AAPG Conference

Critical Strategic Success Factors for Police Organisations: what do you consider when determining whether your police service is doing a good job?

Terry G. Coleman, MOM, PhD(C)30th April 2011AAPG ConferenceThink aboutWhen you say my local police agency is doing a good job, what are you weighing?

When you say my police agency is not doing a good job, what are you weighing?Fundamental Principles of Contemporary Policingdue process, equity and fairnessethical conducta customer and client focusconsultation and collaboration with the communityquality and valued customer/client servicecontinuous evaluation, continuous improvement and changeteamwork responsive to the environmentdecentralisation of authority and decision makingtotal involvementparticipative leadershipincreased communicationinternal and external alignmentoutcome focused

Exploratory Research:Seven Categories of QuestionsCrime PreventionCommunity SafetyQuality and Valued ServiceAmount of Crime [Crime Rate] & Social DisorderConduct of Police PersonnelSolving of Crime & Social DisorderLeadership & ManagementPrimary PurposeTo create an index of Critical Strategic Success Factors [CSSFs] from which can be established Key Performance Indicators [KPIs] of Police Organisational PerformanceParticipants560

Leadership/Management Client/Customer Focus

Leadership/Management Merit based hiring and promotion

Leadership/Management Cost per Capita of Policing

Leadership/Management Personnel Development

Leadership/Management Workplace Morale

Leadership/Management Sick Days

Leadership/ManagementVisibility & Accessibility of Police Personnel

Crime Prevention/Reduce VictimisationEffective External Communications Systems

Crime Prevention/Reduce VictimisationProactive & Promote

Social Disordersocial disorder (sometimes referred to as public disorder) includes such situations as public drunkenness, causing a disturbance, graffiti, vandalism, noisy parties, rowdiness, people loitering in public places, noisy vehicles, abandoned vehicles, urinating in public, fighting, illegal dumping, traffic issues, abandoned buildings, loitering youth, garbage, public drug use and broken street lights.

Community SafetyAmount of Social DisorderFear of Social Disorder

Quality & Valued ServicePolice Sensitive to Community NeedsCommunity is Satisfied with Police Service

Quality & Valued ServiceHonesty and IntegrityFair [Procedural Justice]

Quality & Valued ServicePolice ApproachablePolice Polite

Quality & Valued ServiceResponse Time Non-Emergency

Amount of Crime & Social DisorderViolent Crime RateNon-Violent Crime Rate

Amount of Crime & Social DisorderSocial Disorder

Amount of Crime & Social DisorderSerious/Fatal Traffic Collisions

Conduct of Police PersonnelConfidence in PoliceTrust of Police

Conduct of Police PersonnelSubstantiated Public ComplaintsSubstantiated inappropriate use-of-force

Solving of Crime & Social DisorderNon-Violent CrimeSocial Disorder

Solving Crime & Social DisorderDriving Offences: Criminal CodeDriving Offences: Provincial

Solving crime or being treated fairly?

AnalysisThe following are the seven factors derived from statistical analysis

Factor 1VariableLoadingThe extent to which the community trusts their police.802The extent to which the community has confidence in their police.752The extent to which police officers are perceived to be fair when interacting with the community.724The extent to which police personnel are polite when interacting with the community.671The extent to which police personnel in general communicate well with the community.661The extent to which police officers are approachable.660The extent to which police personnel are ethical when interacting with the community.656The extent to which the community is satisfied with the service provided by police personnel.545The extent to which police personnel demonstrate honesty & integrity when interacting with the community.544Factor 2VariableLoadingThe extent to which funding is invested on an annual basis for direct employee development [skill training and/or education] as a percentage of total payroll.743The extent to which the police agency works with other police agencies when necessary.716The extent to which the police agency responsibly manages allocated resources [such as funding and human resources].674The extent to which the police agency uses robust systems to ensure continuous evaluation, continuous improvement and change.667The extent to which the police agency uses a robust employee performance appraisal/development program.657The extent to which the police agency uses merit-based hiring and promotion practices is:.647The extent, overall, to which police personnel are satisfied in their workplace.625The extent to which the police agency has effective internal communications and information sharing systems.587The extent to which the police agency is responsive to changes in the social and justice environments.552The extent to which the police agency is client/customer focused.458Factor 3VariableLoadingthe number of arrests, charges or alternate dispositions with regard to all criminal offenses.905the number of arrests, charges or alternate dispositions with regard to violent crime (such as assaults, armed robbery, sexual assault, domestic violence, attempted murder and murder).879the number of arrests, charges or alternate dispositions with regard to non-violent crime (such as theft, fraud, vandalism, break and enters into residential or commercial properties and offenses related possession and trafficking of illegal drugs).820the number of arrests, charges or alternate dispositions with regard to driving offenses under the criminal code of Canada [this includes impaired driving, driving over .08, impaired driving causing death, dangerous driving and dangerous driving causing death).762the number of arrests, charges or alternate dispositions with regard to social disorder.688the number of arrests, charges or alternate dispositions with regard to driving/vehicle safety offenses under provincial legislation such as the traffic safety act or equivalents [this includes speeding, failing to stop for a red traffic light or a stop sign, safety checks of vehicles, careless driving).621Factor 4VariableLoadingThe extent to which police have reduced the fear of social disorder.857The extent to which police have reduced the fear of crime.756The extent to which police have reduced the amount of social disorder.729The extent to which police have reduced the amount of crime.450Factor 5VariableLoadingthe number of serious injury or fatal traffic accidents .775the number of traffic accidents [not including serious injury or fatal accidents] .723the criminal code - traffic offence rate for driving offenses [such as incidents of impaired driving, driving over 0.08, impaired driving causing death, dangerous driving, and dangerous driving causing death].719the non-violent crime rate.576the total crime rate.563the violent crime rate .536the extent of social disorder.524Factor 6VariableLoadingThe number of reported incidents of inappropriate use of force by police officers.812The number of formal public complaints made about police personnel conduct.780The number of formal public complaints about police personnel conduct which have been investigated and substantiated.703The number of incidents of inappropriate use of force by police officers that have been substantiated by investigation.687Factor 7VariableLoadingThe extent to which the community feels police actively engage the community and/or community agencies to seek solutions to issues/problems affecting the community.601The extent to which the community feels police have effective communications and information sharing systems to keep the community informed.508The extent to which the police agency works collaboratively with community agencies when necessary.506Weighted IndexPOPI = .668 (Factor 1) +.633 (Factor 2) + .787 (Factor 3) + .698 (Factor 4) + .631 (Factor 5) + .746 (Factor 6) + .538 (Factor 7).

Where now ?Food for thought.. What is it that your police should be judged by?

What do we mean when we say this police agency is doing great work or that police agency is a mess?

What we have to think about is: are they achieving the outcome we all desire?

The Ultimate Outcome of PolicingA safe community free from the fear of crime and social disorder

Thank YouTColeman@SaskTel.Net

Workshop:Critical Strategic Success Factors of Police Agency PerformanceWhat are the top six factors that you use when assessing the performance of your local police?

What tells you that your local police are, or are not, doing what you and your community expects of them?