Commission lists its performance targets: Rosie Waterhouse examines the criteria by which police forces will be ranked into league tables

THE Audit Commission's list of performance indicators covers:

Emergency calls: the number of 999 calls received; the local target time for answering calls; the percentage of calls answered within that target.

Incidents requiring immediate response: the local definition of such incidents; the number; the local target times for responding; the percentage of responses to such incidents within the target time.

Crime: the number of recorded crimes split into total crimes per 1,000 population, violent crimes per 1,000 population and burglaries of dwellings per 1,000 dwellings; the percentage of each of those categories of crimes detected. Traffic: the number of screening breath tests administered; the percentage of breath tests which proved positive or were refused by the driver; the number of road traffic accidents involving death or personal injury; the percentage of such accidents in which a driver was tested positive for alcohol.

Complaints: the number of complaint cases recorded by the force; the number recorded from or on behalf of members of the public; the number of complaints substantiated; the number of complaints resolved informally.

Resources: the number of police officers available for ordinary duty per 1,000 population; the net expenditure on police per head of population itemised to include pay and allowances of constables and of ranks above, pay of civilian staff, police pensions and superannuation contributions and other costs less government grant and the net cost to the authority.