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Forces trying to recruit outside leaders without identifying own talent

Inspectorate finds direct entry schemes being sought by South Yorkshire and Humberside, who do not have good enough processes for picking out internal talent
Published - 07/12/2016 By - Ian Weinfass - Police Oracle

Some forces have turned to schemes like direct entry and Police Now without being able to identify the talent they have within their own ranks, HMIC says.

The inspectorate has reviewed police leadership as part of its inspection programmes.

HMI Mike Cunningham said: “It is important that forces have effective programmes and other initiatives in place in order to be able to identify talented officers and staff.”

His report adds that there are very few forces who can demonstrate that they have an open and accessible system to identify and select talented individuals for promotion.

South Yorkshire Police and Humberside Police, which share a human resources service, are both identified as struggling at this.

While HMIC praises forces that have taken on candidates via direct entry, despite the scheme not having been assessed yet, it highlights inconsistencies in judging talent.

Its report on Humberside says: "The force has engaged with the national direct entry scheme at police inspector level, and the internal fast track to inspector programme.

"However, it does not have a wider talent management system to identify and develop potential future leaders within its existing workforce, other than by picking out potential leaders at an operational policing level and noting those who perform highly in police promotion examinations."

It notes that after HMIs visited, the force was due to bring in a new system to help it do so.

Humberside PCC Keith Hunter has previously slammed direct entry as being “an ideological scheme” willingly taken up by under-performing forces such as his own.

Mr Cunningham's report praises use of the scheme as an example of chiefs being determined to improve diversity.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd recently told forces to make more of the scheme, despite it not having been assessed yet.

Humberside Assistant Chief Constable, Lee Freeman said: "We have embarked on an ambitious programme of internal change and whilst we acknowledge that we have more to do, we have already taken steps to enhance the way we recruit, develop and inspire our staff at all levels of the organisation. "

South Yorkshire Police needs to conduct “a full leadership audit” so it can understand the talent it has, the report states.

It adds: "The force has two officers on the national high-potential development scheme, and is intending to take part in the national direct entry scheme and Police Now graduate recruitment programme.

"However, it does not have a systematic approach to identifying officers and staff who have the potential to become future leaders."

On staff it adds: “Recent police staff redundancies mean there is insufficient resilience in teams to allow staff to be seconded from their job, even for a short time, in order to undertake development opportunities.”

South Yorkshire Police had not responded to PoliceOracle.com’s request for comment before this article went live.

Strong performing forces singled out by HMIC include Wiltshire Police, Durham Constabulary, South Wales Police and Cumbria Constabulary.

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