Download THE COMPSTAT PROCESS—Managing Crime

THE COMPSTAT PROCESS—Managing Crime Reduction on the LAPD
November 6, 2008
Introduction
As the Officer in Charge of the Los Angeles Police Department’s (LAPD) Compstat Unit,
I have had the opportunity to travel to many law enforcement agencies in the United States
and around the world to teach and assist their agency representatives in the principles,
practices, policies and procedures of implementing and sustaining a viable and successful
Compstat process on their departments. The immediate questions that I am asked are,
“Where do we buy the Compstat computer software application?” and, “Where is the
Compstat computer that will allow us to have the success in crime reduction that the LAPD
has achieved for the last six years?” I then realized that most police departments have a
specific misunderstanding about the Compstat process and its application to crime fighting
efforts. The reality is that the Compstat process is not a single state-of-the-art computer
equipped with a special software program. In general terms, the Compstat process is a
management accountability, problem solving methodology and crime control philosophy.
It is less state-of-the-art equipment then a state of mind attitude that police do count in
reducing crime. Compstat is not a “quick-fix” answer to crime but a process of organized
problem solving, and when coupled with commitment, consistency and accountability,
inexorably leads to the positive outcome of recurring incremental reductions in crime.
The following is an explanation of the Compstat process in the LAPD experience and how
it can be applied to any large or small agency and even to any civilian organization. I will
give you one caveat, as a chief executive or command or staff officer of any police or
sheriff’s department or other law enforcement agency, you and your employees must be
willing to enter a new paradigm and search for best practices in crime reduction based on
the information you learn about Compstat. The good news is that the Compstat process is
for many agencies a combination of existing capabilities realigned to coincide with basic
Compstat principles.
Detective III Jeff Godown, Officer in Charge, Compstat Unit
Background
It is the vision of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) to, as closely as possible,
achieve a city free from crime and public disorder. Its mission is to safeguard the lives and
property of the people it serves, to reduce the incidence and fear of crime and to enhance
public safety, while working with diverse communities to improve their quality of life.
The LAPD mandate is to do so with honor and integrity, acting at all times with the highest
ethical standards to maintain public confidence.
Leading, managing and directing a law enforcement agency toward its stated mission is a
demanding responsibility for an organization’s chief executive, regardless of the size of the
department. “The fact is that police do matter when it comes to preventing crime.”
The Compstat Process—Managing Crime Reduction on the LAPD
November 6, 2008
Page 2
This statement has been uttered on many occasions by the pioneer of the Compstat process,
former New York Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner and current Chief of Police
of the LAPD, William J. Bratton. Building on the successes of the Compstat revolution on
the NYPD in reducing crime in the City of New York beginning in 1994, LAPD’s new
Chief of Police introduced the Compstat process in Los Angeles in 2002, his inaugural
year on the Department.
Compstat Process—What is it?
Compstat, short for “computer comparison statistics,” is a multi-faceted system for
managing police operations. It is an innovative business management process, system and
strategic methodology used to assist in achieving an organization’s mission and goals. Its
methods are transferable, compatible and replicable in any organization or environment. In
a police organization, it is a crime-control process manifested in recurring Compstat
meetings, usually one per week, during which the entity’s performance indicators are
critically reviewed for improvement. The Compstat concept has been used widely in the
law enforcement arena in many different forms across the United States and around the
world. It is an organizational management philosophy, concept and tool combining a
classic problem-solving model with accountability at all levels of the organization. It is an
examination and review of an organization’s status as revealed by quantifiable statistical
indicators. In a police environment, the number and location of crimes and arrests as well
as an analysis of suspects, victims, days and times of criminal activity, etc. occurs in order
to identify crime patterns, clusters, suspects and hot spots. Once identified, strategies are
created to counter the increasing incidence of crime. The Compstat process encourages
creativity in strategy creation, allocation of resources and deployment of police personnel,
while at the same time holding managers and employees accountable for proactively
confronting the problems of crime.
The Compstat process is a two-pronged examination of police operations. It looks
outwardly at crime and its effects in the community, while at the same time looking within
the organization to identify best practices in managing police personnel and risk
management issues such as sick time, use of force, pursuits, complaints and accompanying
city liability. The examination of crime and internal police department processes allows
for the reengineering of those processes in response to crime, which can produce
significant public safety gains, not only in crime reduction, but also in increased
effectiveness in various other essential police performance measures.
The Compstat process can be summarized in the following statement: “Collect, analyze,
map and review crime data and other police performance measures on a regular basis,
create best practice strategies to address identified issues and implement them in real time,
hold police managers and employees accountable for their performance as measured by
these data and, consistently review and repeat the process.”
The Compstat Process—Managing Crime Reduction on the LAPD
November 6, 2008
Page 3
This instills a new organizational culture that keeps personnel focused on the mission of
the organization and creates a management mandate to continuously adapt to the ever
changing crime environment.
Compstat Process—How does it work?
One of the most important roles of the Chief of Police is to set organizational goals and
objectives, which sends a powerful message throughout a police department as to the
importance and direction of employees’ efforts. Once the Compstat process is
communicated to the organization as a foundational objective to be achieved, its principles
can be used to support, enhance and streamline the processes and procedures which define
the multitude of functions inherent in competently performing patrol and detective
operations in an organized approach to crime reduction. As a problem solving model, the
Compstat process directs employees to identify problems, formulate solutions, carry them
out, and analyze results for effectiveness. The Compstat process business management
model in policing was created around this concept and consists of four principles, which
define the strategy for driving down crime, hand in hand with creating internal procedural
economies and efficiencies. It is equally applicable to addressing community crime
problems, quality of life issues as well as internal risk management incidents and policies.
Four Compstat Principles form the outline for carrying out the myriad of activities
involved in practicing effective Compstat process operations. The application of these
principles are reviewed, examined and discussed relative to specific police department
commands during weekly recurring Compstat information sharing forum meetings and
inspections led by the Chief of Police or other assigned high ranking command or staff
officers.
The four Compstat Principles are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Accurate and Timely Intelligence……....Know what’s happening.
Effective Tactics………………………...Have a plan.
Rapid Deployment……………………....Do it quickly.
Relentless Follow-up and Assessment….If it works, do more. If not, do something else.
Accurate and Timely Intelligence
The Compstat process encompasses best practices from various past and present policing
methodologies. It includes successful leadership ideas and concepts as well as practices
from “Community Policing”, “Problem Oriented Policing” and the “Broken Windows”
philosophies. It is inclusive of the definitions of reviewing, inspecting, auditing, analyzing
and information sharing.
The Compstat Process—Managing Crime Reduction on the LAPD
November 6, 2008
Page 4
At the core of each activity is the use of computer generated and other statistical data that
is gathered in as close to real time as possible and subsequently presented in various
formats in hard copy and electronically at the Compstat meetings; such as charts, graphs,
maps, command profiles, and crime snapshot reports. The analysis of the information by
command and staff officers then becomes the triggering mechanism for taking action on
identified problems.
The Compstat process is information and data driven, and as such, it is necessary for all
information to be as timely and accurate as possible. Without accurate and timely sources
of data, management decisions could be rendered ineffectual. The credibility of the
process would be in question by management, the employees expected to act on the data,
as well as other stakeholders who routinely use the information. The basic information
necessary to make informed decisions relative to the creation of crime reduction strategies
and action plans comes from many sources. At the basic level, information is gathered
from a department’s statistical archives on crimes and arrests required to be reported to the
FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting program, i.e. Criminal Homicide, Forcible Rape,
Robbery, Aggravated Assault, Burglary, Larceny-Theft, Motor Vehicle Theft and Arson.
In addition, “intelligence” data is obtained from archived calls for service, field interview
cards, incident reports and any other sources of information, which are normally
maintained by police departments’ information technology sections. In addition to the
crime and arrest statistics side of the crime reduction equation, is the analysis of risk
management issues related to a police department’s internal administrative and personnel
operations. In this area, trends can also be identified with negative issues quickly
addressed and resolved, which ensures that personnel resources are available to implement
crime reduction strategies and action plans.
Well running internal police department mechanisms support the external efforts to address
crime and its effects. Risk managers must use critical thinking, issues analysis and
problem solving to ensure internal department operations are not creating procedural
impediments to successful crime reduction efforts. One of the basic problems in the early
stages of the implementation of a new Compstat process in a law enforcement agency is
that the department may be unable to produce appropriate data via its existing computer
technology systems. Without the ability to extract this type of information, the Compstat
process cannot address “emerging” crime and risk management issues in a timely manner,
which is critical to a successful process. Information systems will need to be audited,
monitored and tested for both accuracy and timeliness and existing capabilities may need
to be enhanced to accomplish these types of tasks. The information used absolutely needs
to reflect what actually occurred and accuracy can be authenticated through audits and
supervisory review. This technological audit process will ensure that decisions are made
using accurate and timely data, which is the life-blood of the decision-making process.
The Compstat Process—Managing Crime Reduction on the LAPD
November 6, 2008
Page 5
The initial target of review will be the crime or incident report, which is the primary
documentation vehicle and information platform for the majority of police statistics. These
reports have to be accurately completed in a timely manner by first responders and then the
information has to be transferred into the department’s Report Management System by
data entry personnel before it can be used in the Compstat process. The involved records
employees are critical to producing timely and accurate information for use by subsequent
crime analysts reviewing the data. If attention is not paid to this process, the proverbial
“garbage in, garbage out” dilemma will occur and taint the analysis and decision making
processes. In addition to examining core law enforcement statistics, any pertinent data
sub-sets can be reviewed such as parole and probation issues, gun arrests, sex offender
residences, etc. for analysis and/or inclusion in single purpose or relational geographic
information system automated “pin” mapping.
Effective Tactics
In the words of Jack Maple, former NYPD Deputy Commissioner, “Nobody ever got in
trouble because crime numbers on their watch went up………trouble arose only if the
commanders didn’t know why the numbers went up or had no plan to attack the problem.”
After command and staff officers are in possession of timely and accurate intelligence,
they are accountable for the creation, development and implementation of crime reduction
strategies and action plans for the purpose of impacting the identified crime or risk
management problems. Their understanding of recurring problems and strategies that have
been successful in the past will be communicated and delegated to specific subordinate
command personnel who may add their creative ideas to the strategy and “think outside the
box” to be sure the problems are addressed in an optimal fashion. It is not simply good
enough to randomly throw additional resources at the problem such as more patrol cars,
without a clear and concise plan, or conclude that not enough resources are available to
impact the problem. Under staffing and insufficient resourcing may be an impediment to a
specific operational plan but it does not preclude the problem solver from making an effort
to identify other perhaps less conventional resources. Partnerships with the community
and other government agencies should be explored for creative solutions to recurring
problems and lack of regular police resources should not be cited during a Compstat
meeting to justify or explain non-action on an identified issue, problem or crime increase.
For tactics to be effective, commanders must direct specific resources to target all aspects
of the problem using their existing police resources as well as resources from the array of
available community, city, county, state and federal government capabilities. The
following are some of the entities to partnership with, or derive resources from, in order to
address crime reduction and community quality of life issues. For decades, police
departments have been driven by calls for service and responded with limited resources in
a reactive manner.
The Compstat Process—Managing Crime Reduction on the LAPD
November 6, 2008
Page 6
With the Compstat process, police departments can be armed with vital information
regarding emerging crime trends or patterns that allow for the creation of effective tactics
and a proactive strategic police response, during stand-alone efforts or in partnership with
other community or government stakeholders.
City & Local
County
State
Federal
Housing Authority
Parks & Recreation
Fire Department
School Police
Sanitation Dept.
Neighborhood Watch
Animal Services
Domestic Violence
Sheriff’s Dept.
District Attorney
Mental Health
Homeless Outreach
Superior Court
Children’s Services
Harbor Dept.
Probation
Corrections
Parole
DMV
CHP
POST
ABC
Gambling
Amber Alert
Federal Bureau of Invest.
Drug Enforcement Admin.
Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms
Internal Revenue Service
Immigration & Naturalization
Homeland Security Admin.
Veterans Administration
Department of Aging
There are numerous, varied and unique crime reduction and problem-solving strategies that
are only limited by the creativity, experience and institutional knowledge of managers and
police employees who should look at their crime problems from new and different views,
and perspectives than has been done in the past. One of the strengths of the Compstat
process is that it provides a vehicle of recurring meetings for consistent strategizing via
creative discussions, the tweaking of operational plans and the reviewing of implemented
strategies at various stages of a tactical plan. Included in these discussions are debriefing
style after-action biopsies of the results of specific plans. In addition, Compstat builds
accountability into tactical strategies. Command officers assigned for a Compstat review
know in advance that their crime reduction/problem-solving activities and tactics will be
reviewed in light of conventional wisdom and knowledge as well as on any results realized
from their plans. They will be asked, “Did your efforts result in any effects upon the
identified problem?” In this way, not only will the command officers be accountable, but
each individual along the way of the plan from detectives, lieutenants and officers involved
in the process may be questioned about the process during the Compstat meeting
inspection. In addition, the collective knowledge of various employee ranks will be
brought to bear on the creation of effective tactics.
Rapid Deployment
Once a crime problem, activity or issue has been identified and appropriate resources have
been formulated into a tactical plan, it is pivotal for command personnel to rapidly deploy
the plan in order to impact the problem before the target moves. This is the essence of the
Compstat process. In the past, regular recurring crime was addressed in a reactive mode,
more after the fact.
The Compstat Process—Managing Crime Reduction on the LAPD
November 6, 2008
Page 7
Compstat strives to identify “emerging” problems using real time information and a real
time capability to strike at the heart of the problem rapidly. Police departments will never
have the resources to post an officer on every corner. Therefore, it is imperative to deploy
to where the crime is occurring now. Rapid deployment has been used effectively to
address ongoing crime incidents, such as hostage situations, active shooters philosophy,
riot conditions addressed by a Mobil Field Force configuration and “suspect there now”
calls for service, etc. These situations have been successfully impacted by rapid
deployment. Sufficient force to overcome the incident is gathered and rapidly deployed
directly into the situation. Compstat seeks to apply this rapid deployment philosophy to
regular recurring crime patterns, clusters, series, and hot spots. This philosophy also
applies to recurring internal risk management incidents. In both cases, the key component
to success is the rapid deployment of resources applied to problem areas or issues as
identified by timely and accurate intelligence. The use of rapid deployment increases the
likelihood of impacting the problem before it shifts to another day, time or area. Strategies
to enhance the capabilities of rapid deployment could include changes in work schedules
or realigning crime suppression units to meet the demands of the problems at hand. Also,
throwing overtime at a problem is not an effective strategy in and of itself. Overtime can
be used to enhance rapid deployment, but to be most effective it should be part of a
comprehensive plan. By itself, overtime for increased officer presence might work for
awhile, but once the funds dry up and the personnel leave the area, the problem will most
likely reoccur. To gain the upper hand, commanders need to design an overall plan which
includes rapid deployment, set the plan into motion, monitor the plan’s results and be
ready to analyze and discuss the plan’s impact at the command’s next scheduled Compstat
information sharing forum meeting and inspection.
Relentless Follow-up and Assessment
A contemporary of Chief Bratton during the creation of Compstat in New York City in the
early 1990’s was Jack Maple, former NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Crime Control
Strategies, who aptly stated about the Compstat process, “You can expect that which you
inspect.” An essential element in any operational plan is the need to critically assess what,
if any, impact the implementation of the plan had on targeted goals. This is accomplished
at the weekly recurring Compstat meetings. Whether the goals were crime prevention and
suppression, apprehension of offenders or quality of life issues, the basic question to ask is
“Did the plan succeed or fail to impact the identified problem or issue?” The second
question is, “To what degree can it be shown through quantitative and/or qualitative
measures that the plan accomplished its stated goals?” It is impractical to design and
implement an action plan and trust that it will be carried out without looking at the results.
Did the plan meet and accomplish the desired outcomes? If not, Why Not? Should the
plan be changed or repeated?
The Compstat Process—Managing Crime Reduction on the LAPD
November 6, 2008
Page 8
As an adjunct to the analysis of the plan’s effect, it can be reviewed for actually driving
down crime versus to what degree regular recurring crime was merely displaced to nearby
territory during the implementation of the plan.
The essence of the Compstat process is managing for results and success can be measured
by the absence of crime. The primary method for measuring a successful outcome of a
crime reduction strategy is via hard numbers, i.e. crime statistics. What was the crime
measurement before the plan, during the plan and after its conclusion? Continued
monitoring of the targeted area can demonstrate a longer term effectiveness, or lack
thereof, of any downturn in crime numbers. But crime reduction is not only addressed via
arrests and field enforcement measures. It is also impacted by an agency’s ability to
manage its internal mechanisms within the organization such as overtime, sick time,
complaints, traffic collisions, and general adherence to policies, standards, rules and
procedures. These risk management issues affect the ability to staff and resource
operational plans and successful risk management efforts ultimately assist managers in
decision-making when creating crime reduction strategies, allocating resources and
deploying personnel. The bottom line with the Compstat process is that it is results driven
through the Principle of Relentless Follow-up and Assessment. Everything the process
reviews, whether administrative or in patrol and detective operations, is evaluated by the
results achieved. The performance measurements of specific plans are discussed along
with all other indicators routinely tracked on commanding officers’ areas of responsibility.
This process enables commanders to share their successes as well as strategize with
executive staff on potential areas to improve. The Compstat meeting is the vehicle to
“analyze for effectiveness” and evaluate overall performance of all key crime indicators
and risk management issues. It provides the opportunity for ongoing follow-up and
assessment and, just as important, the meetings serve to reaffirm responsibility and
ownership or “territorial imperative” relative to crime problems within a command’s
purview as well as during cross boundary or citywide issues, when they occur.
Prioritizing the Compstat Process
The Chief of Police is the lynch pin aspect to the success of the Compstat process. He
serves as the sponsor who champions the process. It is the Chief’s leadership that garners
the voluntary cooperation of others in the organization to support the process. If the Chief
doesn’t believe in the process, neither will command, support, and line personnel. The
Compstat process is only a part of the reason for successfully accomplishing organizational
objectives. Compstat is merely an organized approach and pathway to successful problem
solving. It is the people within the police department who embrace the process and apply
their creativity to it that ultimately makes the process work.
The Compstat Process—Managing Crime Reduction on the LAPD
November 6, 2008
Page 9
Without leadership and the cooperation of the employees who do the work, the process
cannot demonstrate its value to the organization and to the community served by the
department.
The Compstat process is a problem solving and crime reduction strategy coupled with a
strong management and employee accountability component. As the mission of the
department and the process itself is to reduce the incidence of crime, Compstat operations
must be placed alongside the hierarchy of the organization. Many different sources of data
and information will flow from the Compstat review processes through the highest levels
of the organization. It is critical for those employees charged with administering the
Compstat process to have clear and unimpeded reporting between them and the Chief of
Police, as their main responsibility is to provide him or her with unfiltered raw and/or
analyzed data on every aspect of the department. This continuous flow of information will
assist the Chief of Police and other department managers with making decisions in real
time on crime reduction efforts and risk management issues in all aspects of department
operations.
Compstat Process Implementation Issues
The Compstat Process can be used as a framework for improving performance within an
organization in all sectors, be it within the government, academic, or the business arenas.
The following are some issues that should be explored in the planning stages, when
intending to implement a Compstat performance improvement and management
accountability model in a law enforcement agency.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Upfront cost of data collection and re-design of the Records Management System.
Lack of long-term support for the cost of data systems and personnel.
Downward shift of accountability through all employees.
Training in Compstat processes and procedures.
Dedicated full time administrator to maintain momentum and consistency.
Overemphasis on the process, instead of performance indicators and results.
Analyzed data not being transferred into strategies and action plans.
Resistance to change and the adapting of the process to conditions.
Compstat Meetings—Bringing it all together
YOU CAN DO IT YOUR WAY
There are many individualized versions of the Compstat process currently being used by
various law enforcement entities and, they are all correct for their particular agency.
The Compstat Process—Managing Crime Reduction on the LAPD
November 6, 2008
Page 10
In common, each system is a problem solving model used to facilitate crime reduction with
a corresponding command accountability component. The processes identify established
and emerging crime trends and use available resources to target and reduce those trends.
The core process necessitates meaningful and regularly occurring internal and external
communication before, during and after prescheduled meetings used to review and analyze
designated commanding officers’ abilities to reduce crime in their areas of responsibility.
Also, due to the vast amounts of information involved in modern policing, it is also
necessary to embrace the use of technology to ensure that vital information can be shared
with all levels of the organization. At whatever level can be attained in each of these parts
of the Compstat process, an agency can move forward with adopting a Compstat-style
crime reduction effort. Whether the police department is small or large, customization and
adaptability are two distinct attributes of the system. The following are examples of
methodologies used for specific topics by the LAPD to administer the Compstat process in
the City of Los Angeles.
Compstat Meeting Protocols
The Compstat meetings should be pre-scheduled and an attempt should be made to
schedule all the inspections on the same day of the week and time of the day. This allows
for a consistent regularity that anchors the process in participants’ minds and also assists
with adjusting busy schedules months in advance. There will be times when dates and
times will be changed due to unforeseen situations and there will be times when certain
commands will be scheduled for two sessions in a row due to the incidence of crime or
other reasons. Also, on some occasions, a command might be given a pass from scheduled
attendance due to their area’s good performance.
Real Time Data
Compstat and crime analysis are two different functions, which do work together, but serve
different purposes. Compstat is more of a historical look at crime on a weekly basis.
Crime analysis is a process that needs to be used on a daily basis, and in as real time as
possible. This allows the “cops to be put on the dots.” You will not be successful, if
commanders are talking about crime issues that have occurred several weeks ago and the
first time they hear about current issues is at the Compstat meeting.
Frequency
A key component necessary to generating Compstat process successes in reducing crime is
the dissemination of timely, as close to real time as possible, critical crime intelligence and
quality of life information on which to base the creation of corresponding tactics and
strategies. The size of an agency and types and amount of crime issues it faces will impact
the frequency of the scheduled Compstat meetings.
The Compstat Process—Managing Crime Reduction on the LAPD
November 6, 2008
Page 11
The meetings are not the beginning of the review of existing crime problems in a
command. The direction and subject matter of the meetings are predicated on the results of
day-to-day ongoing reviews of crime throughout the period leading up to the meetings.
Daily command briefings on pertinent crimes such homicides, high profile violent crimes
or serial crimes may identify the need to add a meeting or change prescheduled meetings in
order to respond to emerging crime trends. In a smaller agency, one meeting per week
may suffice for reviewing the entire department’s operations. In a larger agency such as
the LAPD, regularly scheduled meetings have been held routinely at the frequency of one
per week rotating through the various operational subsets of the department. In addition,
specialized unit Compstat meetings can be added, as needed, to address the workload of
subject matter experts such as narcotics, vice or traffic commands.
The Facilitator
For the Compstat process to work better, the Compstat facilitator must be the chief
executive or his or her executive level designee. The chief executive should attend and
facilitate the Compstat meeting in order to exemplify the high priority being placed on the
process from the top down. It is important for the chief executive to demonstrate that the
Compstat process is the preeminent strategy for reducing crime on the department and that
all employees are stakeholders in the process. It is also important for the chief executive to
know how the leadership of the various commands are embracing the process because the
success or failure of the new Compstat methodologies is determined in large part by the
attitudes, behaviors and activities of the department’s employees. Entrenched beliefs that
are resistant to the changes inherent in the Compstat approach to solving crime problems
must be recognized by the chief executive at the meetings and appropriately corrected.
In leading the meetings, the facilitator poses questions to the commanders about crime and
risk management issues in their commands and drills down to the core of the examined
topics. The facilitator addresses the commands’ use of its statistical data and offers
recommendations on their current and future tactics and strategies. It is important for the
facilitator to discuss the issues addressed and actions taken as a result of the previous
Compstat meeting. Special attention should be given to what the commanders advised
they were going to do and hold them accountable for their responses, or lack thereof.
The facilitator should have a wide range of experience in administrative, detective and
patrol operations in order to demonstrate competence in understanding how the numerous
parts of a command fit together into a cohesive structure directed toward accomplishing
goals and objectives. A competent facilitator will educate managers in their roles in the
Compstat process, engender trust and confidence in the ability of the process to achieve its
stated goals, and generate enthusiasm for the concept of teamwork in implementing the
process, as well as enhancing its capabilities to produce positive effects.
The Compstat Process—Managing Crime Reduction on the LAPD
November 6, 2008
Page 12
Required Attendees
In order to hold managers accountable, it is necessary to have open lines of communication
and to clearly define and communicate goals to the individuals assigned within the
organization. Toward this end, specific employees of various ranks and responsibilities
should attend the recurring Compstat meetings. Compstat is a management accountability
process designed for managers to assess the operational effectiveness of the department in
achieving its primary goal of crime reduction. These managers of all levels are then
measured as to their ability to perform in response to a set of existing crime and risk
management conditions in their commands. Selection of required attendees is flexible to
the crime problems. Other attendees can be from support units within or outside the
organization that may have a bearing on the efficient use of resources and/or the creation
of crime reduction strategies, such as crime scene investigation specialists, or district
attorney’s office representatives, etc.
The area commanding officers have the overall responsibility to answer questions
concerning conditions within their commands. They are held accountable for the total
crime picture within their commands and are compared to their peers’ performance in
adjacent areas relative to city averages, percentages of crime and other similar criteria.
Each area commander is supported by personnel from his command including Detective
Squad Supervisors, Narcotics Supervisors and other supervisors who are responsible for
various crime reduction efforts within their area. It is very important that the area
commanding officers have a good understanding of their crime picture, but also have
confidence in, and be willing to relinquish the responsibility of answering technical
questions to, their subordinate supervisors. If an area commander attempts to answer all
the questions, then it becomes apparent that the support personnel have not been educated
and trained in the core principles of Compstat and are not equipped to address the
command’s crime problems with respect to the Compstat methodology.
Note: In assessing the effectiveness of the Compstat process and inspection, an area of
concern was attendees’ perception that each meeting was like a “test” that would
result in a pass or fail designation for individual employees as well as the command
as a whole.
As a result, an inordinate amount of time was being dedicated to preparation for the
Compstat meetings. The accountability component of Compstat is a critical part of the
process but it is not a pass/fail situation. However, the process does appropriately test
employee competency. All personnel of a command should already be able to display an
understanding of their crime problems and discuss ongoing solutions. The preparation for
the Compstat meeting inspection should not be labor intensive. It is merely being able to
discuss what you have done within a designated time frame to reduce crime in your area of
responsibility.
The Compstat Process—Managing Crime Reduction on the LAPD
November 6, 2008
Page 13
Dress Code
The Compstat process model is a formal process of high priority within an organization
attended by the Chief of Police, other command and staff personnel, outside law
enforcement management visitors, representatives from city government, academia, and
the news media as well as community organizers and members, etc. As a coming together
of stakeholders, it is important to convey your commitment to the process by having your
agency’s patrol personnel dressed in their department uniform or, in the case of detectives,
appropriate business attire.
The Room
The Compstat facility does not need to be large or elaborate or contain a lot of expensive
equipment. The room should be equipped with a projector, screen and computers for the
electronic display of analyzed and mapped data for review by the involved parties. All
parts of the visual presentation should be supplemented by printed copies of the data for
each of the command and staff officers attending the meeting.
Seating
Seating for participants should be in a horse shoe shaped configuration. This allows the
parties an appropriate view of each other, speakers standing at a designated podium as well
as the projector screen electronically displaying the analyzed and mapped crime, arrest and
risk management data. Visitor seating will be behind the horse shoe in conventional rows
of chairs.
Data Presentation
Compstat Book and Projected Visual Display
The Compstat book consists of a letter size three-hole binder with tab dividers listed
according to commands and crimes. The size and type of data will vary according to crime
trends and data requests of the Chief of Police. The Compstat book is a printed version of
the crime data visually displayed via laptop computers and projectors onto multiple display
screens.
The Compstat book should stand on its own and be designed to be used independently if
the electronic equipment were to become unserviceable. The Compstat book data is
reviewed and discussed in order of command and crimes and multiple copies are prepared
and assigned to the Compstat meeting facilitator and other designated command personnel.
The Compstat Process—Managing Crime Reduction on the LAPD
November 6, 2008
Page 14
The Compstat book formatting includes the following mechanisms for reporting statistical
data and other information deemed necessary for evaluating police performance and
progress on reducing the amount of crime occurring in a command. Again, keep in mind
that inherent in the tenets of the Compstat process itself is the flexibility to respond to
crime issues as they happen and that any reporting procedures and formats appropriate to
the changing crime environment can be used at any time. The essence of Compstat is to
determine what works, continue to use it, enhance it for better results and discard whatever
is decided to be producing less than optimal results. Departments should tailor fit any data
reporting and comparing mechanisms to their unique strategies and needs.
A. Cover Page
The cover page is placed on the front of the Compstat book and includes the data
extraction period dates and the date scheduled for the Compstat meeting.
B. Recap Report
The Recap Report consists of transcribed notes of the previous Compstat meeting.
The audio of the Compstat meeting is recorded and later transcribed. The notes can
then be discussed for compliance by commanders regarding issues addressed at the
prior meetings.
C. Area Profile
The Area profile is a statistical synopsis of the crime incidents and risk
management issues that occurred in a command during a designated period of time.
Some of the statistics are counted per 28-day Deployment Period and some are
tabulated per monthly increments. The Area Profile is the main indicator of
performance and progress in a command concerning crime reduction and other
areas of inspection. The profile should contain crime and arrest information and
allow a comparison of previous crimes and arrests per the previous Deployment
Period in percentage increase or decrease. It should also indicate year-to-date totals
and percentage increase or decrease as compared to the previous year’s totals.
Any data request can be reported on the Area Profile. The Chief of Police or a
designee decides which data sets are to be reported on the Profile for a specific
period or command. The Profile needs to be flexible and will change, based on the
requests of the Chief or his designated staff representative.
D. Crime Summaries
The Compstat book should contain crime summaries for each crime that will be
addressed during the meeting and inspection.
The Compstat Process—Managing Crime Reduction on the LAPD
November 6, 2008
Page 15
The foundational crimes for review coincide with the FBI’s Uniform Crime
Reporting Program and are those included in Criminal Homicide, Forcible Rape,
Robbery, Assault, Burglary, Larceny-Theft, Motor Vehicle Theft and Arson. The
summary should display the amount of crime that has occurred within the
geographic areas of concern. The crime summary is the starting point for the
discussion of crime issues at the meeting inspections.
E. Crime Maps
The plotting of crime incidents on geographic area maps using Geographic
Information System (GIS) software provides a visual representation snapshot of
crime clusters, trends, series and hot spots. Crime Maps are included for each
corresponding crime being reviewed and are used to query command officers about
the crimes in their areas. Your GIS electronic mapping system maps projected
during the inspection should be capable of displaying the same maps that are
contained in the Compstat book. Additional GIS capabilities provide different map
layers to be overlaid on each other for comparing crime locations to other
indicators, i.e. showing recent assaults in relation to the locations of schools.
F. Performance Indicators
Any performance indicators pertinent to the issues underlying crime analysis and
reduction can be tracked and reviewed at the Compstat meeting inspections. You
can include any statistical data such as field interviews, sick time, clearance rates,
detective productivity, overtime, traffic collisions, response time, on any format of
your choosing. There are a multitude of indicators that could be useful in
measuring a department’s effectiveness and in creating strategies to reduce or
increase the indicators.
G. Comparing the Data
The main gauge of successful progress in fulfilling the mission of the department
and meeting its objectives to reduce the incidence of crime is accomplished through
comparing the numbers of the current crime occurrences to the previous amount of
crime. Whether crime is up or down will help in determining an appropriate course
of action in either an attempt to further reduce the numbers or stop the numbers
from continuing to rise. By comparing this data, adjustments can be made to
existing strategies or decisions can be made to discard old strategies in favor of a
different approach to the problems. The data that is compared needs to be within
the same date and time ranges.
The Compstat Process—Managing Crime Reduction on the LAPD
November 6, 2008
Page 16
Compstat Process Training
It is important that everyone in the organization and particularly the key players in the
command structure of the department understand the Compstat process and how decisions,
resources and personnel fit into the creation of crime reduction strategies, which ultimately
affects the organization’s ability to successfully drive down crime. The basics of the
process can be taught as a part of existing recurring department schools and quarterly
supervisory training. The knowledge of Compstat Principles can be required in the
interview processes for promotions. All of the material related to the Compstat process
needs to be accessible to everyone on the department. This will assist the commanders
with preparing for the Compstat meeting inspections as well as have employees with
experience in Compstat applications when creating and carrying out Compstat strategies.
The LAPD has developed a crime analysis website where Compstat material as well as
prior crime statistics can be posted and readily available to all personnel. In addition, the
hands-on experience of attending a Compstat meeting inspection should be made available
to as many employees as possible. Separate training sessions should be held for command
and staff officers by department Compstat resident experts as to the purpose and outcomes
of Compstat processes and subsequent meeting inspections.
The Compstat Cycle
The implementation of the Compstat process on the LAPD from 2002 to the current day
has been responsible for reductions in crime for every year of a six-year period. The fact is
that Compstat works because the police leaders, managers, detectives and patrol officers
make it work by doing their part in the planning, implementation and assessment of crime
reduction strategies following the Compstat model of problem solving and accountability.
What makes Compstat work consistently is the consistency of application of the Compstat
principles week after week throughout the years. The elements of Compstat’s success on
the LAPD have been the education of police personnel on the principles of the process, the
embracing of the process and its supporting technology by those personnel, the
reengineering of police practices in alignment with the process and a continuous Compstat
cycle of reviewing data, taking action and being accountable for results. These principles
and practices have streamlined the LAPD’s crime fighting abilities and increased its
effectiveness in responding quickly to crime problems as evidenced by the recurring
reduction in the overall occurrence of crime throughout Los Angeles. Recent statistics
compiled by the FBI ranked the City of Los Angeles as the second safest United States city
among those with populations of more than one million. The LAPD’s success in reducing
the incidence of crime as a result of Chief William J. Bratton’s implementation of
Compstat on the department is not the only success story related to the Compstat model.
The Compstat Process—Managing Crime Reduction on the LAPD
November 6, 2008
Page 17
With proper implementation of the Compstat process, education in the use of its principles
and a commitment to an adaptive and consistent Compstat cycle, your agency can be next.
Compstat Work Products
One of the lynch-pin capabilities, which makes the Compstat process a viable and effective
tool in crime reduction is the use of technology to count, compare, map and graphically
display crime data and other organizational information for review and analysis by police
managers. The advent of computer technology allowed the ability to obtain crime data in
“real time.” In the past, crime and arrest data was collected and reviewed but suffered
from the issue of “lag time”, which caused the information to be unusable in addressing
crime trends as they were emerging. The use of computer technology has successfully
impacted an agency’s ability to track crime as it occurs in as close to real time as possible
and use the information to direct its enforcement efforts. The following is a list of
examples of statistical work products created for use at the LAPD Compstat meeting
inspections. The work products are attached to this report and represent the most recent
evolution of subject matter and formatting. These reports are customized to the current
LAPD Compstat process. The information selected for review as well as how it is
presented on the reports is a flexible and changing process in response to a changing crime
environment and the desires and directions of LAPD executive, command, staff and
management personnel.
1. Screen Shot of LAPD Compstat (Crime Analysis) Unit Website-----displaying a
multitude of examples of work products that have been used during Compstat meetings
and archived for future reference.
2. Compstat Command Profile-----representing crime, arrest, risk management and other
information for an Area and the primary document for review.
3. Compstat Area Ranking Report-----representing 2008 VS 2007 year-to-date crime
comparison for violent, property, and combined Part I crime.
4. LAPD Crime and Arrest Activity by Week Report-----representing a comparison of
10 weeks of violent crime, property crime and arrests.
5. Victims Shot Comparison Report-----representing a year-to-date comparison of the
number of victims shot for 2007/2008 compiled by Area, Bureau and Citywide.
6. Compstat Crime Map-----representing the location of occurrences of Homicides,
Rapes, Robberies and Aggravated Assaults for an Area for a four-week
Deployment Period broken down into four 6-hour time periods.
The Compstat Process—Managing Crime Reduction on the LAPD
November 6, 2008
Page 18
Recommended Resources
The following resources are available to get a more comprehensive look at the history of
the Compstat process on the LAPD and how its evolution through the efforts of Chief of
Police William J. Bratton caused it to become a preeminent crime fighting tool for law
enforcement in the United States as well as its expansion to other countries in the world.
1. LAPD Website—WWW. Lapdonline.org-------The official website of the LAPD has
Compstat process information and work products available for review including such
topics as Crime Maps, Current Crime Statistics, Summaries Archive, Gang Crime, etc.
2. William J. Bratton Autobiography:
TURNAROUND: How America’s Top Cop Reversed the Crime Epidemic
Authors: William Bratton & Peter Knobler
Publisher: Random House, Copyright 1998
This critically acclaimed autobiography was named
the New York Times Notable Book of the Year.
3. Jack Maple: The origin of the Compstat process on the NYPD
THE CRIME FIGHTER: Putting the Bad Guys Out of Business
Authors: Jack Maple & Chris Mitchell
Publisher: Random House, Copyright 1999
A personal account by the former NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Crime Control
Strategies on how to make your communities crime free
4. Vincent E. Henry: A comprehensive study of Compstat in police history and reform
THE COMPSTAT PARADIGM: Management Accountability in Policing,
Business and the Public Sector
Author: Vincent E. Henry
Publisher: Looseleaf Law Publications, Inc., Copyright 2002, 2003
Vincent Henry creates an accurate accounting of the revolution that occurred on
the New York Police Department in 1994 and the impact of the Compstat process
on policing and criminal justice systems in the United States and abroad.
5. Detective III Jeff Godown: Officer in Charge of the LAPD’s Compstat Unit and
subject matter expert on the LAPD’s Compstat Process, Tel. No. (213) 847-0080.
Report Prepared by: Compstat Unit