The Multifaceted Mission of Police: Contributions Beyond Crime Reduction
Beyond reducing crime, police provide invaluable contributions to their communities, including holding offenders accountable, enhancing public security, regulating traffic, and offering emergency services. While traditional metrics of success may focus on crime statistics, a more holistic approach is needed to measure public value. The police should be recognized for their diverse roles, akin to job shops, where multiple outputs and processes are essential. By utilizing a balanced scorecard approach, law enforcement can make informed investments in learning and determine effective strategies that truly benefit society.
The Multifaceted Mission of Police: Contributions Beyond Crime Reduction
E N D
Presentation Transcript
Quiz Other than reducing crime, name another valuable contribution Moore claims police provide for their communities.
The Police Mission Valuable contributions police make to society: • Reduce Crime • Holding offenders to account • Reduce fear/enhance security • Structure burden of defense against crime • Regulate public spaces & traffic safety • Provide emergency services (medical/social) Important question: should these results be measured and managed?
Answer • Historically, 2-6 have been considered important police goals. • Mission accomplishment in public sector vs. distinctive competence in the private sector. • Production lines vs. job shops • Police have often portrayed themselves as a production line (i.e. professional model) • In reality, police are job shops—they produce many different things which should be evaluated.
A “balanced scorecard” • Police produce a wide array of public value • Each of these could be measured—albeit imprecisely • Some value are “outputs”, but some “processes” are valuable in their own right But what about “investments”? • A balanced scorecard suggests police should do a lot of investments in learning—figuring out “what works”
