SFO seeks help on policy as cost cuts loom
Serious Fraud Office executives are considering research into how overseas agencies enforce the law in financial crimes.
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Serious Fraud Office (SFO) executives looking at ways to cut costs are considering commissioning research into how overseas agencies enforce the law in financial crimes.
"SFO intends to look at overseas models of agencies comparable to SFO and see what opportunities exist to improve the performance of our work, including operations with others working in the area of financial crime law enforcement," the office's chief executive, Adam Feeley, told NZPA.
But he said that because the agency was only funded to undertake investigations and prosecutions, it did not employ staff other than "front-line" investigator, lawyers and accountants.
This was why it was seeking expressions of interest from researchers to help it prepare policy contributions, he said.
The SFO has advertised on the government electronic tenders service for the research.
"There are currently initiatives within the Justice sector which the SFO may periodically need to participate in," the office told prospective bidders. The SFO had an operational interest in the development of policy which related to sentencing, powers of search and surveillance, criminal procedure "and other legislative/regulatory policy issues."
Mr Feeley said that because the office could not justify permanent staff to carry out spasmodic work, it was more cost-effective to hire external consultants.
"SFO is working with other justice sector agencies on ways in which the operations of the sector can be managed more cost-effectively," he said.
NZPA
Thu, 21 Apr 2011
Thu, 21 Apr 2011
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SFO seeks help on policy as cost cuts loom
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