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Force Communications and Control Centre Scrutiny

The FCCC Scrutiny was a recommendation that was suggested during part of the Access to Policing Scrutiny.  The fieldwork took place between 15 December 2008 and 30 March 2009 and reported to the Scrutiny and Audit Committee on 21 May 2009.

The full reports are available to download at the bottom of this page.

The Audit, Risk and Governance Committee will monitor and evaluate the progress made against these recommendations on a quarterly basis.

Objectives

The Panel aimed to achieve the following objectives:

  • Identify the role and responsibilities of the FCCC.
  • Identify the resources (HR and technical) required to run the FCCC.
  • Identify the processes and procedures currently employed within the FCCC.
  • Consider the quality of the call handling service from the user's perspective and provide suggestions for improvement.
  • Examine how the FCCC can influence the public's trust and confidence in the Force (one of the Force’s strategic aims is ‘building trust and confidence through improving our services’).
  • Examine management control/accountability issues within the FCCC.
  • Identify the standing of the FCCC within the Force (including internal consultation with officers and staff in the Force).
  • Identify best practice (ascertain if the developments made as part of the Quest/Lancashire Connect project in Lancashire Constabulary can be applied or modified for use in Lincolnshire Police).
  • Identify areas for improvement.
  • Identify the risks, potential or real.
  • Make recommendations.

Scope

In order to maximise the benefits from the scrutiny process, the Panel planned to explore the following specific areas relating to FCCC:

  • Consideration of deployment and demand
  • Command, assign and instruct
  • IT/Technology
  • Staffing
  • Procedures and processes
  • Use of language
  • Quality assurance
  • Scheduling
  • Scheduled Incident Desk
  • Training
  • Interface with frontline staff

Findings and Recommendations

The Panel made the following 11 recommendations:

  1. The Force consider devising an Internal Communications plan to raise the profile of the FCCC within the organisation and to raise awareness about the FCCCs central role, responsibilities and purpose with particular reference to the Policing Pledge.
  2. The Force consider that the FCCC Management and Divisional Commanders: agree the command and control protocol, effectively disseminate it to officers and staff as appropriate and carry out the necessary checks to confirm that it has been understood.
  3. The Force consider monitoring and reviewing the control aspects of routine FCCC business to identify ways to improve internal processes and procedures.
  4. The Force consider that managers within the FCCC monitor the controllers’ capacity to effectively monitor multiple channels and review staffing if high risk emergency calls (from officers requesting emergency assistance) are not being responded to within acceptable timescales. 
  5. The Force consider identifying cost effective, creative ways to improve FCCC staff understanding and knowledge of the local geography that is pertinent to them.
  6. The Force consider the introduction of scheduled visits to the FCCC as a core element of probationary officer and PCSO training and the organisation of additional visits (particularly at peak workload periods), where feasible, to the FCCC as part of officers’ ongoing training (prioritised according to their role) at HQ in order to gain an understanding of its role and function. 
  7. The Force consider practical and feasible ways to improve FCCC staff understanding of front line policing and core roles of Police Officers as a means to improve communications with divisional officers.
  8. The Force update the Authority on progress made with regard to holding regular formalised meetings at an appropriate level of seniority between the FCCC and Divisions to review the internal communications and address any issues or concerns.
  9. The Force updates the Authority on the resolutions and actions arising from the Force Schedule Incident Review.
  10. The Force updates the Authority on IT developments and initiatives including the FCCCs use of the GENIE search tool.
  11. The Force consider reviewing training provision and the case for reintroducing a dedicated trainer for the FCCC.