POLICE PRODUCTIVITY - THE VIEW FROM CITY HALL (FROM READINGS ON PRODUCTIVITY IN POLICING, 1975 BY JOAN L WOLFLE AND JOHN F HEAPHY - SEE NCJ-31282)

• NCJ Number: 31283
• Author(s): E K HAMILTON
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 25 pages
• Corporate Author: Police Foundation
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

IT IS ASSERTED THAT BASIC CHANGES IN THE POLITICS AND ECONOMICS OF MANY AMERICAN CITIES HAVE AFFECTED THE VALUE CITY ADMINISTRATORS AND POLICE LEADERSHIP ATTACH TO DETERMINING AND REPORTING POLICE PRODUCTIVITY MEASURES.

Abstract

THE AUTHOR DISCUSSES THE DIFFICULTY INHERENT IN TRYING TO LINK INPUT PRODUCTIVITY - OPTIMAL USE OF RESOURCES WITH RESPECT TO A STATED LIST OF POLICE ACTIVITIES - WITH OUTPUT PRODUCTIVITY - THE PROVIDING OF ADEQUATE SERVICES AND CRIME CONTROL. NUMEROUS FACTORS, LARGELY POLITICAL IN CHARACTER, WHICH ARE SAID TO HAVE CHANGED THE PERSPECTIVES OF MANY MAYORS AND CITY MANAGERS DURING THE LAST 10 YEARS ARE EXPLORED. THE AUTHOR SPECULATES ON PROSPECTS FOR THE NEXT DECADE, IN WHICH HE FEELS IT LIKELY THAT THE PREOCCUPATION WITH POLICE PRODUCTIVITY WILL EITHER STIMULATE INTRODUCTION OF IMPORTANT NEW MANAGEMENT TOOLS, OR THAT IT WILL COLLAPSE IN A WAVE OF PUBLIC AND PROFESSIONAL DISILLUSIONMENT.