PCD 1412 Stalking Awareness Training for Criminal Justice Agencies

PCD 1412 Stalking Awareness Training for Criminal Justice Agencies

DMPC Decision PCD 1247 approved funding for projects in support of the Police and Crime Plan totalling £3.415m, this included £300k to deliver “MPS Officer Training – Trauma Informed and Rape Myth”. This decision seeks to approve to procure a 6-month contract to deliver Stalking Awareness Training at a maximum cost of £150k. This training will be primarily for the MPS, but with the intention that is could be accessible to CPS and the Probation Service, to support a more effective partnership approach to stalking. The training will improve awareness, identification and responses to stalking cases. This training is supportive in terms of delivery the Mayor’s VAWG strategy. 

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to:   

1. Approve the procurement of a 6-month contract at the maximum value of £150k to deliver the Stalking Awareness Training. 

2. Approve the carry forward of funds totalling £150k to meet the cost of the training which will now be delivered in 2023/24. 

3. Note a request to carry forward the balance of funds available to deliver MPS Officer Training – Trauma Informed and Rape Myth will be made as part of the 2022/23 outturn report. 

4. Proceed to award the contract in line with the outcome of the competition, subject to receiving assurances that the process has been conducted in compliance with procurement regulations. 

1. Introduction and background  

1. Tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) is at the heart of the Mayor’s priorities for London. Central to his Police and Crime Plan and VAWG Strategy for London 2022-25 is holding perpetrators of VAWG to account to ultimately increase the safety of victims-survivors and their families. 

2. MOPAC’s VAWG Strategy outlines the following commitment: 

• MOPAC will continue to work alongside the MPS, the Probation Service, the CPS, and victims and survivor services to ensure that the identification of, and response to stalking in London is improved; and that all agencies meet the diverse needs of Londoners resulting from increases in stalking reports to police. 

3. The Mayor’s VAWG strategy also acknowledges that trust and confidence in policing among women and girls has been declining for several years and as a result, women are less likely to report crime. Therefore, the MPS must do everything in its power to raise standards and become a service that all women and girls feel able to put their trust in. 

2. Issues for consideration  

1. There were an estimated 1.8 million victims of stalking (aged 16-59) in England and Wales from April 2021 to March 2022 with 2.5% of men and 4.9% of women having experienced stalking in the past year. 

2. Despite this, there were only 118,411 reports of stalking to police in the year ending March 2022, 7% of the estimated volume of stalking that year. Of the 118,411 reports to police, 5% were charged, 3% reached trial and 2% resulted in convictions (England and Wales). 

3. These figures, alongside victim anecdotal evidence reported by the Victim’s Commissioner for London, National Stalking Consortium, and Suzy Lamplugh Trust highlight the need for significant improvements in the criminal justice response to stalking.  

4. The Head of Public Protection and Lead Responsible Officer for Stalking within the Metropolitan Police Service have acknowledged a need for specialist stalking training and awareness raising among police staff in London. 

5. Conversations with the Crown Prosecution Service have also acknowledged similar needs and welcomed an enhanced offer of training. The Probation Service have welcomed this training offer and will explore this being rolled out to probation officers. MOPAC will ensure the specification for this training meets the needs of all three criminal justice agencies.  

6. There is a strong argument to fund specialist stalking training for practitioners throughout the criminal justice journey to improve outcomes for victims and increase public trust and confidence. This would complement the work of London’s Stalking Threat Assessment Centre which aims to improve the identification of and response to stalking reports in London, across the criminal justice system and health sector. 

3. Financial Comments  

1. DMPC Decision PCD 1247 approved funding for projects in support of the Police and Crime Plan totalling £3.415m, this included £300k to deliver “MPS Officer Training – Trauma Informed and Rape Myth”. 

2. In support of this, this decision seeks approval to procure a contract to deliver Stalking Awareness Training at a total cost of £150k. Subject to DMPC approval funds totalling £150k will be carried forward from 2022/23 to meet the cost of the training that will now take place in 2023/24 and budgets updated accordingly.   

3. A request to carry forward the balance of funds available to deliver “MPS Officer Training – Trauma Informed and Rape Myth” will be made as part of the 2022/23 outturn report. 

4. Legal Comments  

1. MOPAC’s general powers are set out in the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (the 2011 Act). Section 3(6) of the 2011 Act provides that MOPAC must “secure the maintenance of the metropolitan police service and secure that the metropolitan police service is efficient and effective.” Under Schedule 3, paragraph 7 MOPAC has wide incidental powers to “do anything which is calculated to facilitate, or is conducive or incidental to, the exercise of the functions of the Office.” Paragraph 7(2) (a)provides that this includes entering into contracts and other agreements. 

2. Officers must ensure that the Financial Regulations and Contract Regulations are complied with. 

3. Officers confirm that sufficient assurance has been carried out to this Decision to determine that the DMPC has legal authority to agree the recommendations. 

5. Commercial Issues  

1. The procurement approach will be taken to MOPAC’s Procurement, Contracts and Grants Board (PCGOB) for Director approval. It will be proposed that the training opportunity is put out to the market through a competitive process.  

6. GDPR and Data Privacy  

1. MOPAC will adhere to the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018 and ensure that any organisations who are commissioned to do work with or on behalf of MOPAC are fully compliant with the policy and understand their GDPR responsibilities.   

7. Equality Comments  

1. MOPAC is required to comply with the public sector equality duty set out in section 149(1) of the Equality Act 2010. This requires MOPAC to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations by reference to people with protected characteristics. The protected characteristics are: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. 

2. This training aims to improve CJS responses to stalking. Stalking is gendered, and disproportionately affects women and girls. This is not to say that victims of these crimes cannot be male however women are more likely to be victims of stalking.   

8. Background/supporting papers 

1. Appendix 1 -  PCD 1247