The evaluation of the performance of the individual members of organizations is a common practice in most American organizations of significant size, and the practice is found in most public sector organizations regardless of size, and most police organizations regardless of size (Reaves, 1989, pp. 1-12). The effectiveness of performance evaluation, however, tends to vary widely among organizations.
The purpose of this research is to assess the practice of personnel performance evaluation at the Haddon Heights, New Jersey Police Department. This assessment is limited to the evaluation of the performance of uniformed personnel. As a part of this research, the practice of performance evaluation as an organizational function is examined with a view toward the development of the evaluative criteria to be applied to the practice of personnel performance evaluation by the Haddon Heights Police Department.
Effectiveness Criteria For Performance Evaluation
Several factors that characterize an effective performance appraisal process have been identified through the conduct of studies reported in the literature. Among these factors are objectivity, validity, and reliability (Gortner, 1992, p. 207).
Objectivity in performance evaluation means that the process must provide an evaluator with a means of measuring performance criteria that does not require a subjective act on the part of the evaluator (Gortner, p. 289).
There are indications in the literature that employees prefer objective performance appraisal processes to subjective approaches (Grant, 1988, pp. 38-45). One means of accomplishing this goal involves the use of a criterion-based evaluation tool with a rating scale format. The rating scale format has been found to enhance the probability of attaining several of the required goals with respect to personnel performance evaluation.
The goals, the attainment of which may be enhanced through the use of a ra...