'Protecting the public: supporting the police to succeed', the policing white paper, was published by the Home Office late in December 2009. It contains measures that aim to drive value for money and improve efficiency and productivity by:

• legislating to reduce the paperwork involved in stop and search, while challenging forces and police authorities to remove locally created bureaucracy
• piloting the transfer of powers to charge for lesser offences from the Crown Prosecution Service to the police
• reducing the police overtime bill through improved use of staff and internal management
• developing standard national uniforms and body armour for police officers and PCSOs
• introducing national procurement for a standard beat car for all forces

The white paper notes a reduction in top-down targets and introduction of core national standards through the Policing Pledge. It also recognises that policing is most effectively delivered when it is responsive to local priorities. Looking to the future, the white paper proposes that inspections of forces and authorities carried out by HMIC and the Audit Commission will focus on value for money.

Access the Improvement Network briefing: 'Policing White Paper' (PDF file, 5 pages, 58 KB).

Meanwhile, the reducing bureaucracy in policing advocate Jan Berry published her first annual report, 'Reducing bureaucracy in policing', to coincide with the white paper. Berry states that performance measurements must focus on quality rather than quantity. Her report laments a target culture characterised by a ‘what gets counted gets done’ approach and unhelpful competition among forces rather than cooperation. The report refers positively to the Four Force Pilot, in which officers are using professional judgement rather than performance indicators, resulting in a marked rise in public confidence and satisfaction

Provide your feedback below.