The police are satisfied with the quality of the tasks which the Department of Forensic Medicine carries out for them. The positive feedback will form the basis of new external collaboration.

2015.01.05 | Henriette Stevnhøj

According to Department Head Christian Lindholst, the user survey confirms the well-functioning collaboration between Aarhus University and the Danish police, and also demonstrates great recognition of the department's employees. Photo: Lars Kruse, AU Communication.

Always easy to contact, professional in their work and flexible when there are urgent cases. These are some of comments in a satisfaction survey that the Department of Forensic Medicine has carried out among their primary customer – the Danish police force.

It is difficult to find any trace of dissatisfaction with the performance of tasks. In fact, according to the survey, the interviewees had a hard time finding things that could be done much better.

"The survey confirms the well-functioning collaboration between Aarhus University and the Danish police. Furthermore, it really recognises the department's employees and their high level of professionalism and generally professional approach to their work," says Christian Lindholst, department head at the Department of Forensic Medicine.

It was not as if the departmental forum at the Department of Forensic Medicine expected any other result when they decided to test working relations between the department and the police earlier in the year. The aim was to clarify how the department could improve and develop – and, not least, create new partnerships.

Satisfied customers create value

Even though the police are satisfied, Christian Lindholst sees development potential. For example, when it comes to continuing education and theme days. Around half of the respondents stated in the survey that they had participated in an event where the department has been responsible for training and that this had been informative and relevant. Some point to specific topics within the field of narcotics where more knowledge would be useful.

"Further and continuing education is an area that we will come to cultivate much more. We gain new knowledge and develop new methods that need to be communicated. We can do this more systematically than we do today," says Christian Lindholst.

The survey will also be used to market the department's services to new clients.

"Clearly, satisfied customers are the best recommendation we can have and a great help in terms of being able to attract new customers," says Christian Lindholst.

One area in which he sees considerable growth potential is forensic chemistry. Other clients than the police can also make use of the especially refined methods for e.g. the analysis of blood and tissue.

"One element of our department strategy is to create good conditions for procuring new clients. We have always had a high level of quality when it comes to performing tasks. The good thing is that now other people also know that," says Christian Lindholst.

• The survey is based on qualitative interviews with eight to ten key personnel in the police districts served by the department together with a questionnaire survey of approx. 400 policemen.
• The survey was carried out by the research agency Epinion
• Read the report on the user survey at the Department of Forensic Medicine’s website (in Danish).

Further information

Department Head Christian Lindholst
Aarhus University, Department of Forensic Medicine
cl@forens.au.dk
Tel.: +45 8716 8331