The Government’s current police performance targets can sometimes lead to "perverse" situations, a Home Office minister said today.
Police minister Tony McNulty admitted the way Whitehall keeps tabs on forces’ performance may need alteration.
He told the Police Superintendents Association annual conference in Kenilworth, Warwickshire: "There are some perverse incidents around in terms of sanction detections, in terms of the way we record crime that we need to address."
Performance targets need to reflect the real priorities of the police, he added.
His comments came after PSA chairman Ian Johnston said the current targets were a "shambles".
Last week the Birmingham Post revealed that Mr Johnston claimed targets imposed by the Government had led to "dysfunctional" policing.
He highlighted certain cases, which included:
- A child in Kent arrested for throwing cream buns at a bus.
- A West Midlands woman arrested on her wedding day for damaging a car park barrier when her foot slipped on her accelerator pedal.
- A Cheshire man who was cautioned by police for being "found in possession of an egg with intent to throw".
