‘Know Your Community’ SharePoint site

The aims of the ‘Know Your Community’ SharePoint site are to:

• provide a central source of information where officers can view the demographic make-up of a community and understand its key assets, such as places of worship and key individual networks (KINs)
• store and provide access to documents, including community impact assessments and patrol plans
• prevent duplication of effort and reduce difficulties in accessing information in a timely manner

The intended outcomes of the ‘Know Your Community’ SharePoint site are to:

• improve the recording and maintenance of community profiles
• enhance the workforce's understanding of local communities and the issues affecting them
• improve access and sharing of patrol plans
• reduce IT-related barriers to information sharing

Prior to the introduction of the 'Know Your Community' SharePoint site, neighbourhood policing teams (NPTs) compiled community engagement plans using PowerPoint presentations. These plans were updated every three months and stored within Microsoft Teams.

During Operation Hutton, established in response to the terrorist attack at Heaton Park Synagogue, a consequence management cell was created to coordinate the community response across the districts of Greater Manchester Police (GMP).

Each district developed its own community impact assessment and patrol plan, which required sign-off from the district commander. These documents were stored within individual district Microsoft Teams channels, preventing the consequence management cell from accessing them directly. As a result, the documents had to be shared by email, meaning they could not be viewed or updated in real time and required periodic resending.

In response, neighbourhood policing teams (NPTs) worked with the IT department to create the force-wide 'Know Your Community' SharePoint site. During the development process, the IT department and force prevention branch consulted with NPTs to identify the information and functionality required. The SharePoint site was initially developed and piloted within a single district, which provided feedback that informed further refinements before the site was rolled out across the force.

On the landing page, the SharePoint site has links to the following resources:

• abstraction tracker
• community alert system
• College of Policing practice bank
• community impact assessments 
• patrol plans
• each district page 
• religious events calendar 
• neighbourhood dashboard containing the last three months of crime data

Within each district page, the SharePoint site includes information on the district's geography, wards, and neighbourhood policing team. The site also contains contact details for each team's supervisors, an overview of local deprivation, and dedicated sections providing information on:

• KINs
• schools
• places of worship 
• engagement plans

To support implementation, the IT department and force prevention branch trained volunteer administrators from each district to act as superusers. The training was delivered via Microsoft Teams and provided an overview of the site's content, as well as guidance on how to access, update, and share information. The training sessions were also recorded, enabling volunteer administrators to revisit the material whenever required.

Each district nominated an officer to oversee site administration, including updating supervisor details and removing outdated documents. In addition, another officer and a police community support officer (PCSO) were designated responsibility for uploading and maintaining information relating to the district's assets.

There were no additional costs associated with the development and implementation of the 'Know Your Community' SharePoint site, as it was delivered using existing staff and resources.

The 'Know Your Community' SharePoint site is in the early stages of implementation. Initial feedback from users has been positive, with many reporting that it is easier to upload, access, and share documents.

The site has standardised the process for storing and managing documents, providing a consistent approach across all districts. This has improved accessibility to key information and reduced the challenges previously associated with locating and sharing documents.

• The SharePoint site has enabled officers to share knowledge and store information in a centrally accessible location.
• It was essential that the IT department and the Force Prevention Branch worked closely with neighbourhood policing teams (NPTs) during the development and implementation of the SharePoint site.
• During the development process, the IT department focused on creating a site that could be adapted and expanded to meet the force's diverse needs. It is recommended that decisions regarding the site's structure, content, and the documents to be stored are made at the earliest opportunity.
• It is also recommended that the number of administrators is kept to a minimum to simplify the communication of updates and user guidance. As GMP is a large force that relies heavily on local knowledge, it is important to recruit volunteer administrators from within districts to ensure the site remains accurate, relevant, and up to date.