Page 31 - PCPA Fall 2025 Bulletin Magazine

5 DATA-DRIVEN STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE POLICE PERFORMANCE AND TRUST
“Data can be a great asset to lead-
ership,” Selzer says. “You want to
be able to identify something before
something happens, and then maybe
change the policies, change the train-
ing.” To do that, he says, “you need to
have actionable data.”
Ambrose supported this point from a
risk management perspective: “We’re
way past the days of trying to fig-
ure out how to do this. We definitely
have to shift our thinking and our ap-
proaches on how we collect data and
then how we utilize it.”
Yes, collecting use-of-force reports,
claims data and early intervention
flags can expose problems. But it can
also show what’s working. Corrective
action can include training, counsel-
ling and other early interventions. The
ultimate goal, though, is to make peo-
ple better, not punish them.
2. Transparency Builds Trust
Data doesn’t just benefit internal per-
formance; it also helps foster trans-
parency for external stakeholders by
demonstrating accountability to your
community and elected officials.
“When you collect data on everything
we’ve talked about, you can extrapo-
late it, build a report and bring that
data to those meetings,” Ambrose
explains. “Even if you have some
negative incidents, that just gives
transparency and builds trust and
confidence in your elected officials
and your community.”
It’s important to note the goal here is
not to justify the actions of your of-
ficers or your agency. But just like in
high school math class, showing your
work is crucial. An agency willing to
examine itself, report its results and
make adjustments publicly is one that
builds long-term
3. Training Isn’t Just a Checkbox
Training is often the very first thing to
go out the window when time, staff
or budget are limited. But according
to Ranalli, that can be a huge mis-
take. “Training is the first thing cut
when time is tight,” he says, “but it’s
the first thing that gets you in trouble
when things go wrong.”
Rather than training for the sake of
checking boxes, the panelists stress a
smarter approach. One benefit to col-
lecting information is that you can let
the data guide your training priorities.
Are your officers consistently having
trouble with pursuits? Are use-of-
force reports showing poor decision-
making under stress? Let that inform
your next in-service training.
Selzer gives the example of OC spray.
If an analysis of the data shows it’s not
working because officers are using
it from 20 feet away, that’s not a tool
problem. It’s a training opportunity.
Ambrose also notes the link between
claims data and training. “It’s the
high-frequency, low-severity things
that add up and get you in a jam,”
he says. In his role as director of
Risk Management for Midwest Public
Risk, claims data directly influenced
training: “We used those claims to
structure our entire training platform.”
4. Claims Data Reveals
the Bigger Picture
Speaking of claims, many line-level
officers may not realize how much in-
formation gets unearthed during civil
litigation. When claims start piling up,
though, it impacts more than just your
legal budget.
“Risk pools know who the bad play-
ers are,” Ambrose says. “They know
who’s causing the big payouts. And
that raises your premiums, which af-
fects your department budget.”
Ambrose adds that claims data can
shine a spotlight on troublesome be-
haviors, helping leaders identify of-
ficers who may need retraining, reas-
signment or even wellness services.
From the agency perspective, failing
to track this information is a risk in it-
self. It can lead to a pattern that only
becomes visible during discovery —
when it’s too late to fix it.
5. Comprehensive Metrics
Can Save Lives and Careers
Whether it’s pursuits, complaints,
vehicle damage or community inter-
actions, collecting and analyzing a
broad range of data points helps pre-
vent problems and support officers.
“You can’t collect data just for the
sake of collecting it,” Selzer says. “It
has to be actionable.”
That might mean tracking which de-
escalation tactics actually get used in
the field. Or identifying officers whose
complaint patterns suddenly shift.
Or logging compliments, so you can
single officers out for praise or com-
mendation.
More than once, the panel stressed
how comprehensive data collection
is about seeing the whole person.
If an officer with a spotless record
suddenly has issues, the data might
show he’s dealing with a personal
crisis — giving leadership an oppor-
tunity to intervene with support, not
punishment.
“You want to collect data to identify
issues before something happens,”
Selzer says. “It could be the one thing
that prevents a life-altering decision.”
The Future Is Proactive
Law enforcement is changing. The
agencies that excel will be the ones
that use data not as a hammer, but
as a spotlight. Not just to catch prob-
lems, but to understand them. Not
just to react, but to lead.
“Let’s stop blaming and start fixing,”
Chief Ranalli says. “If we have the
tools and the ability to help officers
get better and learn how to do the
right things for the right reasons, then
that’s the future of law enforcement.”
www.lexipol.com
844-312-9500
info@lexipol.com
31
FALL 2025 BULLETIN