Performance management in police agencies: a conceptual framework

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to define a systematic management structure that helps police practitioners institutionalize performance management and analysis in more rational-technical ways. Design/methodology/approach - The design is based on Gold's "complete participant" field researcher method. Findings - The findings suggest a performance management model is more rational than the traditional command-control model and may increase consistency in police management by systematically collecting and reporting on streams of data to measure performance instead of relying on rote compliance. Research limitations/implications - The model is limited because it does not account for important intangible qualities of performance (e.g. attitude, initiative, judgment); in the hands of autocratic managers it can be oppressive and cause more problems than it solves; it may constrain officer discretion; it has not been advanced as a learning instrument; and performance indicators are subject to measurement error. Practical implications - Most police agencies are already capturing the necessary data elements to implement a performance management model. Police executives and policymakers can use this model to definitively measure how well police agencies and individual programs are performing. Originality/value - The paper represents an opportunity for police practitioners to embrace a new management process intended to improve performance and accountability. The framework is a universal management process that can be applied to any size police agency or any police program.