Human Resources - Performance Development Review (PDR) protocol (L1740)

1.0 Summary of changes

This protocol has been reviewed and updated in December 2025 as follows:

• section 3.6.1 added: For individuals within their last six months of service, or nearing retirement, PDRs are encouraged but not mandated.

2.0 What this protocol is about

2.1 This protocol provides guidance to individuals and line managers surrounding the organisational process required in relation to the completion of Performance Development Review (PDR). The PDR is a performance review, sometimes known as an appraisal.

2.2 Performance, in relation to this protocol, includes the individual’s attendance in the workplace.

2.3 The Head of HR Resourcing may consider reasonable exceptions to the protocol, where there are exceptional circumstances, on a case-by-case basis.

Compliance with this protocol and any governing policy is mandatory. This protocol is not, nor is it intended to be, contractual.

3.0 Detail the protocol

3.1 The PDR scheme applies to all police officers and police staff.

3.2 The PDR is a mandatory annual requirement. The annual PDR must be recorded as complete within 60 days of the due date. The appraiser oversees the timely completion of the PDR, albeit the appraisee has a duty to ensure their respective parts are completed in a timely manner one or more additional reviews can be conducted at other times during the year and are optional except in circumstances where officers are due to commence maternity leave or where an individual is seeking to move to a new role in the organisation during a PDR period.

3.3 The requirement to complete a mandatory six-month PDR has been removed. The functionality to create an ‘interim review’ has been retained within the PDR system, should managers have good reason to do so. (An interim PDR should be completed when individuals are due to commence maternity leave, career break or move to a new role in the organisation (see section 5.0 for police officer moves/transfers/promotions).

3.4 Kent Police and Essex Police review schedule

3.4.1 For Essex police officers up to and including the level of chief superintendent, and all police staff employees, the annual PDR for an individual (appraisee) is due on the anniversary of joining Essex Police.

3.4.2 For Essex police officers above the rank of chief superintendent the annual PDR is due on 1 April each year.

3.4.3 For Kent police officers up to and including the level of chief inspector, and all police staff employees, the annual PDR for an individual (appraisee) is due on the anniversary of joining Kent Police.

3.4.4 For Kent police officers above the rank of chief inspector the annual PDR is due on 1 April each year.

3.5 Where an individual has re-joined Essex Police/Kent Police, then the most recent re-join date will become the PDR due date.

3.6 The only exemptions to the requirement to complete a PDR are for individuals who are:

• student officers and officers within their probationary period
• long-term sick (over 28 days)
• on maternity leave
• absent due to a career break
• suspended from duty
• deemed to have exceptional circumstances or wellbeing grounds for non-completion
• within their last six-months of service

3.6.1 For individuals within their last six months of service, or nearing retirement, PDRs are encouraged but not mandated.

3.7 For any individuals who are due a PDR during an exempt period, the PDR must be completed at the earliest opportunity upon their return to the workplace.

3.8 Police officers and police staff who are due to start either a period of maternity leave or career break must complete either an additional review or, if due, a six-month review prior to commencing maternity leave or career break.  Upon their return to work their PDR should be progressed as normal.

3.9 The PDR is open throughout the 12-month PDR period and can be updated/reviewed/commented on at any time by the appraisee (individual), appraiser (line manager) and the reviewing officers (second line manager).  Appraisees and appraisers have a shared responsibility to gather evidence of performance.

3.10 Appraisees should ensure the details of their appraiser appear correctly and use the system functionality to update these details, or contact [email protected], if necessary.

3.11 The force may utilise information from the PDR in support of succession planning and talent management activities.

3.12 Conducting a PDR review

3.12.1 Information and guidance for how to complete a PDR is available on Professional Development Review (PDR) (sharepoint.com).

3.12.2 Appraisers and appraisees should ensure that the PDR is reviewed regularly during the PDR period and the content of the PDR must be updated throughout the cycle. Both the appraisee and appraiser should ensure that both the training/development and the career preference section is kept up to date at all times.

3.12.3 Prior to the PDR due date the appraiser must conduct a PDR review meeting with the appraisee to review the individual's performance during the past year. The PDR review meeting should be a two-way dialogue between the appraisee and the appraiser reflecting on past performance, reviewing objectives and setting new objectives for the coming PDR period.

3.12.4 Any substantiated formal disciplinary or misconduct outcomes that have occurred within the period covered by the PDR will be reflected within the PDR. A suitable development objective will be agreed in order to support the appraisee to improve their performance.

3.12.5 Any actions taken to address unsatisfactory performance (attendance/performance) through use of Police (Performance) Regulations or Police Staff Capability Procedures which have occurred within the period covered by the PDR will be reflected within the PDR. A suitable development objective(s) will be agreed in order to support the appraisee to improve their performance.

3.12.6 If an appraisee has come to the attention of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) as part of the monitoring of complaints conducted by the Professional Standards Department then this may be reflected within the PDR. A suitable development objective may be agreed in order to support the individual to improve their performance if this is deemed necessary.

3.12.7 Appraisees must have a minimum of two performance objectives at any time, the maximum number of objectives that can be set is six. Performance objectives should be:

• created, commented upon, updated and closed throughout the PDR period
• SMART and link to force objectives

3.12.8 Following the PDR meeting the appraiser should record the content of the discussions with the appraisee on the relevant sections of the PDR system; this appraiser should also rate the overall performance of the appraisee.

3.12.9 Following the submission of the appraiser's comments the appraisee is required to comment on the overall summary recorded by the appraiser before they submit it to the reviewing officer for completion. It is the expectation that, in the majority of cases, the reviewing officer will, in discussion with the appraisee and the appraiser, resolve any disagreements which may occur. Where this is not possible then the reviewing officer will submit the PDR with the appraisee's comments as to why they disagree with the PDR.

3.12.10 PDRs no longer require review by the second line manager (reviewing officer). This step is now optional and should only be requested if the appraisee disagrees with the review or has a specific reason to seek a second-level assessment. 

3.13 Moves, transfers and promotions

3.13.1 Police officers and police staff wishing to move or transfer into a new role within the organisation will only be able to do so if their PDR is up to date.

• if the due date of the PDR is within 30 days of the date of move or transfer, then the PDR end of year review must be completed by the current appraiser.
• if the due date of the PDR is greater than 30 days of the date of move or transfer then either an additional review or the six-month review, whichever is due, must be completed by the current appraiser prior to move/transfer. (It is not mandatory for the appraisee to comment on either the additional review or the six-month review, therefore the move/transfer can take place without an appraisee commenting on the review.) 

3.13.2 The move/transfer will only take place if HR Resource Planning are satisfied that one of these two actions in 3.13.1 has been completed.

3.13.3 Supervisors wishing to move/transfer must ensure that their subordinate’s PDRs are completed or reviewed, in accordance with the timescales described above.

3.13.4 Officers completing their 12-month work-based assessment (to prove competency in their new rank within step 4 of the National Police Promotions Framework) must have mandatory reviews of their performance at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. All reviews conducted must make reference to the Competency and Values Framework (CVF) and indicate the officer’s competency against the rank specific role requirement. Line managers are responsible for assessing the officer in the workplace and they must set realistic objectives to enable the officer to develop in order to prove competency.

4.0 Equality impact assessment

4.1 This protocol has been assessed with regards to its relevance to race and diversity equality. As a result of this assessment the protocol has been graded as having a low potential impact.

5.0 Risk assessment

5.1 Non-compliance with this policy could result in reduced capacity and capability of force resourcing which would present a potential risk to force performance and public trust and confidence. 

5.2 Failing to follow correct resourcing processes could present a risk to the force in terms of employee relations, fairness/discrimination issues, and potential employment tribunal. 

5.3 Managers not following the correct resourcing process could be subject to potential disciplinary, performance or capability processes.  

5.4 The force aims to be an inclusive employer of choice, and non-compliance with this policy could cause potential impact on force reputation.  

6.0 Consultation

6.1 The following have been consulted during the formulation of this document:

• Unison – Essex Police and Kent Police
• Federation – Essex Police and Kent Police
• Equality and Diversity Co-ordinator
• Health & Safety - Essex Police
• Strategic Change Team – Essex Police
• PSD Superintendent - Essex Police and Kent Police
• Policy/Risk – Essex Police
• Superintendents Association – Essex Police and Kent Police
• Performance Improvement Unit – Essex Police and Kent Police
• Learning & Development - Essex Police and Kent Police
• HR
• Legal Services – Kent Police
• College of Policing

7.0 Monitoring and review

7.1 Monitoring will be undertaken by the Head of Resourcing, with a review being undertaken every two years.

8.0 Governing force policy. Related force policies or related procedures (Essex)/linked standard operating procedures (Kent)

8.1 This HR protocol supports the overarching HR policy L1.

8.2 Essex Police and Kent Police have measures in place to protect the security of your data in accordance with our Information Management Policy – W 1000 Policy – Information Management.

8.2.2 We will only hold data for as long as necessary for the purposes for which we collected. Victims/public should be reminded that Essex Police take the protection of personal data seriously as described in the privacy notice https://www.essex.police.uk/hyg/fpnessex/privacy-notice/.