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Philip EthersonPhilip Etherson

A comparative study of Scottish A comparative study of Scottish Police BoardsPolice Boards

(Police Board profiles)(Police Board profiles)

Philip EthersonPhilip Etherson

Funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and Funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and The Scottish GovernmentThe Scottish Government

IntroductionIntroduction

ResearcherResearcher Philip Etherson (Strathclyde)Philip Etherson (Strathclyde)

SupervisorsSupervisors Mik Wisniewski (Strathclyde)Mik Wisniewski (Strathclyde) Prof. Nick Fyfe (Dundee & SIPR)Prof. Nick Fyfe (Dundee & SIPR) Dr. Karen Cooper (Scottish Dr. Karen Cooper (Scottish

Government)Government)

Police GovernancePolice Governance

In Scotland the governance of the In Scotland the governance of the police is shared between 3 areas, police is shared between 3 areas,

central government (Scottish central government (Scottish ministers), ministers),

local government (Police Boards) andlocal government (Police Boards) and chief constables.chief constables.

Known as the tripartite system.Known as the tripartite system.

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Policing policyPolicing policy is the responsibility is the responsibility of the Scottish ministers who are of the Scottish ministers who are answerable to the Scottish answerable to the Scottish ParliamentParliament

Chief Constables are solely Chief Constables are solely responsible for the responsible for the operational operational dutiesduties of police officers and civilian of police officers and civilian staff and are answerable to Scottish staff and are answerable to Scottish ministers and Police Boardsministers and Police Boards. .

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The Police Boards in Scotland are The Police Boards in Scotland are the local government arm of the local government arm of police governance and their police governance and their main functions include setting main functions include setting their force budget, appointing their force budget, appointing senior officers and looking to senior officers and looking to ensure best value and ensure best value and continuous improvementcontinuous improvement

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Police Boards

Police Boards in Scotland comprise Police Boards in Scotland comprise solely of locally elected councillors. solely of locally elected councillors.

34 members from 12 local authorities 34 members from 12 local authorities on Strathclyde Police Authorityon Strathclyde Police Authority

11 members from 1 local authority on 11 members from 1 local authority on

the Dumfries and Galloway Police, the Dumfries and Galloway Police, Fire and Rescue Committee.Fire and Rescue Committee.

Number of Board Members

Dumfries and Galloway 11 (1 council area)

Northern 24 (4 council areas) Strathclyde 34 (12 council areas) Grampian 16 (3 council areas) Fife 15 (1 council area) Tayside 18 (3 council areas) Lothian and Borders 18 (5 council areas) Central Scotland 11 (3 council areas)

8 Police Boards ?

Police Boards Tayside, Central Scotland, Northern, Lothian

and Borders, Grampian

Police Authorities Strathclyde

Police Committees Fife, Dumfries and Galloway

England & Wales

Police Authorities comprised of elected members and independent members.

In general 17 members 9 of whom are councillors and 8 are non-elected independent members.

Research GapResearch Gap

There has been little research done There has been little research done on Police Boards.on Police Boards.

2003 Home Office study, Docking 2003 Home Office study, Docking (2003), that there is little public (2003), that there is little public knowledge of Police Boards. knowledge of Police Boards. (Accountable?)(Accountable?)

HMIC’S (2009) “IHMIC’S (2009) “Independent Review ndependent Review of Policing in Scotland”- of Policing in Scotland”- concerns concerns raised. raised. (Governance?)(Governance?)

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Research AimsResearch Aims

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Examination of the interaction between Police Boards and their respective police services.

A look at the relationship between the Police Board’s and their community.

A study of the Police Board relationship with the Scottish Government and the way national and local policy affects policing. In particular, with regards to the Scottish Policing Performance Framework.

Overview of Research Aims

Overview of Research Aims

A review of what the Police Authorities’ Conveners Forum contributes and how it plays a part in the way police authorities relate to each other.

The consideration of the production of a performance management framework for Police Boards.

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Research methodsResearch methodsA Comparative Case Study review of Scottish Police

Boards

• A comprehensive and rich literature review

• Minutes of the Police Board meetings will be examined for content and comparative analysis

• Police Board meetings will be attended to view the working function and content of the 8 Police Boards

• Fieldwork will consist of questionnaires and interviews with board members and stakeholders

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Outline of the research planOutline of the research plan

Timetable Year 1 (2008-9)Timetable Year 1 (2008-9)

Oct – Dec. PGC in research methodology, Start of Oct – Dec. PGC in research methodology, Start of

literature reviewliterature review Jan – Mar. Developed methodology, study areasJan – Mar. Developed methodology, study areas Apr – Jun. developed and administered postal Apr – Jun. developed and administered postal

questionnaire to police board members in Scotland. questionnaire to police board members in Scotland. Site visit of all 8 Police Boards completed.Site visit of all 8 Police Boards completed.

Jul – Sept. Coding and initial analysis of Jul – Sept. Coding and initial analysis of questionnaire responses, Writing up of survey questionnaire responses, Writing up of survey research and preparation of case-study fieldwork, research and preparation of case-study fieldwork, Deliver Annual Report, Year 1Deliver Annual Report, Year 1

Oct – Dec. Finalise methodological framework for Oct – Dec. Finalise methodological framework for year 2year 2

Police Board SurveyPolice Board Survey

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149 police Board Members identified 149 police Board Members identified and contact details obtainedand contact details obtained

Survey posted directly to membersSurvey posted directly to members

113 of 149 surveys returned113 of 149 surveys returned

75.8%75.8%17

Police Board members survey response

Board

% Respo

nse

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

73.7 76.5 100 80.0 81.8 76.9 73.3 55.6

In general members put forward by In general members put forward by their political party on a party their political party on a party representative basis as per local representative basis as per local provisionsprovisions

No indication of any member put No indication of any member put forward not being acceptedforward not being accepted

Overwhelmingly respondents Overwhelmingly respondents indicated an interest in joining the indicated an interest in joining the Police Board (80.6%)Police Board (80.6%)

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Scottish Police Board Members Political Party Representation

Political Party Frequency Percent

Scottish National Party

38 25.5

Liberal Democrats 23 15.4Labour 39 26.2Independent 28 18.8Conservative 20 13.4Other 1 .7Total 149 100.0

Less than 1/5th of members female (18.8%) No female respondents under 35

Gender of membersGender of members

Age range of members

¼ of respondents over 6570.8% of respondents over 55

Local knowledge

Overwhelmingly 95.4% resided in their Police Board area for greater than 10 years.

No one reported living outside their Police Board area or having lived there for less than 2 years

No respondent over 56 had lived in their area for less than ten years.

Years service as a councillorMembers

(%)

Members with less than 2 years as a councillor

1 (0.9%)

Members with 2 to 6 years as a councillor 62 (54.9%)

Members with 7 to 10 years as a councillor 20 (17.7%)

Members with 11 to 14 years as a councillor 10 (8.8%)

Members with greater than 14 years as a councillor

20 (17.7)

Respondent’s service as a councillor

Number of sub committees Members (%)

None 21 (19.4%)

1 26 (24.1%)

2 38 (35.2%)

3 12 (11.1%)

4 or more 11 (10.2%)

Police Board sub committee’s

Police ExperienceMembers (%)

Had accompanied police officer on patrol 17 (15.2%)

Have taken part in custody visiting scheme 6 (5.3%)

Was an employee of a police service 13 (11.6%)

Had some other experience of police work 26(23.2%)

Had no previous experience of police work 57 (50.9%)

Experience of police work before joining the Police Board

Experience of police work after joining the Police Board

Police Experience Members (%)

Have accompanied police officer on patrol 55 (50.0%)

Have taken part in custody visiting scheme 19 (17.3%)

Was/is an employee of a police service 4 (3.6%)

Have some other experience of police work 23 (20.9%)

Have no experience of police work 32 (29.1%)

•46.8% less than 2 hours per week •Rising to 56.7% on non consideration of unable to tell.

• 17% of those under 35, more than 2 hours.• Just over 60% of those over 65.

Police Board sub-committees and greater than 2 hours Board work

Police Board sub-committees

None 1 2 3More than 4

% of members greater 2 Hours

20.0 34.8 51.7 63.6 87.5

Occupation other than as a councillor

Occupation other than as a councillor Members (%)

Yes full time for which remuneration is received

15 (13.8%)

Yes full time which is unpaid/voluntary 1 (0.9%)

Yes part time for which remuneration is received

22 (20.2%)

Yes part time which is unpaid/voluntary 10 (9.1%)

Yes - other 10 (9.1%)

No 58 (53.2%)

*Just under 1/2 another full or part time occupation, 1/3rd were in receipt of remuneration

Other occupations includeOther occupations include

Store Manager Store Manager Farm ManagerFarm Manager Director of law centreDirector of law centre Voluntary workerVoluntary worker Social workerSocial worker MusicianMusician MSPMSP

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Experience of members

Area of experience reported by memberPercent

Finance 56 (50.9%)

Management 80 (72.7%)

Human Resources 46 (41.8%)

Governance 43 (39.1%)

None of the above 16 (14.5%)

Profile of the average Police Board member

Male,

At least 56 years of age,

Have resided in the Board area for more than 10 years,

Relatively inexperienced as a councillor and Police Board member,

Would have some experience of management,

A member of at least 3 Local Authority committees or sub-committees as well as at least one non Local Authority committee or sub-committee,

Have expressed an interest to join the Police Board,

Spends less than 5 hours on Board duties per week.

Future WorkFuture Work

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Future Work

Interviews with key members of all 8 Police Boards.

In-depth interviews with members of 3 Police Boards selected for comparative analysis.

Interview stakeholders such as senior police officers and government officials who liaise with Police Boards.

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Future workFuture work

‘Scottish Police Board Performance Management Framework’ that could be used by all 8 Scottish Police Boards.

Consideration will be given to the use of cognitive mapping to provide a framework for guidance for Police Board decisions

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Output and dissemination Output and dissemination

- A final report and workshops detailing the key - A final report and workshops detailing the key findings and implications from the research findings and implications from the research

- A non-technical summary produced for The - A non-technical summary produced for The Scottish Government at the end of the research Scottish Government at the end of the research project project

- A comparative analysis of the performance of A comparative analysis of the performance of Police Boards Police Boards

- A method for individual Boards to assess their - A method for individual Boards to assess their own performance management and identify own performance management and identify performance improvements performance improvements

- Appropriate academic publications and - Appropriate academic publications and presentations at both international and national presentations at both international and national conferencesconferences

- A PhD thesis- A PhD thesis

BibliographyBibliography

Docking, Maria (2003Docking, Maria (2003), ), Public Perceptions of Public Perceptions of police accountability and decision-makingpolice accountability and decision-making, Home , Home Office PublicationsOffice Publications

HMIC’S. (2009), HMIC’S. (2009), Independent review of policing in Independent review of policing in Scotland, Scotland, AA report for the Cabinet Secretary for report for the Cabinet Secretary for Justice.Justice. Published by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate Published by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary for Scotland.of Constabulary for Scotland.

The Scottish Government. (2009) The Scottish Government. (2009) Scotland’s Scotland’s People, People, Annual report, results from 2007/2008 Annual report, results from 2007/2008 Scottish Household Survey, Table 2.2, P.12 Scottish Household Survey, Table 2.2, P.12 http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/09/01114213/0 (last accessed 23/10/2009 (last accessed 23/10/2009

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Philip EthersonPhilip Etherson

University of Strathclyde University of Strathclyde

Graham Hills BuildingGraham Hills Building

40 George Street 40 George Street

GlasgowGlasgow

0141 548 45450141 548 4545p.etherson@strath.ac.uk

Thank YouThank You

Any QuestionsAny Questions