From the aspirational to the tangible: Mapping key performance indicators in Australian policing
| Author | Kelly A Hine,Katelyn Davenport-Klunder |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/14613557221106083 |
| Published date | 01 December 2022 |
| Date | 01 December 2022 |
| Subject Matter | Original Research Articles |
From the aspirational to the tangible:
Mapping key performance indicators
in Australian policing
Kelly A Hine
School of Law and Society, University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia
Katelyn Davenport-Klunder
School of Law and Society, University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia
Abstract
Police performance is particularly difficult to measure. Most police agencies tend to rely on traditional metrics of
effectiveness (such as crime statistics and public surveys) which are recogni sed as being prob lematic by res earchers
and policing a uthorities . Policing too has s hifted in recen t times with a mo ve away from reactive polic ing approache s
towards more desirable proactive and community-orientated styles of policing. Subsequently, there is a growing body
of research whic h proposes new and a lternative me thods of measuring police performance that addresses some of the
problematic validity and reliability issues of the traditional metrics and incorporates these new policing styles. This
study maps the key performance indicators reported by Australian policing agencies. It aims to identify what is
being measured and how it is being measured. To do this, Australian policing agency annual reports were analysed
both quantitatively with descriptive analysis and qualitatively using thematic analysis. Overall, the study found that
although there are some attempts at incorporating new alternative metrics, policing agencies in Australia mostly
rely on traditional metrics for reporting effectiveness. These findings are discussed in terms of opportunities to
enhance or expand current reporting practices.
Keywords
Police, law enforcement, performance, indicators, measures
Submitted 8 Nov 2021, Revise received 3 Mar 2022, accepted 11 Apr 2022
Police fulfil several key functions and roles in society.
Traditionally, police enforce the law, prevent and detect
crime, and maintain peace and order. More recently, there
has been a general shift in policing from reactive policing
styles towards more proactive and community-orientated
styles of policing. In addition, the role of modern police is
much broader and more complex. For example, on any
given day, the duties of an officer can range from commu-
nity policing operations, such as school-based ‘adopt-a-cop’
programmes, to complex and sensitive matters, such as pro-
viding support to a victim of intimate partner violence.
However, policing agencies are often required to report on
their performance (i.e. efficiency, effectiveness and equity)
using key performance indicators to evaluate their success
(in terms of both organisational and public service perspec-
tives; Australian Productivity Commission, 2020; Skogan,
1976). As a result, measuring police performance has
become an increasingly complex and complicated task
(Coleman, 2012; Maguire, 2005; Moore and Braga, 2003).
As highlighted by Maslov (2015: 2), ‘there is no single
Corresponding author:
Kelly A Hine, Office D.G.18, University of the Sunshine Coast,
Maroochydore DC, QLD, 4558, Australia.
Email: khine@usc.edu.au
Original Research Article
International Journal of
Police Science & Management
2022, Vol. 24(4) 382–396
© The Author(s) 2022
Article reuse guidelines:
sagepub.com/journals-permissions
DOI: 10.1177/14613557221106083
journals.sagepub.com/home/psm
To continue reading
Request your trial