COMPSTAT

CompStat is a term that became widely known to law enforcement in 1994 by its association with then New York City Police Commissioner William Bratton.  CompStat is an acronym that stands for “computer-statistics meetings”; others argue that it stands for “computer comparison statistics”.  This argument aside the premise remains the same; CompStat reduces crime when implemented by law enforcement agencies within the United States.  It uses computer statistics, timely input of data, a geographical basis of tracking “hot spots” and placing resources in the proper place at the proper time.  CompStat was the 1996 “Innovations in American Government” award winner, sponsored by the Ford Foundation and Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.  Professor William Walsh referred to CompStat as an “emerging police managerial paradigm”, and Professors George Kelling and William Sousa have described it as “perhaps the single most important organizational/administrative innovation during the latter half of the twentieth century”.

The first step in CompStat’s method of accountability is to develop “accurate and timely intelligence”.  The data and findings, collected by police reports and Crime Analysts, are discussed at bi-weekly meetings in a formalized process which includes management, supervisors, crime analysts, and other impacted city department managers.  The data is presented using computer programs that show geographically impacted areas, patterns and trends of crimes.

The second step is to develop effective crime fighting tactics.  During this phase the benefit of having all managers and supervisors present is utilized to ensure more effective communication happens.  The middle-man is no longer absent and questions and strategies can be discussed and “brainstormed”.  Strategies and tactics are developed based on the data collected by the crime analysts.

The third step is rapid deployment of personnel and resources.  Sharing of resources and manpower is discussed and acted upon at this stage.  Decisions made to allocate and assign manpower and resources are immediate.  The idea is to handle the crime trends and patterns in an expeditious manner void of prolonged periods of paperwork and bureaucracy. 

The final step of CompStat is the follow-up and assessment stage.  Tactics employed are discussed with regard to their success and failure.  Computer data is compared to past data and measured in terms of reduction in crime rates.  The effectiveness of the managers is measured and accountability is upheld at this stage of CompStat.