Performance Measurements and Evaluation

When it comes to evaluating the performance of police officers and police departments in general, many local governments are tempted to turn to what one might call the “traditional” metrics. These include figures like the crime rate, response time, number of arrests, and the prevalence of serious crime. Such metrics are relatively easy to obtain or calculate, as most of the necessary data is collected during the normal course of an officer’s day. Unfortunately, these traditional metrics often fail to adequately measure what the police are actually doing: there is much more to effective policing than simply fighting crime. Of course, metrics of some kind are important: the media likes them for accountability, the chief likes them to use come budgeting time, the city council for political security, and the public for simple perception. The adage “what is important, is measured” is certainly true.

As a result, instead of these traditional metrics, many departments have successfully transitioned to measuring more community-based metrics, like community relations, the public perception of police or safety, and quality of life, often asking the citizens in their jurisdiction directly through surveys. These metrics are unfortunately often more expensive and complex to collect, but they tend to do a better job in measuring what modern policing aims to achieve: safe, civil communities with good police-public relationships. In short, when it comes to measuring performance, managers should focus less on criminals as the “customers” receiving police services and instead try to improve the services they provide to their much more important customer: the general public.