A Quality System Review: Australian Police Forensic and Data Centres

The Australian Federal Police Forensic and Data Centres recently completed a Quality Systems Review, which assessed whether the optimum balance was being maintained between the administrative overhead of accreditation whilst ensuring operational flexibility and innovation. This paper critically examines the Quality Systems Review as a policy evaluation process, and the approach adopted by the laboratory to gather feedback and ensure an open and inclusive process of options analysis and implementation. The interaction between quality or management systems review, business planning and risk management are also examined.