CompStat Model

CompStat Model

The CompStat Model

The CompStat (Computer Statistics) model is a management model/philosophy which the police utilize for the purpose of reducing the rate of crime. It was introduced in 1994 by William Bratton, who was a Police Commissioner at that time in NYPD (New York Police Department). The model focuses on answerability at all levels of an organization, swift identification of existing problems within an organization, as well as the introduction of creative solutions. The model is a flexible one and has a number of variants adopting from it, such as CitiStat (used in Baltimore), StateStat (used in Maryland), etc. This happened due to the successful and flexible features of the model which were seen after its implementation in New York; the model was embraced widely across the United States.

The model was made for the purpose of targeting crime at the district level in a better way, on the basis of the frequencies and categories of crimes that were practically taking place during daily routine. Even though it might initially sound like one, CompStat is not a programming tool or software; it is an organizational tool which makes use of updated statistics for targeting crime in the locations where it is required to be addressed urgently.

Organizations have seen positive changes resulting from the implementation of the CompStat model of controlling crime. It was established effectively and proved to be a successful model for decreasing the rate of crime in many cities across the United States, such as New Jersey, New York, Newark, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Boston, Miami and Philadelphia.

The model is better than its predecessors because of its proactive approach towards handling trends of emerging crimes, instead of employing a reactive approach like other models did. Authority is now rewarded to police officers and they are allowed to assign resources for achieving the desired results; however, this is sensitive, since they are also being held accountable.

The city administrator and chief of police both have an important role to perform in this regard. They need to be well informed regarding the various alternatives offered, which is possible only by achieving a thorough and comprehensive understanding of operations management theories and practices. It is possible to buy-in elected officials in the police department, as the city administrator sometimes acts as a probable channel. The need for alternative or assistance services exists because the model for reducing crime is continuously being developed. It is necessary to involve the officials who are the primary personnel making crucial decisions, since ensuring that deployment remains rapid and follow-up remains relentless is one of the primary concerns. In order to achieve this, the aforementioned steps are being taken so that both the city administrator and the chief of police are aware (and more prepared in fact) to provide support to community services when it is required.

Basic Principles

Crime data is used by the NYPD in analyzing and identifying trends, patterns, and specific categories of crime. This is done in order to involve all personnel in the ...