Our work for police services
Balancing the competing demands on service provision determines the effectiveness and efficiency of police services. We support police services in meeting the challenges of modern operational policing, and in maintaining and improving delivery while under increasing fiscal pressure.
Supporting future planning
When it comes to future planning, police services need to consider a wide range of competing demands and options for change. ORH supports this planning process by building a simulation model of the service to predict the impacts of potential changes. Some of the questions we help police services to address include:
- What is the optimal vehicle and staff mix to meet response standards?
- Where are the optimal response locations for vehicles?
- How will new developments affect demand and performance?
Our approach to working with police services follows a data-led methodology to understand the operational complexities. ORH’s experienced consultants ensure that the evidence-based outcomes are easily understood and support consultation with other stakeholders.
Areas of focus for police services
In the UK, the inspection body (HMICFRS) considers a police force to be efficient if it is making the best use of resources to provide policing services that meet expectations and public priorities, and if it is planning and investing wisely for the future. ORH’s approach is focused on addressing these concerns by examining current resource use and identifying potential changes that can provide improved performance within financial constraints.
Police services should ensure that there is the right skill mix within their workforce to meet differing challenging requirements. Our work seeks to quantify the variable risks across an organisation’s area and optimise the locations and hours of operation for different types of resources.
ORH has also worked with police services in Canada, examining areas that are experiencing high population growth. By analysing trends and projecting demand rates, we can develop resourcing plans for the future, addressing questions around patrol zones, station locations, population coverage, utilisation and total staffing requirements.
Dynamic Cover Tool
In addition to consultancy work, ORH provides its Dynamic Cover Tool (DCT) software to support dynamic decision making in the control room and enable effective and efficient resource use.
Emergency services use ORH’s DCT to assess coverage on a live basis, optimise standby moves, review historical data and make informed decisions on resource locations.
