Cost-Reduction Strategies Used by Police Agencies

A National and International Comparative Assessment of Cost-Reducing Strategies Adopted by Police Agencies to Maintain Effective and Efficient Delivery of Services

The challenge facing law enforcement agencies everywhere is to be able to balance resources and service levels within budgetary constraints and community desires. Law enforcement agencies are experiencing increasing demands for more effective decision making, more efficient management of resources, and the achievement of government outcomes. 

This project will consist of a review, survey, and site visits to assess strategies for reducing agency costs while maintaining service delivery. We will develop and distribute a comprehensive national and international survey of the police agencies from 262 cities in the United States that have a population of more than 100,000, and an international mail survey of fifty-one United Kingdom police services, seven Australian police forces and services, and the New Zealand Police. This process will validate the information obtained from the literature and internet searches and will form the basis to identify best practice service delivery efficiency and effectiveness models and procedures.

The survey will be used to review the approaches currently adopted by police agencies that reduce organizational and operational costs and will provide information about how these strategies have been implemented and evaluated. The survey allows for the identification of agencies that have undertaken extensive changes in programs to maintain their service delivery levels or to increase service efficiency and effectiveness while facing budget constraints.