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COMPSTAT: ITS ORIGINS, EVOLUTION, AND FUTURE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES Bureau of Justice Assistance Police Executive Research Forum Bureau of Justice Assistance U.S. Department of Justice COMPSTAT: ITS ORIGINS, EVOLUTION, AND FUTURE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES Bureau of Justice Assistance Police Executive Research Forum Copyright 2013 by Police Executive Research Forum, Washington, DC 20036 All rights reserved. The points of view expressed herein are the authors’ and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Bureau of Justice Assistance or individual Police Executive Research Forum members. Printed in the United States of America ISBN: 978-1-934485-23-1 Cover and text page design by Dave Williams. TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ......................................................................................................................... v FOREWORD ..........................................................................................................................................vii INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................1 WHAT IS COMPSTAT AND HOW DID IT DEVELOP? ......................................................................2 What Is Compstat? ................................................................................................................................................................ 2 Compstat Emerges at NYPD ................................................................................................................................................ 3 Compstat Is Adopted by Other Law Enforcement Agencies ........................................................................................... 6 Compstat Is Adopted by Non-Law Enforcement Agencies ............................................................................................. 6 WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT COMPSTAT TODAY?.......................................................................8 The Case for Compstat .......................................................................................................................................................... 8 Compstat Must Be a Clear, Purposeful Strategy ................................................................................................................ 8 Compstat Is More Than a Meeting ...................................................................................................................................... 9 Compstat Is Flexible and Can Accelerate Organizational Change .................................................................................. 9 Organizational Change in Three Agencies: Chicago; Clearwater, FL; and Camden, NJ .......................................... 12 Compstat Increases Accountability ................................................................................................................................... 14 Follow-Up Is Critical ........................................................................................................................................................... 15 Compstat Empowers Officers, but Chiefs Should Anticipate Initial Resistance ......................................................... 15 Compstat Meetings Should Be Direct but Respectful ..................................................................................................... 16 Information-Sharing Supports Compstat Success........................................................................................................... 17 Compstat Wins Support of Officers, Community Members in Daytona Beach, Florida .......................................... 20 Compstat Depends on Effective Crime Analysis ............................................................................................................. 21 Ensuring the Accuracy of Crime Statistics................................................................................................................... 22 Does Compstat Inhibit Decentralization of Decision-Making? .................................................................................... 23 Compstat Can Be Applied to Resource Management as well as to Crime Reduction ................................................ 24 THE FUTURE OF COMPSTAT ............................................................................................................26 CONCLUSION .......................................................................................................................................30 REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................................32 AppendiX A: PERF Compstat EXecutive Session Participants ...................................34 AppendiX B: PERF Survey AND Survey Results ...................................................................36 Compstat: Its Origins, Evolution, and Future iii In Law Enforcement Agencies ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) School of Government. Dr. James Willis, George would like to thank the Bureau of Justice Assis- Mason University, and Dr. Brenda Bond, Suffolk tance (BJA) for supporting this examination of University, provided us with insight into what the the impact of Compstat on police performance research tells us about Compstat. For a perspec- and accountability. We are grateful to BJA Direc- tive on the origins of Compstat in the New York tor Denise O’Donnell and former Acting Director City Police Department (NYPD), we appreciate James Burch for recognizing the importance of the contributions of former Commissioner Wil- identifying how Compstat and other data-driven liam Bratton, former Chief of Department Louis performance measurement systems have evolved Anemone, former Chief of Department and First and how they can be best used by police agencies Deputy Commissioner John Timoney, current in the 21st Century. Our program manager, BJA Deputy Commissioner Mike Farrell, Dr. George Senior Policy Advisor Michael Medaris, was sup- Kelling of Rutgers University, and Dr. Dennis portive and enthusiastic throughout the project, Smith of New York University. and we are grateful to BJA Associate Deputy Di- During the course of the project, a number of rector Pam Cammarata for her wisdom, support, police agencies across the country opened their and guidance. doors to us. We are especially grateful to be able to We would also like to thank the law enforce- share their experiences and best practices in this ment agencies that participated in our survey on publication. Our visits generally included attend- the use of Compstat and data-driven management ing a Compstat meeting, followed by interviews tools. Their insights guided our subsequent re- with the chief executive, members of the com- search and site visits. We are especially indebted mand staff, crime analysts, and others integral to Chief Ellen Hanson, Lenexa Police Department to the success of the organization’s performance (KS), Commissioner Frederick Bealefeld, Balti- management systems. We would like to thank the more Police Department (MD), and Chief Theron police chiefs and all those who contributed to our Bowman, Arlington Police Department (TX) who visits at their agency: Colonel James Teare, Anne assisted us with the pilot testing of our survey.1 Arundel County Police Department (MD); Chief We appreciate the police chiefs, scholars, and Theron Bowman, Arlington Police Department other professionals who attended our Executive (TX); Commissioner Frederick Bealefeld, Balti- Session titled “Compstat: Today and Tomorrow” more Police Department (MD); Chief James John- in Baltimore in March 2011 (see Appendix A for a son, Baltimore County Police Department (MD); full list of attendees). Many of those in attendance Superintendent Garry McCarthy, Chicago Police provided a detailed look into their agencies’ suc- Department (IL); Chief Michael Chitwood, Day- cesses and challenges with Compstat or a similar tona Beach Police Department (FL); Chief Kim performance management system. Dr. Robert D. Dine, Frederick Police Department (MD); Colonel Behn shared his work at the Harvard Kennedy Rick Rappoport, Fairfax County Police Depart- ment (VA); Chief Charlie Beck, Los Angeles Police 1 The titles listed throughout this document reflect officials’ Department (CA); Colonel Terrence Sheridan, positions at the time of the 2011 Executive Session. Maryland State Police; Chief Ed Flynn, Milwaukee Compstat: Its Origins, Evolution, and Future v In Law Enforcement Agencies Police Department (WI); Chief Thomas Manger, (TX); Deputy Commissioner Michael Farrell, New Montgomery County Police Department (MD); York Police Department; Former Acting Chief Jeff Chief Jane Castor, Tampa Police Department (FL); Godown, San Francisco Police Department; Dr. and Commissioner Charles Gardner and Commis- Rachel Boba, Florida Atlantic University; and Beth sioner Edmund Hartnett, Yonkers Police Depart- Blaur, who directs Maryland’s statewide perfor- ment (NY). mance management system. We also thank the following individuals Finally, credit is due to PERF staff members who discussed their experiences with us: Chief who helped write and edit this report, including Anthony Holloway, Clearwater Police Depart- Craig Fischer, David Green, Jerry Murphy, and ment (FL); Chief David Brown and Deputy Chief Molly Griswold. Randall Blankenbaker, Dallas Police Department Compstat: Its Origins, Evolution, and Future
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