FOI 760-2024 / Aug 2024 / Officer promotion
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: FOI-760-2024
I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 26th August 2024. Please find your request and the Warwickshire Police response set out below.
Please, can I make a Freedom of Information request for the following detail, which are questions relating to your Police Officer Promotion Process. I would like to specifically know about: i) PC to Sgt, ii) Sgt to Insp and iii) Insp to Chief Insp. If the time constraints on FOI work start to be a factor, then please concentrate on information relating to Sgt to Insp processes.
- What reasonable adjustment do you offer for officers that might suffer cognitive impairment through disability, who would be disadvantaged in comparison with their peers in assessment or test formats, be it through ability to retain or process information?
Q1 response: Reasonable adjustments for national exams (e.g. extra time, alternative formats) are governed by the College of Policing and are usually provided on production of a suitable assessment report. For other assessments that are part of the force selection process, we ask all candidates to make us aware of their specific adjustment needs which are then considered on a case by case basis. As a standard we provide interview questions in written format that are available to candidates throughout the interview.
- It is noted that preparation for interviews and assessments within the Police is highly competitive with much preparatory work at home often required. What reasonable adjustments do you offer for those officers that might be incapable to prepare for tests outside of working hours, either due to health or caring responsibilities?
- Do you offer a bespoke reasonable adjustment where candidates exhibiting the issues detailed in point 2 are given a reduced area to have to prepare/research for, i.e. provided a more restrictive scope of questions prior to the assessment or given an approximate of crime types, if a crime scenario is reviewed – being told a question relates to Group 2 Crimes, rather than the officer have to try and revise all crime areas (the result being the candidate has less areas to revise in comparison with peers without the disadvantage faced)?
Q2 & Q3 response: No recorded information held. There is no blanket approach to reasonable adjustments as these would be considered on a case by case basis, depending on individual needs and how practical it is to meet those whilst still providing a service to the public.
- Do you offer assessment of ability through observation in role, i.e. a candidate acts or temps within a rank and a judgement is made on whether they are competent to be promoted?
Q4 response: Our new promotion process focusses on performance within a role and, where possible, providing an opportunity for candidates to undertake acting or temporary roles. Ongoing monitoring, mentoring and line management inputs will be made to provide an informed view as to competency for promotion (replacing a previous process which tested competency via interview and assessment).
- Would you consider use of the above (promotion through assessment of ability through observation in role) as a bespoke reasonable adjustment?
Q5 response: Please see above response.
- Does your Force utilise the NPPF, whereby officers who pass a selection sift have a temporary promotion (12 months) and a work-based assessment leading to a professional qualification in police management – with promotion taking place after this 4th step?
Q6 response: Yes
- Where you have an Assessment Centre as part of your Promotion Process, what criteria governs scenarios or question setting?
- Would you set a question within an Assessment Centre where a course would be required to answer it to a competent standard, i.e. a question on Public Order Tactics or Child Interviewing? If not, please confirm the reasons why, i.e. lack of fairness to other candidates or financial implications on training workforce in the course, etc. If yes, please explain under what circumstances this would be deemed proportionate, i.e. majority of staff would have undertaken the course, etc.
Q7 & Q8 response: Not applicable, we do not have an assessment centre as part of our promotion process.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided is as accurate as possible.
Your attention is drawn to the below which details your right of complaint.
Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please write or email the Freedom of Information Unit quoting the reference number above.
Yours sincerely
Freedom of Information Officer
Freedom of Information Unit
Warwickshire Police
PO Box 4
Leek Wootton
Warwickshire
CV35 7QB