Maximizing the Benefits of Reform: Integrating Compstat and Community Policing in America

• NCJ Number: 234267
• Author(s): James J. Willis; Stephen D. Mastrofski; Tammy Rinehart Kochel
• Date Published: February 2010
• Length: 58 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2005-CK-WX-K003
• Sponsoring Agency: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS)
• Corporate Author: George Mason University, Ctr for Justice Leadership and Management
• Sale Source: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS)
• Publication Format: Book (Softbound)
• Publication Type: Legislation/Policy Analysis
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Based on an in-depth survey, interviews, and field work, this study offers recommendations for achieving linkages between Compstat and community policing.

Abstract

Compstat is a strategic management system that focuses on reducing serious crime by decentralizing decisionmaking to include middle managers operating out of precincts or districts. Community policing is a philosophy and an organizational strategy designed to reduce crime and disorder through community partnerships, problem solving, and the delegation of more decisionmaking authority to patrol officers and their sergeants at the beat level. Both Compstat and community policing have operated largely on separate tracks within police organizations. The four recommendations proposed in this study seek to use the more tangible framework of Compstat while simultaneously countering its tendency to reinforce the traditional hierarchical structure of the police organization. One recommendation is to harness community policing values, goals, and practices with Compstat. This means broadening the Compstat process to include the prioritization, measurement, and reporting of community policing concerns at regular Compstat meetings. A second recommendation is to increase accountability for performance down the chain of command by assigning individual officers to beat teams headed by a patrol sergeant, delegating responsibilities to these teams rather than to individual community policing specialists or units, and requiring that all team members regularly participate in monthly beat meetings. A third recommendation is to restructure Compstat meetings to focus on using scientific research and in-house evaluation to guide the identification and implementation of the most promising strategies for countering crime and community problems. A fourth recommendation is to commit substantial resources for crime analysis and training in problem-oriented policing, problem solving, and building partnerships with community organizations. 3 tables and 68 references