NCJ Number
68758
Journal
Public Productivity Review Volume: 3 Issue: 3 Dated: (WINTER 1979) Pages: 75-86
Date Published
1979
Length
12 pages
Annotation
THIS IS AN AUDIT REPORT ON THE QUALITY OF PRODUCTIVITY FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OF THE VILLAGE OF TINLEY PARK, ILL., PRODUCTIVITY BEING A SYSTEMIC CONCEPT RELATING OUTPUTS TO INPUTS THROUGH A CONVERSION PROCESS.
Abstract
THE PARTIAL TINLEY PARK PRODUCTIVITY AUDIT CONCENTRATED ON DETERMINANTS OF POLICE SERVICE QUALITY (E.G.,LEVEL OF POLICE TECHNOLOGY, RULES AND REGULATIONS, CITIZEN DEMANDS, JOB PERFORMANCE OF OTHER PERSONNEL, EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND), PERCEPTIONS OF SERVICE QUALITY AND INDIVIDUAL ABILITY TO CONTROL QUALITY, AND EVALUATION OF POSSIBLE MEASURES OF POLICE SERVICE QUALITY. DATA WERE COLLECTED FROM INTERVIEWS WITH AND A QUESTIONNAIRE FILLED OUT BY ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL AND AVAILABLE PATROL OFFICERS. QUESTIONNAIRE RESULTS SHOWED THAT EMPHASIS ON TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES WAS PERCEIVED TO BE THE PRIMARY DETERMINANT OF SERVICE QUALITY. TECHNICAL CAPABILITY INCLUDED EQUIPMENT, SPECIAL PROGRAMS, AND EDUCATIONAL LEVEL OF OFFICERS. SECOND, OFFICERS WERE CONSIDERED PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR SERVICE QUALITY BOTH BY THEIR PEERS AND BY ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL. THUS, ADMINISTRATORS MAY IMPACT QUALITY OF SERVICE ONLY INDIRECTLY--THROUGH TECHNICAL SUPPORT. THIRD, THE CONCEPT OF QUALITY WAS PERCEIVED TO BE SOMEWHAT VAGUE AND OFFICERS EXPRESSED A FEELING THAT PERSONAL IMPACT ON QUALITY IS SLIGHTLY UNNOTICED AND UNAPPRECIATED. FOURTH, THE THREE MAJOR AREAS OF MEASUREMENT CONCERN WERE RESPONDING AND FOLLOWING UP IN REPORTED CRIME, FILLING OUT REQUIRED FORMS, AND INTERACTING WITH CITIZENS. THE NATURE OF PREFERRED PRODUCTIVITY INDICATORS REFLECTED AN EMPHASIS ON THE CONVERSION PROCESS RATHER THAN RESULTING EFFECTIVENESS, A LACK OF INTEREST IN NEGATIVE CITIZEN RESPONSES, AND A DISLIKE FOR EVALUATION FACTORS AFFECTED BY OUTSIDE GROUPS. THESE FINDINGS SUGGEST IN TINLEY PARK NEEDS FOR FURTHER TECHNICAL CAPABILITY DEVELOPMENT, SPECIFIC INDICATORS OF POLICE SERVICE QUALITY IN THE THREE IDENTIFIED AREAS OF MEASUREMENT CONCERN, AND CREATION OF A RECOGNITION SYSTEM FOR OFFICER PERSONAL IMPACT ON SERVICE QUALITY. TABLES AND FOOTNOTES ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)