How Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have become more user friendly

The phrase ‘being user friendly’ means adapting and making changes for the better for the public as they are the people who pay for the service of the police force. The GMP have brought in new aims and objectivities to make their services more user friendly. Here are some of the things which they have done;

The GMP have published many of their documents in different languages such as: Urdu, Farsi, Canonise and Punjabi. These are also available in large print for people whose eyesight is not 100%.
The GMP also have interpreters on hand for both victims and suspects to communicate with the police officers.
Greater Manchester Police believe, ‘… good communication is an important way to develop equality of opportunity for all members of society. This can be difficult for anyone whose first language is not English, is deaf or has impaired hearing, or is blind and has impaired sight. We are committed to making suitable facilities available and accessible to help the public and our staff communicate effectively.’ (GMP Equal Opportunities Policy 2003)
Greater Manchester Police have took action and improved on employing and training people who are from under-represented groups at all levels, this is so that these people have equality and opportunities at all levels.
GMP have community police officers who visit many places in Manchester. These are places such as community centres etc. This is so that the public can get to know their local police officer, they can talk and communicate with them more. This also makes the public feel safer.
The police force advertise crime stoppers etc, in an appropriate way so that the public can understand it.
They have an internet website which enables the public to e-mail any problems or enquires or they can talk to someone on the web site in a chat room style. This is for people who prefer not to talk to the police officers face to face or over the phone. This keeps them anonymous.
GMP also have what is called a ‘lay advisory committee’. This committee is made up of members of the local community. It allows the public to speak up about any problems they may have and these can then be dealt with.

Accessibility

GMP have recruitment fairs to promote the opportunities that provide from the age of 18.
This police force have groups who focus on the under-represented groups such as;

Disability focus groups

Black and Asian Police Association

Women’s focus group

Lesbian and Gay focus group

The GMP have made all of their police stations more accessible for people who have disabilities. (E.G. ramps have been put in place for those in wheelchairs etc.)
They also have a mobile police station which makes it more accessible for people to communicate with the police officers. The mobile ...

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Accessibility

GMP have recruitment fairs to promote the opportunities that provide from the age of 18.
This police force have groups who focus on the under-represented groups such as;

Disability focus groups

Black and Asian Police Association

Women’s focus group

Lesbian and Gay focus group

The GMP have made all of their police stations more accessible for people who have disabilities. (E.G. ramps have been put in place for those in wheelchairs etc.)
They also have a mobile police station which makes it more accessible for people to communicate with the police officers. The mobile police station moves around different parts of Manchester, they are usually put in places with high crime rates or in places where there is not a nearby police station.
The GMP also has pray rooms in all the major police stations, this is to accommodate for religious people.
Halal and Kosher foods are also available. And Sikh’s are allowed to wear headdresses providing the constabulary badge is showing.

The Method used by GMP to recruit under-represented groups

The percentage of officers from BME communities are the moment stands at just 2.77%, in GMP their target is to have 7.58% by 2009.

Diversity Training

Greater Manchester Police have what they call diversity training. This has been in place since 1993 and is always being developed to cater for the needs of the police officers.
The training programme is to let trainee police officers learn to have respect for the different cultures and religions. It is teaching them about these cultures and religions.

Exit Questionnaire

Exit questionnaires and exit interviews have been in Greater Manchester Police for a while now. These are interviews and questionnaires that police officers can have when they leave the force. These are where they can express why they want to leave the force, this then helps the police see why people are leaving the force and hopefully improve on the parts which they find are their weakest points. There has now been a new section put into the questionnaire, this is refined to corporate an ‘early warning system’. This is to find out why some ethnic minority officers leave the force at such an early age, or leave when they have not been in the force for too long.

When somebody leaves GMP they can now take a leavers exit interview. This can be taken with staff from the Personnel Branch, Police Federation, Unison or the Black and Asian Police Association. This is where they can discuss with someone their reasons for leaving the force.

Surveys

Greater Manchester Police taken out a survey on the basis of a career development questionnaire, this found that 60% shown that they would engage in activities designed to enhance their career progression. Although the survey did show that a small minority of ethnic officers found that they have felt racism hit them at one point, but the majority of ethnic officers found that they have comparable experiences to their white counterparts.

There was also a similar sort of survey taken out with the ethnic support staff. This shown that 72% of the support staff were satisfied with the career opportunities that are available for them at Greater Manchester Police.

How Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have become more user friendly

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