This large police force employs 7500 officers and staff who provide policing services to 2.1 million people. It encompasses a large geographical area across five metropolitan districts combining busy cities and towns with quiet villages and rural locations. Diverse ranges in ethnic culture and economic background provide daily challenges for the day-to-day operation. Planning and control is paramount to successful policing.

It was highlighted that a policy document was required to lay foundations for the force’s future succession planning. The force understood that improvements had to be made to the traditional selection process to include predictive means of catering for individual officer’s career management.

PreVisor measured current officers’ views and opinions via a bespoke survey questionnaire aimed at supporting the creation of a succession planning policy.

Interviews were conducted, over a nine month period, with key stakeholders throughout the force and questionnaire outcomes were analysed to identify the key issues driving officer perceptions about the selection process and succession planning for officer career management.

Analysis and results were presented in a comprehensive report to support the strategic succession policy of the force for the future.