HM Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) has urged the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) to purchase an IT solution to support performance management development.
It suggests that a national system to capture performance data, if readily accessible and without red tape, would improve the performance of police forces throughout Scotland. The independent body responsible for monitoring and improving the police service in Scotland outlined its recommendation in its Managing Improvement - A Thematic Inspection of Performance Management in the Scottish Police Service report published on 29 September 2005
ACPOS should enlist the help of the Scottish Executive to source such a system, says the report.
"It is probably fair to say that, across the Scottish police service, the capture of meaningful data is the least well developed aspect of local performance management systems," it says.
"Ideally, what is needed is real time access to data so that managers at all levels, are able to monitor progress on a regular basis.
"Performance management requires accurate, timely and meaningful data. If performance management is not to become overly bureaucratic then it must have strong IT support. Managers need to have performance information which informs their decisions allowing them to identify areas of concern and respond to them.
"The performance information must be capable of being understood and interpreted, and managers should be able to obtain the relevant information they need from their own desktops.
"Clearly this is best achieved with the optimum support of IT. Ideally an overarching database arrangement should exist that links to existing systems and by which the required performance data and information can be extracted.
"HMIC notes that some forces, in recognition of the foregoing, have initiated enquiries with the Scottish Executive to secure funding for such a system through the Efficient Government Fund. HMIC considers that there is an imperative for such systems in all forces and the benefits of a single system for the Scottish police service cannot be overstated.
"Achievement of this aim, taking due account of the co-ordinating influence of the Scottish Police Information Strategy, appears vital to HMIC."
Quelle: KableNET, 30.09.2005
