POLICE PROGRAM PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT - A SCHEME FOR GAUGING EFFECTIVENESS AND PRODUCTIVITY (FROM WORKSHOP ON POLICE PRODUCTIVITY AND PERFORMANCE, 1980, BY PETER ENGSTAD AND MICHELE LIOY - SEE NCJ-71054)

• NCJ Number: 66695
• Author(s): J A NEEDLE; M W O'NEILL
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 33 pages
• Corporate Author: Canada Solicitor General
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: Canada

Annotation

A MODEL OF OBJECTIVES AND MEASURES CREATED BY THE NATIONAL PROJECT TO DEVELOP POLICE PROGRAM PERFORMANCE MEASURES (PPPM) CAN BE USED BY POLICE DEPARTMENTS ESTABLISHING THEIR OWN MEASUREMENT PROGRAMS.

Abstract

THE DEGREE TO WHICH DEPARTMENTAL OBJECTIVES ARE ACHIEVED IS CALLED EFFECTIVENESS. THE COST INCURRED TO ACHIEVE THESE OBJECTIVES IS PRODUCTIVITY. POLICE PERSONNEL DEAL WITH TWO KINDS OF DEPARTMENTAL OBJECTIVES, OUTCOME AND PROCESS. EFFECTIVENESS AND PRODUCTIVITY, HOWEVER REFER SOLELY TO OUTCOME OBJECTIVES, OR TO POLICE DEPARTMENT ENDS, RATHER THAN TO PROCESS. THE PPPM HAS DEVELOPED A MODEL STRUCTURE OF POLICE OBJECTIVES SPECIFICALLY ADAPTED FOR MEASUREMENT PURPOSES. IT IS DIVIDED INTO FIVE GENERAL AREAS: CRIME PREVENTION, CRIME CONTROL, CONFLICT RESOLUTION, GENERAL SERVICE, AND POLICE ADMINISTRATION. EACH OBJECTIVE MUST BE ASSOCIATED WITH AT LEAST ONE MEASURE OF PERFORMANCE IN ORDER TO ASSESS POLICE EFFECTIVENESS. MANY POLICE OUTCOME OBJECTIVES ALSO SUBMIT THEMSELVES TO PRODUCTIVITY MEASUREMENT, OR THE EFFECTIVENESS MEASURE DIVIDED BY THE COST OF RESOURCES (PERSONNEL TIME, EQUIPMENT). ADDITIONALLY EACH MEASURE MUST BE ASSOCIATED WITH A SET OF COMPUTATION RULES, WHICH SERVE TO STANDARDIZE DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURES, AND AT LEAST ONE PERFORMANCE STANDARD, WHICH TYPICALLY DESCRIBES A POLICE DEPARTMENT'S PERFORMANCE IN A PREVIOUS PERIOD OR THE EXPERIENCE OF TYPICAL, SIMILAR AGENCIES. THEN DEPARTMENTS MUST ESTABLISH MECHANISMS TO COLLECT DATA SYSTEMATICALLY AND REGULARLY SO THAT CONSISTENT AND RELIABLE MEASUREMENT CAN BE OBTAINED. THE REPORTING OF FINDINGS SERVES TO ENHANCE THE POLICE ORGANIZATIONS' ACCOUNTABILITY AND TO IMPROVE THEIR CREDIBILITY WITH THE PUBLIC AND SUPERIOR GOVERNMENTAL BODIES. PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT CAN ALSO HELP POLICE EVALUATE PROGRESS, ORDER PRIORITIES, ALLOCATE RESOURCES, AND DEOMONSTRATE NEEDS. THE PPPM SYSTEM WAS TESTED IN CINCINNATI, OHIO; PORTLAND, OREG,; AND SAN DIEGO, CALIF. WITH GREAT SUCCESS: EACH DEPARTMENT IMPROVED ITS PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT CAPABILITIES. THE PPPM STRUCTURE OF OBJECTIVES IS APPENDED, AND CHARTS ILLUSTRATE THE PPPM SYSTEM. CHARTS AND A FEW NOTES ARE SUPPLIED. (MHP)