Mr. Mark Toland:

We did something different as part of the review. We conducted workshops rather than focus groups with individuals because we wanted to encourage people to make recommendations and changes. What is really refreshing is that a significant number of the recommendations have come from within the service, or from people who want to see change.

Every other police service with which we engaged and visited had faced similar challenges related to reduced numbers and austerity and had completely restructured its organisation. They were far leaner at the top and had stripped away levels of bureaucracy to try to protect front-line services. We do not believe the front line here has been protected against some of the changes made. However, there is a desire within the organisation to see change. There are many working groups doing very good work, but they run for extended periods, sometimes years. These groups become frustrated. Therefore, the delivery and implementation of change in the organisation must be borne in mind. We have been told measures have been implemented only to find on checking that the benefits have not been realised. That is an efficiency waste. There is a desire to change, but people want to see it happen far more quickly than has traditionally been the case.