Force management statements

A force management statement (FMS) is a self-assessment that chief constables (and London equivalents) prepare and give to HMICFRS each year.

It is the chief constable’s statement and explanation of:

• the demand the force expects to face in the foreseeable future;
• the performance, condition, composition, capacity, capability, serviceability and security of supply of the force’s workforce and the extent to which current force assets will be able to meet expected future demand;
• how the force will change and improve its workforce, policies, practices and other assets to cope with future demand;
• the effect the force expects those changes to have and the effect of any residual risk of service failure; and
• the money the force expects to have to do all this.

For detailed guidance about force management statements, see:

• the template we asked forces to use when preparing their FMSs and some guidelines to help them;
• previous correspondence from HMCIC about FMSs.

We review each FMS and use the statements to inform the PEEL Assessment inspections.

Why we need the FMS

We need the information in the FMS:

• to inform our inspections of forces’ efficiency, effectiveness and legitimacy;
• to inform our thematic inspections; and
• to supplement our monitoring of forces’ performance.

FMS contain evidence that we use to support other purposes. It includes:

• evidence of what forces are doing to achieve national priorities;
• evidence about police performance against national priorities identified by the Crime and Policing Performance Board and the National Policing Board or other opportunities to influence national policy and strategy;
• identifying emerging national trends in demand and resources;
• identifying emerging national risks and challenges; and
• collected evidence of innovative practices.

All forces need to have accessible information on current demand, assets (especially asset condition and capability) and resources. They use that information in their decision-making, including decisions about improving efficiency and effectiveness. FMS should also explain how forces are acting on the priorities set out in the police and crime plan of their local policing body (police and crime commissioners and their London and Manchester mayoral equivalents).

We recognise that there may be limits to forces’ ability to precisely assess future demand and, in some respects, the condition, etc of their assets. But forces should have good methods of assessing a range of possible and likely future needs and how they will meet them. FMSs will help forces explain how these are influencing forces’ planning processes and decision making.

The FMS will help establish which areas of a force’s activities present the greatest risks and resilience of the service it provides. This will, in turn, inform the focus and depth of inspections undertaken by us.