Recommendation - Northumbria Police, March 2022

Northumbria Police · Ref: 2021/157630

Recommendation date: 10 March 2022

Response due: 5 May 2022

Published: 23 November 2022

We identified organisational learning following a review of a complaint. The complainant objected to Northumbria police's change of their MOSOVO policy to use locally trained, uniformed police officers and marked vehicles from the Neighbourhood Policing Teams (NPT) to conduct Home Risk Reviews (HRR) to personnel subject to registration requirements. The complainant feared for his safety and personal welbeing due these changes.

View on IOPC website

Recommendations (1)

Recommendation 1 Accepted

Recommendation

The IOPC recommends that Northumbria Police amend their Management Of Serious Or Violent Offenders (MOSOVO) policy to ensure it reflects and complies with College of Policing Authorised Professional Practice (APP). The APP states that staff/officers conducting home risk reviews (HRR) … Read more

Force Response

Accepted action: Northumbria Police partially accept the learning recommendation and amendments have been made to relevant force policy, however it should be noted that the force will continue to operate outside current College of Policing Authorised Professional Practice. There are … Read moreAccepted action: Northumbria Police partially accept the learning recommendation and amendments have been made to relevant force policy, however it should be noted that the force will continue to operate outside current College of Policing Authorised Professional Practice. There are several benefits of the current Northumbria Police model used to manage low and medium risk offenders. There have been excellent examples of an offenders’ risk being mitigated due to the comprehensive knowledge of NPT officers. The investment in our NPT model provides additional opportunities to mitigate risk and safeguard vulnerable adults and children. The current model also provides improved intelligence, during the 2018/2019 HMICFRS inspection, HMIC found an increase in intelligence submissions because of the neighbourhood involvement in the model. The improved intelligence and improved risk management led to an increased number of sex offenders being raised from low/medium to high and very high. APP also stipulates that NPTs should be notified as appropriate, about the details of sexual and violent offenders and Potentially Dangerous Persons (PDP) in their geographic area and consider this alongside other tasking information. It also states MOSOVO units should ensure that there are well-defined communication procedures with NPT’s and that Chief Officers should implement a system, with appropriate security safeguards that allows MOSOVO units to share pertinent information with NPTs. Our current model does this and more, ensuring our NPTs have appropriate training, understanding of threat, harm and risk and ultimately how to mitigate that risk. Northumbria Police provide Neighbourhood Officers with significant training prior to undertaking Home Risk Reviews. Training is provided to Neighbourhood Officers via a nationally trained and accredited MOSOVO trainer, this training has recently been highlighted as ‘Comprehensive’ by HMICFRS. The training is a 5-day course which involves management of offenders, ARMS assessment, and safeguarding actions etc. MOSOVO officers receive an 8-day course which includes three additional days training on ARMS completion – this is the only difference between the Neighbourhood and MOSOVO course. Currently NPT officers conduct the Home Risk Review and MOSOVO officers complete the ARMS assessment based on information contained within the Home Risk Review. It is recognised that APP states that Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) officers should not conduct home visits unless accompanied by a nationally trained and accredited MOSOVO manager, however Northumbria Police Neighbourhood Officers are trained to a high level by a nationally accredited MOSOVO trainer. There are currently 301 NPT officers trained which is a significant investment in the response and model to manage offenders effectively. Northumbria Police have amended the current policy. The previous policy informed officers to consider the risk of attending in uniform, it did not sufficiently address the potential concerns which may affect an individual. The amended IIS policy now reads ‘officers must assess the likelihood and the risk on the individual of being identified as a sex offender and the impact on their health and wellbeing due to the visit being conducted in uniform’. The rationale should then be clearly documented in the Home Risk Review and updated onto VISOR. It would be unreasonable and impractical for Neighbourhood Officers to conduct all visits to RSO’s in plain clothes and it would have a significant impact on other duties. The Home Office have commissioned an independent review of police forces in relation to the police management of sex offenders in the community. The review is in the initial stages but is expected to analyse all current practices. The Home Office recognise the significant investment of resources and risk carried by management of such offenders, all forces have been requested to contribute to the review. Whilst it is important to understand the individual impact on the registered individual and of course mitigate harm to them, our overarching aim is to safeguard and prevent further harm to vulnerable children / adults. Our current model adopts this stance and delivers an enhanced risk management process. Northumbria Police intend to continue with a Neighbourhood Policing Model for low and medium risk offenders, however, taking cognisance of the IOPC’s findings and learning recommendation the policy has been amended. Although amendments have been made to the policy, the policy will not fully comply with APP and Northumbria Police will continue to operate outside current College of Policing APP. Northumbria Police provide comprehensive training to Neighbourhood Officers involved in the Management of Serious and Violent Offenders, they are provided with appropriate training to fulfil their role within this process effectively. The training is provided by a nationally accredited MOSOVO trainer and reflects the fully accredited MOSOVO course. The amended Northumbria Police policy relating to the Management of Serious and Violent Offenders makes it clear that attendance of officers in uniform MUST be subject to an appropriate risk assessment which is documented on the Home Risk Review form and retained within the VISOR system. Full compliance with APP would decrease engagement opportunities for Neighbourhood Officers and significantly impact on the risk management process. It is believed that the amendments made to the force policy consider and mitigate the risk issues identified by the IOPC whilst still maintaining the benefits provided by our Neighbourhood Policing Model. It is noted that there is an ongoing Independent Review into the police management of sex offenders in the community. Northumbria Police will be making submissions to the review and will consider the outcome and any recommendations from the review. In conclusion, full acceptance of the learning recommendation would create significant operational difficulties for Northumbria Police and could result in a less effective risk management process. Amendments have been made to the relevant policy which mitigates risks identified by the IOPC whilst maintaining operational effectiveness and a strong risk management process. Show less