NCJ Number
216839
Journal
Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management Volume: 29 Issue: 4 Dated: 2006 Pages: 665-690
Date Published
2006
Length
26 pages
Annotation
This study analyzed the nature of the procurement and acquisition activities of police agencies.
Abstract
Findings indicate that police agencies are regularly acquiring an increasingly wider range of goods and services, which has ushered in the need for increased management and compliance monitoring of contracts. Benefits of police acquiring goods and services from outside sources includes the ability to procure the top-quality experts and products on the market. Risks include overdependence on a supplier and fraudulent practices. Different philosophies guiding procurement and outsourcing decisions are identified, such as balancing the interests of taxpayers and private contractors in procurement decisions. Any philosophy governing police procurement policies include the main goals of establishing transparency and accountability within procurement and acquisition processes. The authors note that robust systems of risk management must be instituted to meet these goals. Specific strategies for risk reduction are outlined, such as an independent review of all outsourcing decisions, but the authors warn that there are no simple solutions for the deeper structural risks that greater police procurement brings. The implications of commercial relationships for the future of public policing are considered. The analytical approach taken for this study focused on the benefits, costs, and risks associated with procurement relationships between public police and the private sector. The authors also considered the impact of issues such as overdependency, corruption, and lack of accountability within police procurement and acquisition processes. Notes, references