The Isle of Man Constabulary has reinforced its status as a quality organisation that delivers high levels of performance through investment in its people.

The Manx police force has retained the prestigious Investors in People (IIP) Gold standard following what was described as ‘an outstanding accreditation visit’ by an independent assessor.

The IIP assessment judged the Constabulary against a wide range of key performance indicators, covering issues such as leadership, communication, training, personal development and recognition.

A total of 35 police officers and support staff were selected at random to be interviewed by the specialist assessor who spent four days in the Island last week. The process comprised a series of confidential one-to-one discussions and group sessions, in addition to a review of written evidence.

The Isle of Man Constabulary, which in 2012 became the first police service in the British Isles to achieve the IIP Gold standard, retained the top accreditation level with an improved score.

Home Affairs Minister Juan Watterson MHK said: ‘For any organisation to earn the IIP Gold standard is commendable, but for a complex police force that is continually modernising and adapting to financial pressures to do so is exceptional. The Department regards its people as its greatest asset and to ensure continued progress our staff need the right knowledge, skills and motivation to work effectively. By achieving the IIP Gold standard, the Constabulary has demonstrated these strengths in abundance.’

He added: ‘We are in the results business and our focus is on protecting vulnerable members of our community. The Constabulary has undergone considerable reorganisation in the past 12 months, at the same time as managing a number of major investigations.

In the face of those challenges, the Island’s recorded crime rate is low, the detection rate is above the average achieved in England and Wales and public satisfaction levels are high. The bottom line is that the Isle of Man remains one of the safest places to live in the British Isles.’

The IIP standard is an internationally recognised business tool aimed at enhancing an organisation’s performance through its people. It has proven benefits in terms of improving productivity and customer satisfaction, as well as generating new efficiencies.
Following last week’s visit, the independent assessor said that while the Isle of Man police force had undergone significant recent change, its people are ‘pragmatic, still have high job satisfaction and really enjoy working for the Constabulary.’

He said he was impressed with the ‘positive, can-do culture’ that exists, adding: ‘Senior management should be congratulated on their outstanding approach and are obviously reaping the benefits in terms of long-term planning, staff morale and overall focus.’

Chief Constable Gary Roberts commented: ‘I believe that the reaccreditation of the Constabulary’s Investors in People Gold status would be a significant achievement at any time. The fact that it has come in the face of major change caused by budgetary reductions, increased workloads for officers and uncertainty about the future speaks volumes about the calibre of people who work for the organisation.’