Response to calls for assistance - Metropolitan Police Service, June 2018
In the week preceding 31 May 2018, a woman contacted the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) because she wanted police assistance to obtain an order to prevent her ex-husband from attending her home. She stated that she did not receive the assistance she wanted and was advised to speak to a solicitor. On 31 May 2018, at 11.54pm, the woman made a 999 call to the MPS. The call operator noted on the system that the woman reported someone banging on …
Recommendations
3 totalTo safeguard the victim during domestic abuse investigations, their address can be location marked and included in a special scheme that identifies that they are at risk. It is recommended that the MPS should take the necessary steps to ensure that a victim is made aware, from the outset, how long this marker is likely to be in place for and also that it may be withdrawn following an assessment of risk by the MPS. It is also recommended that, at the time of review, the officer conducting the risk assessment should attempt to contact the victim to inform them of the force's intention to remove the marker so they are aware of this intended action. If contact with the victim is not possible, then all attempts (and the outcome) should be recorded by the officer concerned. Do you accept the recommendation? Yes
Accepted action: The Special Scheme Policy has been amended by the policy owner and notification of this was published on the MPS intranet on 12th July 2019, alerting police officers and staff to these changes. The amended policy now reads; “Once a scheme has been implemented the OIC MUST make contact with the victim concerned and explain what a Special Scheme is and how long the scheme is intended to be in place. The OIC must also explain that the scheme will be withdrawn after a maximum period of six months if the risk no longer exists. The OIC should initially use the victim’s preferred method of contact. If this is not successful the OIC must consider which other safe methods of contact could be used to ensure the victim is informed. All contact and all attempted contact with the victim must be recorded on the appropriate crime report and the OIC must record whether or not information regarding Special Schemes has been passed to the victim.” In addition, Form 4564 (Special Scheme Request Form) is currently being amended to include a warning that the Real Time Response Desk (unit responsible for reviewing the form, checking compliance and inputting the Special Scheme on the CAD system) have no contact with the victim and it is therefore the responsibility of the OIC to make contact. A link to the Special Scheme Policy will also be added. Changes to the pro forma e-mail which is sent to the OIC are also in the process of being implemented. This will instruct the OIC to explain Special Schemes to the victim and record this contact on the CRIS (Crime Recording System). It is then the responsibility of the OIC to continuously review and consider whether the scheme is still required as part of the investigation. The first stage review email will be amended to instruct the OIC to contact the victim, whether the scheme is extended or withdrawn and record this on CRIS. The Real Time Response Desk will not contact the victim on their behalf. If the OIC does not respond within 14 days, then a second stage review will be implemented where an e-mail will be sent to the BCU Crime Manager to ensure the review is conducted. It is the responsibility of the OIC to make appropriate contact with the victim. The OIC MUST inform the victim that the scheme is either being withdrawn or extended and explain what this means to them. All contact and all attempted contact with the victim must be recorded on the appropriate crime report and the OIC must record whether or not information regarding the withdrawal of the scheme has been passed to the victim.
It is recommended guidance is provided regarding the steps to be taken by control room staff and officers, to ensure that, if a unit deployed to an incident is diverted, the original incident is still attended. Do you accept the recommendation? Yes
Accepted action: MetCC have written a Standard Operating Procedure which details the actions to be taken by control room staff and officers, to ensure that if a unit deployed to an incident is diverted, the original incident is still attended. This guidance has received authorisation for publication and will be disseminated within the next week to all staff and responses recorded when the guidance has been read. The process to be followed is: The Quality Assurance Review Team (QART) will regularly review the DIVERT tag list using the DARIS system. QART will also be available to carry out urgent reviews using DARIS system to conduct further investigations.
It is recommended that the MPS should consider developing a countdown or flagging system to highlight when attendance at an incident is delayed. Do you accept the recommendation? Yes
Accepted action: As per the above response.