Evaluate Performance Measurement within Criminal Justice Entities

Baker 3 is an integral unit within the policing department tasked with implementing a community-oriented policing program. The unit has helped to improve trust and collaboration between local communities and the police. This has resulted in increased transparency and reporting. Baker 3 has been successful in enhancing relations between the police and the community. However, the traditional performance appraisal technique does not suit Baker 3's performance since its operations are not regular police work. There is a need for a new appraisal technique that suits the Baker 3's roles and responsibilities. The report presents Management by objective (MBO) appraisal method as a viable technique for appraising Baker 3's performance. 

Job Description 

Baker 3 

Baker 3 operates under the Community Oriented Policing (COP) Program. COP focuses on establishing collaboration between police and the community. The Partnership under the COP program is used to identify and solve social problems. Baker 3 police are required to collaborate with community residents to maintain order. Police are required to establish trust and cooperation with the community. They are also required to collect information on crime from community residents and act on the intelligence to prevent crime. Police must identify problems, develop appropriate solutions, and appraise results to ensure order within the community (What Is Community Policing? 2018). Baker 3 is tasked with maintaining order in the community. 

Patrol Unit 

Patrol Units are tasked with protecting communities by enforcing laws and maintaining order. The unit is tasked with patrolling local communities and receiving dispatch calls for services to help avert crime, arrest violators of the law, and aiding citizens needing assistance (Patrol Officer Job Description, n.d.). Investigate reports of criminal activities, interviews witnesses and victims to collect evidence. Police within the unit also enforce traffic laws. The patrol unit can also perform other roles assigned by the policing department. The patrol unit plays an integral role in maintaining order within communities. 

Comparing and Contrasting Baker 3 and the Patrol Unit 

There are several similarities and differences between the job description of the patrol unit and baker 3. One critical similarity between Baker 3 and the patrol unit is that both work to maintain order within the community. Both policing units are tasked with investing in criminal behavior and using information from victims and witnesses as evidence in investigations and criminal proceedings. Nonetheless, there are several critical differences between policing units. For instance, Baker 3 takes a proactive approach that focuses on establishing collaboration with the community (What Is Community Policing? 2018). The approach builds trust with the community and enables them to report activities allowing police to prevent crime before it occurs. On the other hand, patrol units take a reactive approach. Under the approach where a crime occurs within the community and police react accordingly. Additionally, Baker 3 establishes trust within the communities through improved communication and collaboration. On the other hand, the patrol unit has not established good communication with communities because it does not prioritize collaboration. 

Method of Appraising 

The performance appraisal process is significant for law enforcement departments as it underwrites police productivity and enhances their outcomes. Different appraisal methods can be used to analyze the Baker 3's performance. The best method to analyze Baker 3's performance is the Management by objective (MBO) appraisal method. MBO appraisal method refers to a process where superiors and subordinates come together to identify shared goals; the subordinates set their objectives to be attained, the standards to be used as the criteria for measurement of their performance and contribution, and determining the course of action to be pursued ( Jaiswal, 2020 ). Baker 3's job description is different from that of the regular patrol unit. Therefore, they should not be appraised using the traditional appraisal method because their work differs from "regular" police work, which might place them at a disadvantage. 

The MBO appraisal technique is best suited to appraise Baker 3's performance. Sergeant Gina Thompson can collaborate with Captain Jesse Davis to identify common objectives that should be evaluated during the appraisal. The objectives should be centered on the community-outreach policing program. Sergeant Thompson can then collaborate with the police within the Baker 3 unit to set individual goals that need to be attained under the COP program. They will also be able to develop standards for the measurement of their performance. Sergeant Thompson and Captain Davis can then decide on the course of action after the appraisal. According to Jaiswal (2020), the MBO appraisal technique is advantageous because it creates empowers staff who have clarity in the roles and responsibilities expected of them. Police in Baker 3 unit will also understand the goals to be attained. Striving to meet MBO appraisal standards will help Baker 3 meet personal goals as well as institutional objectives. 

Human Error that Occurs During Evaluation and Possible Solution 

Performance appraisal may be impacted by human error, which can undermine the quality of the assessment. It is important to understand the different human errors that are common during performance appraisal and develop solutions that can be used to address them and ensure a fair evaluation. One common human error is the halo effect. This human error occurs when people performing the appraisal have overly positive views about given employees or units. The halo effect undermines performance evaluation quality, resulting in inaccurate assessments ( Yustina & Gudono, 2017 ). The human error can make evaluators give Baker 3 a high rating and fail to identify improvement areas. The halo effect can be addressed through different cognitive techniques to remove bias. For instance, evaluators can create two conceivable impressions for Baker 3 to eliminate any likelihood of favoritism. Stereotyping is another significant human error that can affect the quality of performance evaluation. Evaluators tend to rely on different stenotypes connected to race and gender when performing appraisals instead of constricting assessment using agreed upon criteria and processes (Mackenzie, Wehner & Correll, 2019). Stereotyping affects performance evaluation quality since people are evaluated based on their gender, religion, and race instead of their performance in the workplace. Evaluators can address this error by being aware of existing stereotypes and avoiding them during the appraisal. Additionally, they can follow the set procedure and guidelines to assess Baker 3's performance. 

Features of the Evaluation Process that can Improve Reliability and Validity of Appraisal Results 

The performance evaluation process must integrate critical features to ensure the validity and reliability of performance outcomes for Baker 3. One essential feature that needs to be integrated into the performance appraisal process is creating clear appraisal objectives. The evaluators must develop clear objectives for Baker 3. The goals should be connected to the community-oriented policing program. According to Van Dijk & Schodl (2015), performance assessment criteria should also encompass motivational aspects for the Baker 3, including feedback, satisfaction, and acceptance. Another critical feature is performance criteria and guidelines. This will encompass the guideline on the rules, appraisal procedures together with the performance standards and criteria. Following set guidelines will direct evaluators on the entire performance appraisal process and help eliminate bias that can impact the quality of the assessment. Integrating these features will allow evaluators to ensure reliability and validity of the performance evaluation for Baker 3. 

Conclusion 

The MBO appraisal method is suited to Baker 3's performance. It will allow for collaborations between the policing unit and supervisors to create objectives that must be addressed under the COP program. The appraisal technique should also incorporate approaches to mitigate human error. Stereotyping can be addressed by being aware of existing stereotypes and following set rules and criteria throughout the appraisal. The Halo effect can be addressed by creating two conceivable impressions for Baker 3. The appraisal method should also incorporate performance criteria and guidelines and clear appraisal objectives that can enhance the performance result's reliability and validity for Baker 3. 

References 

Jaiswal, B. (2020). Traditional methods of performance appraisal. Department of Library and Information Science, Lucknow University, https://www.lkouniv.ac.in/site/writereaddata/siteContent/202004032240236202babita_jais_Methods_of_Performance_Appraisal.pdf 

Mackenzie, L., Wehner, J., & Correll, S. (2019 January, 11). Why most performance evaluations are biased and how to fix them. Harvard Business Review , https://hbr.org/2019/01/why-most-performance-evaluations-are-biased-and-how-to-fix-them 

Patrol officer job description . (n.d.). Grandview Police Department, http://www.cityofgrandview.org/DocumentCenter/View/673 

What is community policing? (2018). International Association of Chiefs of Police, https://www.discoverpolicing.org/explore-the-field/what-is-community-policing/#:~:text=Community%20policing%20officers%20are%20encouraged,is%20more%20proactive%20than%20reactive.&text=Officers%20identify%20and%20prioritize%20problems,the%20scope%20of%20the%20problem

Yustina, A. I., & Gudono, G. (2017). Halo effect in subjective performance evaluation bias.  Journal of Economics, Business, & Accountancy Ventura ,  19 (3), 393-404.