Independent Reviews

We were asked by a constabulary to help them examine their approach to women and their experience of employment within the organisation. The purpose of this independent review was to inform a strategic approach response in order to:

• Maintain public confidence in policing

• Ensure that they were able to recruit train and develop the right staff in line with best practice

• Make certain that their staff were clear about and demonstrated the right behaviours expected of them

• Have assurance that their approaches, policies, and practices support the elimination of misogyny and discrimination.

• Identify areas of action and learning going forward.

Our approach utilised the employment lifecycle of employees following them through their entry to the organisation, their development and progress through to exit.

It was important that the review used both quantitative and qualitative data to explore the issues from a factual and experiential perspective.

We utilised:

• Desk top review and generation of key lines of enquiry

• Semi structured interviews with senior leadership, The police authority the trade unions and staff representative groups

• Focus groups with staff in numerous locations and online

• Interviews with expert partners such as the EHRC, HMICFRS, National ACPO leads, HR leaders in other organisations, subject specific academics, and Chief Constables in a range of constabularies.

• This was an extensive piece of work which culminated in a detailed report with recommendations, a full analysis of both the culture and the policies practices and processes and their impact on staff as well as an opportunity to hold the mirror up to the organisation. The report was well received and the recommendations have now been developed into a blue print for change that will impact across the whole organisation in an extensive programme of work. Solid positive relationships were developed during this work which particularly sensitive and required an objective, professional and data driven approach.