Relationship with the police
14. England and Wales differ from other countries
in that the provision of forensic science is through a dedicated
agency. Police forces in other countries retain a level of internal
capability for forensic science work generally greater than that
in England and Wales. The closest model is in the Netherlands,
where the National Forensics Laboratory is moving towards agency
status. In the US, there is some outsourcing of DNA analysis to
the private sector.[24]
15. The Agency has Joint Letters of Understanding
with 42 of the 43 police forces in England and Wales. (The exception
is the Metropolitan Police Service). These are not binding on
either party but are a means by which the Agency can better understand
its customers' likely requirements for the coming year. The Metropolitan
Police Service has chosen, after a high-level independent review,
to establish a more commercial relationship with the Agency and
other forensic science providers.[25]
16. The Agency considers that one of its greatest
challenges is to understand the specific requirements of individual
police forces. In 2003, it had been engaged in lengthy discussions
with the Metropolitan Police Service and, as a result, had developed
a much better understanding of the force's requirements in the
areas of armed criminality, homicide and burglary. The Agency
intended to undergo a similar process with the other 42 police
forces, with the intention of moving from a national price list
to 43 bespoke services which would more closely meet the requirements
of individual police forces. The Agency considered that it would
be possible for a police force to develop a comprehensive customer
service agreement with a private sector company.[26]
16