West Midlands Police

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

“what the world really needs is more love and less paperwork” Pearl Bailey

Conflict Resolution at West Midlands Police

West Midlands Police

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

• 7995 Police Officers• 3532 Police Staff, 730 PCSOs• 578 Special Constables• 10 LPUs/18 depts • 31% work shifts, 16% are flexible workers• 59% male, 41% female • 90% of the force non BME, 10% BME • covering 348m2, population 2.6m, 18% BME

West Midlands Police

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

“People join the police servicefor vocational reasons. They want to serve the public and do a good job. It is about creating a climate that allows them to do that.”

(Birmingham Mail 1 June 2010)

West Midlands Police

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

robust and intrusive

Or oremotional

intelligence

West Midlands Police

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

WMP’s Dispute Resolution options • First Contact Advisers• Mediation• People Advice and Liaison Service• Formal Resolution• Productivity and Attendance

Management• Shared Service Centre: Line Manager

Adviser Team

West Midlands Police

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

West Midlands Police

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

First Contact AdvisersListening → Signposting → Advice

• Started 1993• 70+ FCAs• Own steering

committee

Issues:• Equality• Diversity• Fairness• Bullying• Harassment• Discrimination

West Midlands Police

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

Mediation• 18 mediators • 163 cases over 6 years• Even split male/female colleagues• Obstacles: confidentiality/impartiality,

catharsis, “right to manage”, Change• Evaluation of process and service• Assessment of outcomes and impact

West Midlands Police

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

Challenges• Mediation scheme underused• Misunderstanding of the process• Mediation “imposed” by Managers• Perceptions (stigma, blame,

confidentiality, trust/confidence, buy-in)• Resilience• Communicating outcomes/needs

West Midlands Police

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

West Midlands Police

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

Resolution Process

Resolution Process• 2 stages• Guidance (expectations,fact finding,

handling difficult conversations, stress management, closure)

• Cooling off period• Independent adjudication

West Midlands Police

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

Where did we go wrong?• Expectations/objectives• Personnel practices/policy issues• Transparency of rationales• Power of apology• Aftermath management

West Midlands Police

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

Cost/Benefit analysis

• Demonstrable impartiality• Early merits assessment• Swift decision and minimal disruption• Flexible approach and creative solutions • Confidence regarding outcome• Savings → £2000-3000 per case on admin

(overall decrease 100-200% of ET costs £50k+)

West Midlands Police

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

*withdrawn or dismissed

NB figures as accurate as possible

criteria for data sometimes varies 2008 2009 2010 2011

ET New Claims 27 21 9 (-6*) 20 (-5*)

Won 2 1 1 0Lost 14 4 1 1 (EAT

overturned this) Settled 7 2 2 5

Resolutions Stage 1 17 40 (10) 57Stage 2 23 10 5 3

Mediations Total 17 27 23 24Resolved 9 19 11 7Unresolved

or did not progress8 8 12 7

West Midlands Police

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

“Overall, the cost of tribunal claims is significantly below the levels for the previous five years, which is especially significant considering the organisational changes taking place”

WMP Force Solicitor John Kilbey, April 2012

West Midlands Police

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

• Conflict, capability, misconduct, disciplinary, whistle-blowing or “stress”

• Prevention not cure• Advocacy not therapy• Understand dynamics/clarify objectives• Challenge assumptions/self-reflection • Agree realistic strategy

People Advice and Liaison Service

West Midlands Police

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”

The Dalai Lama