Police performance monitoring 'needs to improve'

THE way police record their own performance needs to improve to give a better picture on how crime is tackled, a top officer said today.

New figures showed improvements across Scottish police forces, including violent crime levels and drug seizures, and revealed almost all forces answered 999 calls within the target 10 seconds.

Pat Shearer, chief constable at Dumfries and Galloway, said: "For 999 calls, if you can answer it within 10 seconds, you've hit your target, but it gives no idea of the quality of response that follows.

"That's one where we understand the need to follow through the quality aspects. We're working to identify meaningful indicators.

"Likewise in the drugs field. They showed significant recoveries but don't really tell us a great deal about what's happening in the drugs world."

The figures were published in the first annual report on Scottish Policing Performance Framework.

The approach was designed to give forces a better understanding of how they can improve and manage policing.

Overall recorded crime and offences are down, including a drop of almost 9% in violent crime.

The number of road deaths or injuries is also down by almost 8% compared with last year.

But many of the figures vary between forces and in some cases can not be compared effectively, police said.

The report also underlines fluctuations in staff levels.

The number of officers increased by half of 1% compared to the previous year but staff numbers dropped 6%.

The drop was due to staff moving to the the Scottish Police Services Authority, it was claimed.

The report added: "For police officers, the Scottish Government's manifesto pledge to increase police officer numbers by 1,000 in the first three years of its administration led to an additional 150 police officers being recruited across Scotland during 2007/8.

"However, gains will always to some extent be offset by the number of officers leaving."

HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland Paddy Tomkins said: "I maintain the view that in most areas the police service in Scotland is the best it has ever been but there is always room for improvement.

"Achieving excellence in any profession is a continuing endeavour not a winning line to be crossed."