| In 1994, during the tenure of former New York City Police Commissioner William Bratton, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) developed a new model for managing and controlling its myriad crime fighting strategies and operations. This model, known as Compstat, is based upon four essential principles: accurate and timely information; rapid deployment; effective tactics; and relentless follow-up and assessment. Compstat is generally perceived as one of the more significant and successful recent innovations in the field of policing and is largely credited with contributing to the dramatic reduction in the rate of reported violent crimes in New York City during the 1990's. This study is an intellectual history of Compstat. That is, this study utilizes the methods of oral and intellectual history to trace the idea of Compstat from its inception, through a period of wider acceptance, to the point of its successful implementation.; This study describes the essential characteristics of the Compstat model and attempts to identify predecessor concepts and practices that might have directly or indirectly influenced Compstat's development within the NYPD. Several such concepts and practices are identified and discussed. The study utilizes a unique medium, video, to capture and present the rich narratives of those individuals who were chiefly responsible for Compstat's design and implementation.; The present research concludes that a variety of Compstat-like processes and programs were operating in other police agencies prior to 1994, but that none employed a central forum for the open exchange and use of crime fighting information in the manner that Compstat does. Indeed, the author suggests that this is actually the defining characteristic of the Compstat model.; This study concludes that Compstat did materially alter the NYPD's decision-making, communication and information management processes, as well as its organizational culture. It further concludes that Compstat is a viable and sustainable strategy for performance assessment and the strategic management of police agencies.; This paper is accompanied by a compact disc which includes additional video footage.*; *This dissertation is a compound document (contains both a paper copy and a CD as part of the dissertation). The CD requires the following system requirements: Windows; Microsoft Office; MediaPlayer or RealPlayer. |
