“So, How Are We Doing…?” Issues and Considerations in the Design of Police Performance Measurements

Police performance measurements are vital in an era of reform. They determine if an organisation is meeting its objectives, and whether it is allocating resources appropriately. In contemporary policing performance measures are neither consistent in content nor practice. And, while there are obvious and practical reasons to ensure that effective performance measures are in place, there is also no consistency in what should be measured. There is, however, consistency in the police “outputs” that are being measured. These serve to frame the field of policing for those whose performance is being measured. This chapter looks at some of the issues, rationale and elements that should be considered by police leaders and governance bodies when considering and designing police performance measurements.