Police numbers and crime rates have become a political football all over Australia, but particularly in the Northern Territory. And having the nation’s highest ratio of police per 100,000 people comes at a cost. Doug Smith APM, FAIM, MIPAA has served with distinction in three Police Forces over 30 years, retiring last year from his position as Assistant Commissioner, Crime and Support Command, Northern Territory Police Force. He is a Bachelor of Arts, Master of Public Administration, holds the University of Queensland Post Graduate Prize in Public Administration for 1993, and is currently studying for his PhD in the School of Public Policy at Griffith University. During his career in large public sector organisations, Doug Smith had leadership and management responsibility for over 1,000 personnel at a time, and budgets of $135 million dollars. Since leaving the public sector, Doug Smith has launched a business career in Darwin. He is a partner in Bold Frontier Consulting, which provides consultants, business advisers and public sector specialists to commerce and Government. Here, Doug Smith gives us an insight into the rationale for meeting the costs of both military and police forces, concentrating on the rapid expansion of police numbers in the Northern Territory in recent years. And he uses his considerable experience to pose the question – are we getting the best value for our money? Doug Smith can be contacted direct at doug.smith@boldfrontier.consulting.com.au