NCJ Number
226541
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 37 Issue: 1 Dated: January/February 2009 Pages: 85-97
Date Published
January 2009
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This study sought to examine the results of a measurement and feedback system, Productivity Measurement and Enhancement System (ProMES) for improving Swedish police traffic units’ performance while also increasing alignment of efforts with organizational objectives, and explored two problematic measurement issues common to many types of work, especially police work: control over outcomes and detection of negative events.
Abstract
The results suggested that the Productivity Measurement and Enhancement System (ProMES) was an effective way of responding to the governmental requirements for measuring police effectiveness and also increasing performance in the face of reduced personnel. It also helps align the efforts of the officers with the broader goals of the organization by the way the measurement system was developed. Once the measurement system is approved, the resulting feedback system provides information on how to allocate resources so as to maximize contribution to the organization. The results indicated that there were substantial increases in performance and significant decreases in accidents, injuries, and fatalities compared both to baseline and to comparison groups in Sweden, all while number of officers was decreasing. This article describes the results of the ProMES, a feedback system designed to improve performance for a Swedish police traffic unit, and examines whether such a feedback system was beneficial or detrimental to the attitudes of the officers. The study sought to determine the effects of the ProMES intervention on performance and attitudes. Figures, tables, and references