Police Use of Computers

Computerized search systems have been one of the most widely deployed management science technologies in the fight against crime. But how effective are they, and are they being fully exploited? Using data from a repeated-measures field study of police computer users conducted in 1976 and 1988, clear evidence is provided to demonstrate significant growth in the use of such systems and the payoffs from such use. Correlates of use among 822 police professionals in the 1988 study also reveal that poor user interfaces accompany police search systems, and a lack of comprehensive police training in the use of such systems could be undermining their usefulness. It is suggested that the user interface problem is nearly insurmountable for local police agencies but that effective training might be substituted for inadequate user interface design. Recommendations are provided to address the problems of training.