Corporate Policy Making

Policy Scope

All South Yorkshire Police personnel. The policy covers the development of all new corporate policies and associated procedures, and amendments to existing policies and procedures. It does not cover local district and departmental Guidelines or Standard Operating Procedures.

Policy Aims and Objectives

The aim of this policy is to provide a common approach for the development and recording of all corporate policies and procedures, as endorsed by SCT in 2000. The objectives are:

  • To provide clarity about what is authorised corporate policy ie the Chief Constable’s stated position, as owner of all SYP policy, on how South Yorkshire Police delivers its corporate functions, including operational/procedural instructions.
  • To provide as evidence an audit-trail of authorisation (including decisions devolved by the Chief Constable to other SCT members), and the dates of implementation; review; and amendments.
  • To ensure that all authorised policies are notified in General Orders and published in only one place ie electronically on the South Yorkshire Police policy database on the force intranet.
  • To ensure new policies and procedures are co-ordinated with existing ones, and that all documentation is amended appropriately.
  • To provide a specified monitoring process for each policy.
  • To ensure all policies and procedures are assigned to a nominated sponsor and manager respectively, who is responsible for updating them and ensuring their compliance with relevant requirements eg legislative changes; Home Office guidance; ACPO policy/strategy; HMIC/Audit Commission recommendations; NPIA doctrines etc.
  • To ensure that all SYP policies and procedures comply with the Equality Act 2010, Human Rights, Health and Safety and Freedom of Information Act, and with internal F.I.R.S.T principles.

 Associated Procedural Instructions

 This policy is supported by the following procedural instruction:

Policy, Procedural Instruction and Part 1 Force General Orders: Submission Process D51022

 See also:

Freedom of Information Act : ACPO Manual of Guidance version 2.1

 Equality Analysis Guidance (in development).

Equality Act 2010: 

The Act creates a statutory requirement for all Functions and Policies (Including Procedural Instructions) to be analysed for their effect on equality, diversity and human rights, with due regard to the General Duty.

In principle, this document has been assessed for discrimination, which cannot be justified, among other diverse groups.

Human Rights/Discretion

The purpose of providing policy is to give an indication to staff of the expected course of action. However it is not possible to cater for every possible combination of factors that would justify departure from stated policy. The Human Rights Act 1998 requires the proper use of discretion at all times and nothing within this policy and associated procedural instructions prohibits the proper use of discretion in appropriate circumstances.

Where action is taken that has the potential to interfere with an individual’s Human Rights, the reason behind the making of the decision to act in that way should be recorded on the appropriate forms, or where this is not practical, in pocket books or policy logs.

Audit Arrangements

For this policy:

This policy together with its Equality Analysis will be reviewed every 2 years .

For the individual policies/procedural instructions, the full review process is detailed in D51022.

Rights of Redress for members of the public

Anyone who feels that a member of staff has behaved incorrectly or unfairly, or who is dissatisfied with organisational matters, service delivery or other operational policing issues, has the right to make a complaint.

Initial action should be taken in one of the following ways:

  • Complain in writing or in person to the Senior Officer at the appropriate police station, or in writing to the Chief Constable of the force concerned.
  • Visit a local Citizens’ Advice Bureau.
  • Contact a solicitor.

Rights of Redress for South Yorkshire Police Staff

South Yorkshire Police staff who feel they have grounds for concern in relation to the implementation of policies may:

  • Pursue concerns through their line manager
  • Contact their First Contact Advisor
  • Pursue a grievance through the South Yorkshire Police Fairness at Work Procedure
  • Seek advice from their staff association or trades union
  • Use procedural instruction D50241 Management of Complaints, in the section entitled Handling Complaints relating to Direction and Control. 
Start: 

1 January 2001

Equality Analysis: 
application/pdf iconD51021 and D51022 - Corporate Policy Making.pdf