Appendix 6: Systems for obtaining information about financial and operational performance

Financial systems

The QPS utilises a whole-of-Government finance solution called SAP ECC as its primary system for recording financial information, including information related to budgeting, expenditure and revenues, purchasing and assets. SAP ECC is supported by Corptech Service Provider and also the Shared- Service Agency, (SSA) who perform a wide-range of finance and corporate support activities for the QPS. SAP ECC is also used for the reporting and analysis of financial information at a local level through to departmental level. In addition to SAP ECC, the QPS utilises other systems to support financial reporting, including internal business warehouse reporting, a staff movements system for costing payroll information and internal financial modelling for budgeting and forecasting purposes.

QPRIME

The Queensland Police Records and Information Management Exchange (QPRIME) system captures police occurrence data across a range of activities including proceedings and charges, sudden death, intelligence submissions, crime stopper files, criminal offences, domestic violence, traffic crashes, marine incidents and other police related matters. This data can be extracted by operational police, statistical services and management through the QPRIME database and the Information Analysis tools to enable effective use of policing resources and performance management.

Operational police and intelligence officers can use the system to predict crime trends and map police occurrences using the GIS Mapping functionality.

Statistical Services

The Crime and Related Information Management System (CRIMS) is used for both internal and external statistical reporting. Official Service statistics are extracted from this system using SAS (Statistical Analysis Software). Data contained within CRIMS is obtained from the QPRIME database.

As well as providing statistics based on internal counting methodologies, the Service also reports to external agencies. The information analysis solution does not allow for external counting rules to be applied to the data. External counting rules have been agreed to by all jurisdictions nationwide and provide the only method of  comparing data between jurisdictions. Data according to external counting methodologies are included in National publications and data collections such as:

• Australian Institute of Criminology Homicide Monitoring Program
• Australian Bureau of Statistics Recorded Crime Victims
• Australian Institute of Criminology Armed Robbery Monitoring Program
• Australian Crime Commission Illicit Drug Data Report.

Operational Performance Review

The Operational Performance Review process involves key managers from the State’s thirty districts, (along
with managers from commands and other areas as requested) attending a discussion session facilitated by the Commissioner, Deputy Commissioners, and Deputy Chief Executive (Resource Management).

A comprehensive suite of statistical data, qualitative data and other observation data is used to generate rigorous discussion centred upon the effectiveness of strategies, learning from past experiences, and anticipated forthcoming issues. Meetings are framed around eight key priorities which include operational and client service issues, strategic issues and a range of corporate performance issues. Managers under review must have an in-depth knowledge of all areas for which they are responsible to fully engage in this process. At the same time, the process gives the senior executive an opportunity to disseminate strategic themes and intentions directly into the workplace and drive necessary change in a timely manner.

The process has been in operation for seven years and is continually refined and refreshed. A range of other government agencies have used the QPS model in developing their own agency specific review processes, including Child Safety Services and the Queensland Ambulance Service. The Queensland Audit Office suggested the QPS model was a better practice case study in performance management in the Auditor- General’s Report No. 5 for 2005.