PHILADELPHIA (PA) - AN EVALUATION PLAN FOR THE COMPUTER-ASSISTED DISPATCHING SYSTEM

• NCJ Number: 51915
• Author(s): A J SIMON; R C LARSON
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 91 pages
• Grant Number(s): PH-75-C-5C-5-434
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: Public Systems Evaluation, Inc
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A PLAN FOR COMPARING PREINSTALLATION DATA WITH THAT OBTAINED AFTER INSTALLATION OF A COMPUTER-ASSISTED DISPATCHING (CAD) SYSTEM IS PRESENTED AND A SCHEDULE OF EVALUATION ACTIVITIES IS LAID OUT.

Abstract

THE EVALUATION PLAN SUGGESTS AN OPERATIONAL ANALYSIS, A TECHNOLOGICAL ANALYSIS, AND AN ANALYSIS OF ATTITUDES EXHIBITED BY THOSE AFFECTED BY THE SYSTEM. THE OPERATIONAL ANALYSIS SHOULD FOCUS ON THE COMPLAINT-TAKING AND DISPATCHING PROCESSES BECAUSE THESE COVER MAJOR CONCERNS OF THE PHILADELPHIA, (PA) POLICE DEPARTMENT--RESPONSE TIME AND WORKLOADS--AND OF THE EVALUATOR--THE MATCH OF CAD CAPABILITIES TO POLICE DEPARTMENT OPERATING POLICIES. THE TECHNOLOGICAL ANALYSIS SHOULD LOOK AT PERFORMANCE WITH ATTENTION TO RELIABILITY, MAINTENANCE NEEDS, SAFEGUARDS FOR THE PRIVACY OF THE COMPUTER HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE AND SYSTEM FLEXIBILITY. THE ATTITUDE ANALYSIS SHOULD FOCUS ON THE MORALE AND PRODUCTIVITY OF THE RADIO-ROOM WORK FORCE. DATA ABOUT THE PRE-CAD SYSTEM ARE INCLUDED AND MAJOR CHANGES TO BE IMPLEMENTED BY THE SYSTEM ARE DESCRIBED. EVALUATION SHOULD VERIFY THAT THESE CHANGES HAVE TAKEN PLACE AS PLANNED. A LONGITUDINAL DATA COLLECTION SCHEME IS PROPOSED TO EVALUATE THE OPERATION'S EFFECTIVENESS OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. EXHIBITS INCLUDE A SCHEDULE OF EVALUATION ACTIVITIES, SAMPLE FORMS FOR GATHERING EVALUATION DATA, GUIDELINES FOR DETERMINING OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY AND EQUIPMENT RELIABILITY, AND FIGURES ILLUSTRATING HOPED-FOR IMPROVEMENTS IN RESPONSE TIME AND WORKLOAD MANAGEMENT. A SAMPLE ATTITUDE SURVEY IS ALSO INCLUDED. (GLR)