NCJ Number
238707
Date Published
October 2010
Length
24 pages
Annotation
This booklet explains how British criminal justice agencies have implemented the QUEST strategy to deliver both continuous performance improvement and cost reduction.
Abstract
Operation QUEST has helped 17 police forces and law enforcement organizations achieve approximately 100m pounds per year of operational efficiency savings while substantially improving the performance of frontline services. The average return on investment (ROI) for the 17 organizations to date is 10:1. In the 6-month initial implementation of Operation QUEST, technical assistance is provided by the KPMG Company, a global network of professional firms that provide audit, tax, and advisory services. The two core activities during this initiation period are "process improvement" and the installation of the "operating model." During the process improvement phase, KPMG consultants work with operational officers in identifying opportunities for improving operational performance by eliminating wasteful activity. The installation of the operating model aims to equip the organization to deliver future change and continuous improvement without being dependent upon further intensive external assistance. QUEST uses a "bottoms up" approach in which frontline practitioners are engaged throughout the process in assisting in the identification of issues, the shaping of solutions, and the change process. Examples are presented of how the QUEST strategy delivers sustainable benefits in specific areas, including incident management, crime investigation, alternatives to arrest, operational support, and court efficiency. The achievements of Operation QUEST have been reported in several public-sector publications, and the outputs of the relationship between the Home Office and KPMG were recognized at the 2008 Home Office Supplier Value Awards.