The aim of the Central Motorway Police Group is to provide safe and secure transport throughout the Central region, seeking to deny criminals the use of the roads, and to reduce the number of casualties amongst legitimate road users.
The CMPG draws its officers from a number of different organisations, so its mantra of “One Team, One Direction” requires careful planning and delivery, and the instigation of specific processes and procedures that reflect its distinct remit and character. Investors in People have been critical in helping CMPG achieve this.
The UK Motorway network is a key part of the national transport infrastructure, which in the West Midlands includes Europe’s busiest motorway link, known locally as the ‘Birmingham Box’. Keeping these roads safe and secure is a critical responsibility of the police service, and so it was decided in 1990 it should be placed in the hands of a dedicated, specialist body, the Central Motorway Police Group. Covering a network that includes the M6, M5 and M42 motorways, as well as the other motorways and trunk roads which link Cheshire in the north to the Welsh borders in the west, the CMPG draws officers from the West Midlands, West Mercia and Staffordshire police forces, and is supported by the Highways Agency Traffic Office Service.
Each of the three police forces is individually accredited by Investors in People. Investors in People is a flexible framework which supports variations in specific areas of delivery for each force. So while many of the CMPG’s policies and procedures are entirely consistent with those applied by each of the individual forces, some are inevitably slightly different. CMPG has sought to benchmark the best practice of each, building this into the policies and procedures of its own organisation. When the opportunity came to review the performance of the organisation, three particular areas were identified as priorities for review:
- The strategy for managing and developing people
- Developing effective leaders and managers
- People practising ownership and responsibility
It was logical for Liz Le Breuilly, Personnel Manager for the CMPG, to turn to Investors in People for help in doing this in order to assess the effectiveness of the organisation, and to develop the strategies that would ensure their ability to deliver the highest possible service to the motorway users of the region.
"With people seconded to CMPG from different forces, it is critical that our structures and procedures are clear and easily adapted to. As for all police forces, our service is dependent on employees being able to make the right decisions and to demonstrate clear leadership in often very challenging situations. It’s my responsibility to ensure that all our officers are equipped to do this.”
Working with the Investors in People team, Liz initiated a review which assessed the abilities of all CMPG employees, and the effectiveness of the organisation’s development processes. Using the new approach from Investors in People, this review provided a very encouraging picture. People were consistently assessed to a very high standard, and the organisation has successfully drawn together the processes and procedures of the three constituent police forces, to provide a management and development framework that was appropriate for the distinct needs of the CMPG.
Liz was delighted with the outcome, but still identified a number of areas where further progress was desirable. She instigated a Continuous Improvement Plan which included the honing of selected internal systems and the enhancement of communications, to ensure that the CMPG could build on its strong foundations. From this platform, the CMPG can continue to provide the safest and securest possible transport network for us all to use.
Click here to download full case study - June 2009
Click here to download full case study - February 2010
