met police branding

NAME: MAXIMILIAN SEABROOKE

PROJECT TITLE: BRAND LANGUAGE

UNIT TITLE: BRAND FACTORS

PROJECT PERIOD: 22/02/2011 - 22/03/2011

AREA OF STUDY: METROPOLITAN POLICE

RESEARCH DOCUMENT

Brand Factors (Contents) 2

CONTENTS

RESEARCH

PERCEPTIONS

INTERVIEW - POLICE SERVICE

NEGATIVE IMAGE EXAMPLE - PRESS

INTERVIEW - FIRE SERVICE

ANNUAL REPORTS

CAMPAIGN POSTERS

VIDEO ADVERTISEMENTS

METROPOLITAN & BOROUGHS WEBSITE

INTERVIEW - COMPARISON WITH HISTORY

FEEDBACK - DEDICATED WEBSITE

APPLYING - DEDICATED WEBSITE

APPLYING - COMPARING

INTERVIEW - THE APPLICATION PROCESS

KNOWING YOUR RIGHTS

SUMMARISING RESEARCH

DESIGN

INITIAL IDEA

DEVELOPING INITIAL IDEA

DEVELOPING FOR A USER GROUP

DAILY ROUTINE - SENIOR CITIZENS

DAILY ROUTINE - TIMELINE

DEVELOPING IDEA

TESTING IDEA - EMAIL & PHONE CONVERSATION

CONCEPT SHEET

PROTOTYPE - DIMENSIONS

FINAL DESIGN - MANUFACTURE & FUNCTION

FINAL DESIGN - CONSTRUCTION & BRAND

FEEDBACK ON DESIGN - SENIOR CITIZENS

FINAL DESIGN - SCENARIO EXAMPLE

ORTHOGRAPHIC DRAWINGS

3

4 - 5

7

8

10

12

14

15

16

18

19

20

21

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

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34

35

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39 - 40

INTRODUCTION

Brand Factors (Research) 3

The Metropolitan Police Service is complex as a brand, where they need to portray themselves as an approachable and friendly service; they also need to express themselves as a respectable authority figure.

I will be researching into the factors that disturb this balance and the methods used to communicate all the areas that this specific service covers.

INTRODUCTION


+ -

These are some of the feedback sheets that I got back from university students.

PERCEPTIONS


+ -Helpful

Trustworthy

CO-OPERATIVE

Just

Gratitude

APPROACHABLE

Visible

Respected

UNAPPRECIATED

Reliant

Friendly

Corrupt

Arrogant

ABUSE OF POWER

Rude

Annoying

WASTE OF PUBLIC FUNDS

Numpties

Incompetent

RACIST

Blind

Useless


“It’s stuff in the press…

…it really doesn’t help”

PCSO Dionne Anderson


PCSO7113KFANDERSON

“I think they perceive us to be the enemy”

Strongly varies between different ages; teenagers don’t respect the police as much adults. Adults like to see police patrolling streets, the teenagers don’t.

With PCSOs (Police Community Support Officers), the press articulates how they are plastic police officers and that they have no power.

Young people think they know the officer’s powers better than the actual police officers.

“I got arrested and the officers beat me up, once they pass that message onto their friends they will negatively of you”

A lot of the young people think that the police are racist and that they only stop and search specific ethnic groups but really they don’t target anyone.

The press exaggerates incidents and gives people quick negative assumptions of the police.

Finally she adds how Boris Johnson (current Mayor of London) is soon separating himself from the Metropolitan Police.

INTERVIEW - POLICE SERVICE Recorded Interview, D.Anderson PCSO Stratford, 3 March 2011


NEGATIVE IMAGE EXAMPLE - PRESS

These are clippings from the tabloid newspaper ‘Daily Sport’. This specific article is a good example of the negative press that the Police service get.

The paper did not have to include the person’s occupation but have taken full advantage of the fact that the man is a ‘cop’. They do this by making it very noticeable in both headings; on the front page and on the full article.

Newspaper clippings taken from:The ‘Daily Sport’, 10 March 2011 Issue


“You kind of get dragged along

with other peoples opinions”

N.Ryan Fire Crew Manager


FIRE1666GFN.RYAN

“Members of the public will have numerous different perceptions on the police, purely on where they live”

Police have to deal with protests in the way they feel they shouldUsually becomes a bigger problem because there aren’t enough personnel.

People quickly point their finger at the police.

People don’t know the difference between various types of officers so the Police are viewed overall negatively.

“Community support aren’t deniable to arrest people,they’ve got certain powers but they haven’t got much powers”

PCSOs have to deal with the public and journalists asking questions at the scene of an incident even though they might not know the exact answers.

If you asked two teenagers from different areas of a city for their opinions on the police, you would probably get two very different answers.

INTERVIEW - FIRE SERVICE Recorded Interview, N.RyanCrew Manager, 3 March 2011


“Crime is going up…

…more so than going down”

PCSO Dionne Anderson


“PACE and Other Stop and Search” for Newham and all of London

In this ‘PACE* and Other Stop and Search’ report from the Metropolitan Police Service, it shows the Black Population in London to be the largest amount to be stopped and searched by the Police. Also the two Age Groups that have been stopped and searched the most are 10 to 17 and 18 to 24.

*(Police and Criminal Evidence)

ANNUAL REPORTS


“Arrests following PACE and Other Searches” Report for Newham and London

In this similar report ‘Arrests following PACE and Other Searches’ it shows B-Drugs (s23 Misuse of Drugs Act) to be the category with the largest amount of Arrests. Like the above chart, the ages for the most arrests ranges between 10 up to 44 years of age.

ANNUAL REPORTS

Information taken from the archives on:http://www.met.police.uk/foi/units/stop_and_search.html


Don’t rely on others. If you suspect it, report it.

Confidential Anti-Terrorist Hotline Call 0800 789 321

A bomb won’t go off here because weeks before a shopper reported someonestudying the CCTV cameras.

Don’t rely on others. If you suspect it, report it.

Confidential Anti-Terrorist Hotline Call 0800 789 321

These chemicals won’t be used in a bomb because a neighbour reported the dumped containers.

CAMPAIGN POSTERS


VIDEO ADVERTISEMENTS

This frame is from one of ‘The Policing Pledge’ T.V advertisements produced to help emphasise a positive image. The only fault with this advertisement is the invalid statement that goes with the video.

In the video the Home Office claim that ‘police spend at least 80 percent of their time on the beat’, which has been found to be misleading information.

Information taken from:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8588829.stm


METROPOLITAN & BOROUGHS WEBSITE

The top screenshot is from the Met Police website’s home page. From this website, you can easily navigate to various areas of information.

You can also direct yourself to a more specific site where you can find information on different boroughs throughout London.

Screenshots taken from:http://content.met.police.uk/Homehttp://cms.met.police.uk/met/boroughs/newham/index


“The politics of policing are a joke”Mark Seabrooke

Frame from BBC footageLiberal Democrat Protests, Sheffield, 11 March 2011


Run-ins with PoliceNottingham Police, Hucknall, tried warning me about activities during the Strike.

Not arrested as they’d nothing on me.Arrested at a Football Match allegedly making monkey noises (racist chanting), contested this in Court, no case to answer! The Miner’s Strike

Thugs. Clever Bastards hiding behind the Law, Uniforms, Riot Gear etc.Police also supplemented with soldiers in police uniform. Also backed up by dubious Magistrates. Remember, the full force of the state was used to defeat the Miners at whatever cost.

Football Matches

The high profile of Police in Riot Gear and on Horseback appears very antagonistic and goes along way to inciting trouble by getting Fans’ backs up!

INTERVIEW - COMPARISON WITH HISTORY

Perception of Police nowThe same levels and attitudes of policing during the Miners’ Strike should be applied today especially

against suspected terrorists. There are few bobbies on the beat’. The response to a petty crime is to send at least 3 cars. The politics of policing are a joke.

Visuals of a Police officer

Too much clothing on, makes them look cumbersome!

Preconceptions when a group of officers are seen

Must have got lost. Poor deployment.

Emailed Questions & AnswersMark Seabrooke, 11 March 2011


FEEDBACK - DEDICATED WEBSITE

Screenshots taken from:http://www.mypolice.org/http://twitter.com/

‘My Police’ is a website dedicated to getting feedback from the public. This gives the public a sense of involvement. ‘My Police’ is also on the social networking site ‘Twitter’, where again they can get feedback and also post information about recent activities within the Police service.


APPLYING - DEDICATED WEBSITE

Screenshots taken from:http://www.policecouldyou.co.uk/http://www.met.police.uk/careers/index.html

‘Could You? Police’ provides help for applying to a job within each area of the Metropolitan Police and for all other Police Services around the UK.The websites other training elements include interactive games to test whether the user has a basic awareness of the skills within Policing.

Other materials are also supplied within the ‘Metropolitan Police’ and ‘Could You? Police’ websites, like booklets to help prepare you for each stage of the application process.


APPLYING - COMPARING

Screenshots and information taken from:http://www.northyorkshire.police.uk/homehttp://www.met.police.uk/careers/index.html

The ‘North Yorkshire Police Service’ website also contains help towards applying for the Police but does not go to the same extremity as the ‘Metropolitan Police Service’.

The ‘Metropolitan Police Service’ have their own separate website for recruitment. This website is very similar to the ‘Could You? Police’ site, however the Met Police also advertises recruitment days and goes into much more detail about working for the Metropolitan Police.


found it by pure luck”

“Online application,Grace Seabrooke


Reason for wanting to join

Job security, progression opportunities, wanted to work with people. Progression opportunities appealed the most, didn’t want to just be a police officer, wanted to move into different departments. Plus I wanted to kick some bad guys ass.

Starting the application

Online application, found it by pure luck, it’s not very easy to find out when they are opening applications.

Question examplesGive an example of when you have had to deal with an agitated person / aggravated situation. How did you overcome this situation? What was the outcome?

Behavioural assessmentMore competency based questions/ scenarios.

Questions about past experience and stereotypes/misconceptions.

In-Force interviewPanel of interviewers that asked the above.

Wasn’t nerve-racking, made you feel comfortable.

INTERVIEW - THE APPLICATION PROCESS

Physical Assessment & Medical AssessmentStrength and stamina. Do bleep test for stamina. Force test for strength - push and pull.BMI - weight - height. Eye sight of a decent

standard. Decent medical history and family medical history.

Perception of PoliceNo particular perception of the police, more a

bad perception of how they are used and positioned by government etc.

Preconceptions when a group of officers are seenIt is not often that you see officers about, it’s

usually community support officers. If you see police (beat) officers I usually think there is something wrong.

Emailed Questions & AnswersGrace Seabrooke, 10 March 2011


KNOWING YOUR RIGHTS

Screenshots taken from:http://www.met.police.uk/recruitment/http://www.civilrightsmovement.co.uk/

The public are able to view different civil rights and laws on the ‘Metropolitan Police Service’ website which is clearly labelled on the top bar with all the other links.

The ‘Civil Rights Movement’ have their own dedicated website on educating the public of their civil rights and laws. This website also advertises a lot of solicitor and lawyer companies. They also provide a question and answers section so people can communicate with experts about problems.


SUMMARISING RESEARCH

Adults like to see officers patrolling streets

“The Policing Pledge” advertising films are known to present misleading information about the amount of Police on the beat.

Mark Seabrooke - “The same levels and attitudes of policing during the Miners’ Strike should be applied today especially against suspected terrorists.”

The Metropolitan Police Service and the overall UK Police Service have set up multiple methods of communicating with the Public, for example: -‘mypolice.org’-‘twitter.com’However, these methods of communication are mainly based on the internet.

People are now seeing more Specialised Police Officers than traditional Beat Officers patrolling, which is creating new/different preconceptions of the service.

M.Seabrooke - “There are few bobbies on the beat”

G.Seabrooke - “It is not often that you see officers about, it’s usually community support officers. If you see police (beat) officers I usually think there is something wrong.”

These are some key points and quotes from my research that correlate and show a gap in the Metropolitan Police Service’s brand factor. With these in mind, I can start to create a initial idea that will help overcome this problem.

Brand Factors (Design) 26

INITIAL IDEA

This concept includes a small display that shows present information on the Metropolitan Police via an RSS feed. For example, it could explain how they have just arrested a group of people dealing illegal drugs or just informing the public of the percentage of Police on patrol.

This concept is to try inform the public about how helpful the Police are and to make the user feel that the Police are a large part of the community.


DEVELOPING INITIAL IDEA

Using a electronic ink display, the information would be presented in a blog style with a subject header and date to separate the different types of information.

On the display the Metropolitan Police logo would sit in one of the corners along with the RSS feed logo.

An matte aluminium casing for this product would be ideal as it has a neutral appearance, meaning its not too distinct or discrete but just sits subtle in any part of the users home.

The product may have to be powered from the mains because of the information being constantly updated.

A zoom function on the product to aid people with reading difficulties.


DEVELOPING FOR A USER GROUP

I have decided to focus on developing the product for senior citizens (60+) throughout development of the idea. Yet the product will still be aimed at a much larger group, mainly adults/homeowners.

I asked a group of senior citizens to note down what they do on a day-to-day basis.

This is a 72 year old male’s daily routine for the full week. I also received an email from his wife with her daily routine.

Emailed Daily Routine NotesMale Senior, 18 March 2011


DAILY ROUTINE - SENIOR CITIZENS

These are the daily routines for a male and female senior couple. From these details I can pick out the normal/average activities that take place on a daily basis

Emailed Daily Routine NotesM/F Senior, 18 March 2011


DAILY ROUTINE - TIMELINE

These timelines are of the first senior couple’s daily routine. From comparing the two, I can pick out the key points in the day where the couples spend most of their time together. This may help me design for a typical scenario that the product would be used.


DEVELOPING IDEA

With the idea of getting the Metropolitan Police Service to communicate and re-assure the public more, I have thought of simpler but more effective method of communication.

The more Beat Police Officers out on patrol, more of the officer cut-out lights up (in percentage).

This works by using the amount of officers checking in/out at the Police Station and transmitting the amount over radio constantly.


Phone Conversation with Senior Male & Female Citizen (Feedback from Email)

Didn’t understand how it was supposed to be creating a positive image when the user would quickly get a negative outlook on the Police if the percentage of Beat Officers on patrol became low.

Likes the idea that its not powered from mains, meaning he would be able to reposition it easily wherever he liked.

What about Blind people? Could it give off a particular sound?

Wondered if the user could communicate to Police, together came up with the idea of a Panic Button that connected to the nearest station.

We both questioned the Panic Button idea.Would it be for serious emergency calls?Would it just signal the nearest officer to check out the problem?

Prefers just knowing about the amount on patrol in their community/borough.

Worried about the range of the signal.

TESTING IDEA - EMAIL & PHONE CONVERSATION

I sent an email to the senior couple from recent research to get feedback on my idea. I initially said in this email that the product would use Electroluminescent Polymer Sheets for the display but changed my mind to using coloured E-Inks so I had to send another email explaining.


CONCEPT SHEET


PROTOTYPE - DIMENSIONS

Dimensions: 50mm x 100mm x 150mmexample of environment the product would be used

- in this case, the product may need to have some waterproofing


FINAL DESIGN - MANUFACTURE & FUNCTION

Casing manufactured from CNC Milled solid Beech wood.

Percentages of the types of Police officers on patrol are transmitted from the user’s nearest Police station in one of the boroughs of London.

The percentage information is taken in via digital radio receiver, the types of officer are represented using a specific colour each (see right of page) and then displayed through a (colour) electronic-ink sheet, which is housed behind the front cut-out figure.

To do all this, the product is powered by a solar cell that sits on the top face of the product.

Community Support Officers

Met Volunteer Officers

Transport Police Officers

Beat Police Officers


FINAL DESIGN - CONSTRUCTION & BRAND

The Beech casing is separated into two parts, the front housing with the cut-out figure and the rear lid.

The rear lid is attached to the front housing by four M3 flat-head countersink screws at each corner.

The rear lid also has the Metropolitan Police Service brand logo and slogan engraved and coloured on.


FEEDBACK ON DESIGN - SENIOR CITIZENS

To get feedback on the design, I sent an email with the CAD renders and storyboard to the female senior from previous research.

She replied explain how the storyboard didn’t explain to her how the product functioned. She also mentioned that the colours used to represent the different force’s percentages were too alike.

I took these points into account, first extending the storyboard and then changing the colours for the representing the different force’s percentages.

I emailed her again with the updated product. This time the colours were a lot easier for her to understand what I was trying to communicate.


FINAL DESIGN - SCENARIO EXAMPLEThis is an example of where the product would be situated in the user’s home.

From my research I found that the key places the user may situate the product would be the lounge, dining room and the bedroom.

met police branding

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