Forces’ backroom outsourcing could save police service a £1bn a year

Three police forces have entered into discussions with a leading private security firm over the potential outsourcing of their control rooms.

Leicestershire Police, Nottinghamshire Police and Northamptonshire Police entered into a strategic alliance over the summer and have asked G4S to carry out a feasibility study into contact management.

And the wider potential from the deal could see forces in England and Wales making savings of £1 billion a year by private outsourcing.

G4S currently provides a range of services – including custody and contact management – to neighbouring Lincolnshire Police after signing a £200 million contract in 2012.

The firm says the survey is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Speaking to Police Professional, G4S managing director for policing Declan McGrath said the review will examine both emergency and non-emergency calls as well as dispatches.

He believes potential savings from the venture could be similar to those achieved in Lincolnshire. Latest figures estimate that outsourcing services has saved Lincolnshire Police a total of £5.1 million per year.

Currently in Lincolnshire one officer in the control room oversees the rest of the staff who are contracted to G4S.

Mr McGrath says if the three forces agree to outsourcing police then officers will still have overall operational control and that G4S will only provide the administrative functions – leaving more officers available for the frontline.

“It is an exploratory process, like every organisation that is under financial pressure the current way of doing things cannot carry on – there simply aren’t the funds. You have to admire the foresight of the forces that are looking at new ways of working,” Mr McGrath said.

“We have demonstrated we can make significant savings while maintaining the quality of service, we are looking to replicate that across the other forces. It is an administrative function; the question is why does that need to be done by the force when it can be done more efficiently through a private sector organisation.

“This is a very low risk way of moving the forces forward, we believe we have a way they can keep officers on the frontline while balancing the books and managing risk.”

Should the forces agree to outsource their contact management, the company will implement the lessons learnt from Lincolnshire; including close monitoring of staff and ensuring shift patterns reflect policing demand, and that the second phase of implementation will examine digital methods of contact management.

One of the main concerns over outsourcing is ensuring police staff remain accountable, Mr McGrath said any staff transferred across to G4S would still be subject to police disciplinary procedures and that they would also be subject to scrutiny from the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

Fiona Davies policing support services service delivery director at G4S added: “We would work as strategic partner with the force in the way we do with Lincolnshire where their professional standards department handle any complaints or issues.”

Despite forces already making substantial cuts to staff numbers since 2010, G4S believes the current control room model of one, or even several, separate centre locations per force is majorly inefficient.

“The spending review will certainly test whether 43 forces will remain viable. Through reducing the number of buildings and having regional rather than force – only control rooms, you could save a lot of money. A national control room would be too high risk, but regional would certainly work,” Mr McGrath added.

Leicestershire Police Assistant Chief Constable Phil Kay said the approach has been made without the need for any commitment or impact on current structures.

“No commitment has been made to accept,” he said.

Lincolnshire PCC’s chief financial officer calculated that if every other force in England and Wales were funded at the same level as Lincolnshire per head of population, the government could save £1 billi