ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the development of performance measurement in police agencies and identify the particular factors that contribute to the difficulty in measuring police effectiveness. International examples of different approaches to police performance measurement will be examined by reviewing the most recent attempts to measure police performance in Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, Sweden, The Netherlands, and the United States. The chapter examines police and government efforts in six countries to implement improved approaches to measuring police performance. To approach police performance measurement it is first necessary to understand that it is highly unlikely that a system of measurement will ever be developed that comprehensively measures all relevant variables of police operations yet is sufficiently sensitive to differentiate among departments in different geographical regions. The six countries have recognized the inadequacy of traditional police performance statistics in light of the increased complexity and sophistication of criminal problems.
