The Evolution of Human Resource Management in Policing

Abstract

The last two decades have seen significant changes in the way in which police around the world have sought to attract, recruit, retain, train and develop police personnel. In Australia, the Fitzgerald report based on a review of the Queensland Police, was very much at the forefront of progressive policy about human resource practices in policing and set an agenda for a more scientific approach to the management of personnel. This chapter outlines Fitzgerald's recommendations in the area of human resource management and charts the shifting interpretations and commitment that followed over twenty years. The Queensland Police Service (QPS) has made significant progress in a number of areas, including the police-to-population ratio; reform of the promotional system to embrace merit; civilianisation; the systems for recruitment and promotion; and in training and tertiary education. Significant progress has also been made in regard to Fitzgerald's recommendation about removing sex discrimination in recruitment, and substantial efforts have been made in recruiting indigenous people. However, the lack of external evaluation and lack of public record information make it extremely difficult to come to reliable conclusions about the extent of improvements.