WRAT-4, WIAT-II) and writing (include free writing and speed of handwriting e.g. DASH 17+).
• The report sets out a range of recommendations aligned to the candidate’s specific impairment.”
• A copy of your organisation's latest statistics for complaints against police regarding the use of excessive force.
Table one. Use of Force Allegations recorded against MPS Police Officers and Members of Police Staff in Financial Year 2022/23.
The information provided in the table above has been extracted from the MPS complaints, conduct and discipline system (Centurion) and captures allegations in respect of use of force in financial year 2022/23. The ‘case count’ refers to the number of separate incidents whilst the ‘officer/staff allegation count’ refers to the number of allegations made about separate officers/staff members. For example, a member of the public is arrested where force is used by the police officers conducting the arrest. Three police officers arrest the complainant. The complainant is unhappy and alleges inappropriate use of force. This is one case, one allegation in respect of the use of force and three officer/staff allegations. The number of officer allegations will accordingly be greater than the number of cases or allegations. It should also be noted that the table above provides two different counts of allegations. No inference should accordingly be made about the guilt of the officers/members of staff subject of the allegations made.
• A copy of your organisation's latest statistics for assaults against police.
Assaults Against MPS Police Officers / Staff members in Financial Year 2022/23.
| Assault | Hate Crime | Total |
| 5229 | 1355 | 6584 |
DUTY TO ADVISE AND ASSIST
Under Section 16 of the Act, there is a duty to advise and assist those that have made, or intend to make, a request for information. In accordance with this duty, I can confirm that the MPS publishes information about various types of crime on its website. I have provided a link to this information below.
MPS Website: Stats and Data
It may also assist you to note that the MPS proactively publishes all disclosures made in response to requests made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 on its Publication Scheme. I have provided a link to this section of the MPS website below.
MPS Publication Scheme
The MPS Publication Scheme can be searched using keywords and may accordingly hold other information that is of interest to you.
Maintaining Public Trust in the MPS
Securing and maintaining the trust of the community is integral to the principle of policing by consent and to continue to do so, the MPS recognises that its staff must act with professionalism and integrity. The MPS treats each occasion when an allegation is made about the conduct of its staff extremely seriously and will fully investigate each incident to determine whether the conduct of that member of staff has breached the standards of professional behaviour. Where the conduct of staff is proven to have fallen below the standards of behaviour expected, the MPS will take robust action to ensure that its staff are held to account and that lessons are learnt from each case. Any instance where the conduct of our staff is alleged to have fallen below the standards of behaviour expected is treated extremely seriously by the MPS.