Commentary
| Published date | 01 December 2005 |
| Date | 01 December 2005 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1350/pojo.2005.78.4.283 |
| Subject Matter | Commentary |
The
Police
Journal
COMMENTARY
How often do you hear insiders claim that if the police service
were a business it would soon be bankrupt? Typically this is
muttered by the operational officer faced with having to com-
plete a mountain of forms and reports following the arrest and
charge of a suspect. Others decry outdated technology, depleted
resources or what is perceived to be poor management practice. I
must admit that I have some sympathy with the opening asser-
tion. My concern in this regard is not so much the way in which
the UK police service manages itself, although there is much
room for improvement; it is more to do with the way in which
the role of the police service is being gradually diminished. In
business terms it is losing market share in what some will claim
are core markets. Regular readers know that I have long advo-
cated the need for the police service to identify its core functions
and services; however, the longer-term impact of some of these
developments could be of concern.
Let us take the investigation of crime for example. Nine
organisations, including the National Health Service, the Depart-
ment for Work and Pensions, and HM Revenue and Customs,
make up the Counter Fraud Professional Accreditation Board
with a remit to professionalise investigators and others working
in counter fraud. In particular the National Health Service
recently revealed performance figures which would be the envy
of many police organisations, such as a 96% successful prosecu-
tion rate, cutting overall losses from patient fraud by 54% and a
sixth annual increase in producing financial benefits to the NHS
from counter fraud work at a return on investment rate of 13:1.
In stark terms this work has produced £575 million of return to
the NHS, or the equivalent of five new hospitals. Moreover, with
the cost of retail crime reported to exceed £19 billion per year,
many large retail companies are developing an internal investiga-
tion capability.
The Police Journal, Volume 78 (2005) 283
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