NCJ Number
54080
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 27 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1979) Pages: 22,24-26,28-29
Date Published
1979
Length
6 pages
Annotation
THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN APPRAISAL SYSTEM FOR THE FIELD FORCE OF THE OHIO STATE HIGHWAY PATROL IS DESCRIBED. THE SYSTEM PROVIDES AN OBJECTIVE BASIS FOR MEASURING A TROOPER'S DAY-TO-DAY PERFORMANCE.
Abstract
THE SYSTEM WAS DEVELOPED TO ENABLE SUPERVISORS TO IDENTIFY AND PRAISE GOOD PERFORMANCE AND TO COUNSEL OFFICERS WHO NEED SPECIFIC HELP. THE FIRST STAGE OF THE DEVELOPMENT RESULTED IN BEHAVIOR DESCRIPTIONS OF THE MAJOR AREAS AND TASKS WHICH COMPRISE A TROOPER'S JOB. NEXT, 'IMPORTANCE' SUBSCORES WERE ASSIGNED TO EACH TASK THROUGH SYSTEMATIC COLLECTION OF DATA ON BOTH THE FREQUENCY OF PERFORMANCE OF THE TASK AND ITS CRITICAL NATURE. THE THIRD STAGE BROKE DOWN THE PERFORMANCE OF EACH TASK INTO AN OBJECTIVE DESCRIPTION OF THE DUTY, AND THE FOURTH STAGE WAS AN EVALUATION OF THE APPRAISAL FORM. EACH OF THESE STEPS IS DESCRIBED AND SAMPLES OF THE TYPE OF DATA COLLECTED ARE GIVEN. AFTER A DRAFT APPRAISAL FORM WAS DEVELOPED, A SERIES OF WORKSHOPS WERE HELD AT WHICH BOTH SUPERVISORS AND TROOPERS COULD EXPRESS THEIR OPINIONS. ALL AGREED THAT AN OBJECTIVE SYSTEM WAS PREFERABLE TO THE SUBJECTIVE RATINGS WHICH HAD BEEN USED IN THE PAST. THE FINAL APPRAISAL FORM CONSISTS OF 78 JOB PERFORMANCE STATEMENTS CLUSTERED INTO 26 TRIADS GROUPED INTO 9 PERFORMANCE AREAS, SUCH AS 'GENERAL PATROL,' 'COURT BEHAVIOR,' AND 'ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION.' EXAMPLES OF PERFORMANCE TRIADS ARE GIVEN. THE SCORING OF THE TRIADS AND THEIR USE IN COUNSELING ARE EXPLAINED. AFTER THE APPRAISAL FORM WAS IN FINAL FORM, THOSE USING IT TO RATE TROOPERS WERE CAREFULLY TRAINED. THIS TRAINING IS CALLED ESSENTIAL TO THE SUCCESS OF SUCH AN EVALUATION SYSTEM. A VALIDATION OF THE SYSTEM WAS BEGUN IN LATE 1977. FIGURES ILLUSTRATE THE ARTICLE. REFERENCES ARE APPENDED. (GLR)