Page 25 - Federation Magazine: August/September 2015

FAQs on limited duties and to improve resilience by deploying be justified. This definition of fully deployable applies officers in a more efficient way. only in relation to the placing of an officer The new process and definitions set out in Annex EE should help ensure a consistent on adjusted duties – it is not used for any approach to allocating officers to limited other purpose for example when considering Some of the questions, and answers, duties. Forces do though have discretion the possibility of permanent disablement given are: as to how they implement this process but or permanent medical unfitness under the they will need to ensure that each officer is Police Pension Regulations. 2.1 What does the term ‘limited duties’ assessed individually on a case by case basis, mean?‘ balancing the needs of the individual and the 3.6 I am a disabled officer, will I be placed ‘Limited duties’ is the term used to describe needs of the force. automatically on adjusted duties? some circumstances in which officers may be Forces must have due regard to the No – a disabled officer who is fully deployable unable to undertake the full range of police Equality Act 2010. Forces must have a clear must not be placed on adjusted duties. If you duties. There are three categories of limited understanding of: fulfil the definition for adjusted duties, the duties: l The level of demand/operational process outlined in the guidance must be l Recuperative duties requirement including contingency for followed. l Adjusted duties periods of exceptional demand and to l Management restricted duties meet statutory requirements under the 3.13 What is the x-factor? Strategic Policing Requirement; Tom Winsor set out in his review (Final report, 2.2 What is the definition for each limited l The resources needed to meet that volume 2) that the term ‘x-factor’ is used to duties category? demand including the number of fully encapsulate those elements of police officers’ The limited duties categories are defined in deployable officers; and responsibilities and obligations, and terms Annex EE under Regulation 22 of the 2003 l Which officers are deployable, for what and conditions, that are peculiar to service Police Regulations as follows: range of duties, at what times. as a police officer, and are shared by very l Recuperative Duties is defined as duties Forces must develop this understanding few workers in the public sector and even falling short of full deployment, undertaken before they can begin to implement these fewer in the private sector. Winsor noted by a police officer following an injury, provisions – it is not sufficient to simply that earlier police pay reviews had concluded accident, illness or medical incident, during define a narrow group of roles for adjusted that there should be an element of a police which the officer adapts to and prepares duties officers or conversely designate all officer’s basic pay that reflects the special for a return to full duties and the full hours posts as ‘fully deployable’. Forces must responsibilities and constraints of his work for which they are paid, and is assessed to undertake a force wide assessment of and of the office of constable; whilst there determine whether he or she is capable of operational demand, roles and capabilities of had been no attempt to value it, it had been making such a return. all officers; only then will they be able to map taken into account in setting police pay. l Adjusted Duties is defined as duties roles and resources across the organisation. Winsor concluded that the x-factor takes falling short of full deployment, in respect Forces must regularly review their account of a range of elements of police work of which workplace adjustments (including workforces against the operational including the use of discretion, disruption reasonable adjustments under the Equality requirements and changing local and to family life, danger, prohibition on joining Act 2010) have been made to overcome national priorities. a trade union, restrictions on political barriers to working. For an officer to be placed activity and deployability. He quantified the on adjusted duties, he/she must: 3.4 What does ‘fully deployable’ mean? deployability element as 8% of basic pay for a) Be attending work on a regular basis; As set out in Annex EE a fully deployable constables. For other ranks, he said, it should b) Be working the full number of hours for officer will generally demonstrate all the be expressed in cash terms, benchmarked which he/she is paid (in either a full time or following core capabilities: at 8% of the maximum of constables’ basic part time role). a) the ability to sit for reasonable periods, to pay (in terms of officers on adjusted duties l Management Restricted Duties is defined write, read, use the telephone and to use (or it is this element of pay that is referred to as as duties to which an officer is allocated in learn to use) IT; the ‘x-factor’ and is what is referred to in the circumstances in which: b) the ability to run, walk reasonable remainder of this document). a) Verifiable confidential or source sensitive distances, and stand for reasonable periods; information or intelligence has come to c) the ability to make decisions and report 3.14 How will the x-factor be calculated? the notice of the force that questions the situations to others; The value of the x-factor is: suitability of an officer to continue in his or d) the ability to evaluate information and to l Eight per cent of basic pay for constables; her current post; and/or record details; and b) Serious concerns are raised which require e) the ability to exercise reasonable physical l Eight per cent of basic pay for all other management actions, both for the protection force in restraint and retention in custody; ranks, capped at eight per cent of the of individuals and the organisation; f) the ability to understand, retain and maximum of constables’ pay. In either case also that: explain facts and procedures; The calculation of x-factor does not include c) Criminal or misconduct proceedings are not g) the ability to work the full range of shifts any additional allowances or payments warranted; and (earlies, lates and nights). such as London weighting, overtime, acting d) The Chief Constable has lost confidence in The kinds of capabilities needed for a up allowance etc. The x-factor should be the officer continuing in their current role. role will vary and not all duties will need to calculated daily, for each day an officer has be carried out in exactly the same way on spent on adjusted duties. A day’s pay should 3.1 What are the main features of the all occasions by all officers in the same roles. be calculated in accordance with Regulation scheme? Officers who cannot demonstrate all the 30, Annex M (dividing the weekly rate by The HO equality impact assessment states capabilities listed above may still be matched seven). that the focus of the scheme is intended to to a substantive police role, particularly given ‘help forces to deploy the individual skills the variety of roles that exist in the police A full copy of the Q and As is available at and capabilities of every officer to the fullest service. Unless a force can demonstrate that http://tinyurl.com/l-Duties extent possible’ enabling forces to better a particular officer is impacting on the force’s determine what resources they have available ability to meet its operational requirements at any one time to meet operational demand it is difficult to see how a pay reduction could www.westmidspolfed.com federation August/September 2015 25