ABSTRACT
This study describes a communication audit of a major UK policing body. Police organizations are not solitary entities, but rather are part of the larger UK public service sector, funded and monitored by government. In exercising governance, the need for quality of communication between user and provider has been identified by the Audit Commission as essential for all elements of the public sector. Likewise, communication is perceived as essential and necessary for optimal efficiency in all sectors of the criminal justice system, of which the police are an integral part (Greene, 2000). It has also been shown that effective communication is a crucial aspect of the core business of policing (Kim and Mauborgne, 2003). For example, ensuring the receipt of the correct information by the right person at the optimum time is not only paramount for major crime investigations, but also for the operational needs of the organization in providing a day-to-day service to the public.
