In 2015, West Midlands Police (WMP) committed to a striking transformation program that would help the force meet current and future policing needs, manage citizen expectations and reduce cost across its operations.
Known as WMP2020, the five-year vision creates a bold new model for policing that brings unparalleled change to the way the force operates. WMP expects to improve effectiveness and increase efficiency using innovative digital technologies and evidence-based, preventative policing techniques.
The new face of crime needs a new form of policing. Silent crime, such as violence in the home, is on the rise. Traditional criminals are turning to cybercrime as online threats increase in frequency and sophistication. Citizens have high expectations for a faster, easier and more personal service.
With a need to raise performance using existing resources and reduced budgets, the Police and Crime Commissioner looked at how WMP could partner with the private sector to improve outcomes for the citizens of the West Midlands and proactively reduce future demand for services.
Initial steps included evaluating the current police organization’s structure and size, ways of working, culture, performance, calls for service ("demand") and technology enablers to find the gaps between its existing operations and the vision for 2020.
The blueprint was informed by extensive consultation between the police and the public:
11K Employees
2nd Largest force in England and Whales
2.9M Citizens served
1,600 Responses to social media campaign
1,390 People gave feedback at 18 road shows
80 Workshops
3,500 Survey responses
11 Events with partner agencies
80 Call-backs to victims
"We’re able to see a much more agile organization, far more empowered with the information and tools to prevent crime, protect the public, and help those in need."
— DAVE THOMPSON, Chief Constable – West Midlands Police
People and culture
What are WMP core pillars?
WMP identified six fundamental pillars that were essential in shaping the blueprint that would deliver the WMP2020 vision.
PILLAR 1: We trust our people
Act with integrity and make good decisions
Improve organizational fairness and voice
Adopt a new leadership promise
Improve well-being and performance management
Develop effective workforce design, mix and planning
Attract and develop diversity and talent
PILLAR 2: Information drives our actions
Increase Information access, insight, foresight & security
Become more predictive
Access to information when it’s needed
Collaborate across boundaries and with partners
Prevent crime and reduce harm
Improve efficiency / reduce costs
Increase motivation and satisfaction
PILLAR 3: Designed to listen and reassure
Better understand the environment: location, victim, offender
Increase public confidence, participation and satisfaction
Improve the fairness of WMP
Understand neighborhood policing units effectiveness
Service design with citizens at the heart
PILLAR 4: Geared to prevent harm
Reduce crime, demand, offenders, first time entrants into the system, and risk to the vulnerable
Prevent crime and harm
Reduce demand and offending
Improve rehabilitation
Increase partnership integration
PILLAR 5: Respond at pace
Improve speed, efficiency, agility of response, driving stronger resolution
Increase efficiency and effectiveness of front-line officers
Improve public and staff satisfaction
Prevent crime, protect and help the public
Understand and reduce demand
PILLAR 6: Learn and adapt
Collaborate and learn to develop successful interventions and services
New model for organizational learning, evidence-based policing
Collaborate and strengthen partnerships to deliver holistic interventions
Improve operational training
Apply research activity and findings to the work we do
"[Our citizen portal] logs and tells you just how far you have got with your case and all the important details you need to know. To me the idea is fantastic, this is one of those things I can see making a really big change on how the police and community engage."
— West Midlands citizen
"We see Accenture as a key partner as we continue our transformation journey."
— DAVE THOMPSON, Chief Constable – West Midlands Police
Value delivered
By creating an Innovation and Integration Partnership (IIP) with Accenture, WMP was able to share accountability, risk and outcomes while enhancing flexibility and knowledge right from the start.
The importance of combining a people-first approach with new digital ways of working cannot be underestimated. WMP is seeing improvements that are both financial and non-financial — efficiencies through streamlined processes, increased productivity, and better access to information for officers.
SOLUTION:
Body-worn videos and secure storage database Data from 1,500 body-worn videos can be accessed remotely.
Benefits:
Reduces harm and complaints against officers.
Increases transparency and trust.
Secures better evidence, enables cases to progress more quickly.
Mobile devices Over 3,000 officers in response, Force Support and neighborhood policing have access to a secure, scalable mobile platform.
Benefits: Officers can easily and quickly share data, access and update on the go.
Real-time intelligence center A new 24/7 team pushes out real-time intelligence to response officers.
Benefits:
Up to date timely, relevant and accurate information available 24/7.
Reduced need to use the Airwave radio, improves efficiency and reduces cost.
Frees up police time and saves costs, increased efficiency.
Analytics Predict future outcomes, patterns and trends to deliver preventative policing.
Benefits:
Data-driven insights enhance intelligence and maximize productivity and efficiency.
Combats crime, reduces harm and identifies vulnerabilities.
Provides a single source of the truth to engender public and colleague trust.
Reduces the risk of operational errors and improves the quality of decision making.
Supports preventative interventions, identifies risk and better directs scarce resources.
Digital experience for citizens Non-emergency calls moved to a more cost effective, easy-to-use website with option to engage via webchat.
Benefits:
Improved customer experience, with the ability to report crimes and track the progress of the investigation online.
Ability to model different crime and victim scenarios through a “what if…” modelling tool.
Ability to create a Witness Statement and upload digital evidence.
Better support for citizens/victims.
"Our people are key to influencing behavior change and new ways of working. We have seen increases in citizen use of online channels which continue to grow and enable us to improve the service we provide through policing."
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