• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • The Magazine
  • Events
  • Partners
  • Products
  • Contact
  • Jobs and Careers
  • Advertise
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Subscribe
American Police Beat

American Police Beat Magazine

Law Enforcement Publication

  • Home
  • Leadership
    • Do you know your emotional intelligence?
      Addressing racism in the workplace
      Supervisory actions: Deliberate style or weak skills?
      Are performance evaluations worth the effort?
      Leaders — the good, the bad and the horrible
  • Topics
    • Leadership
      • Do you know your emotional intelligence?
        Addressing racism in the workplace
        Supervisory actions: Deliberate style or weak skills?
        Are performance evaluations worth the effort?
        Leaders — the good, the bad and the horrible
    • Editor’s Picks
      • The future is here
        A winding road
        Do you know your emotional intelligence?
        Law enforcement responds to tragic Texas flooding
        “Hold my beer”
    • On the Job
      • A winding road
        Law enforcement responds to tragic Texas flooding
        I brought home a dog
        Six Mexican cartels designated as terrorist organizations
        Police chief: Officers likely prevented further violence in Minnesota...
    • Labor
      • Building positive media relations
        LEO labor and community outreach — make the haters scoff
        Racing with a purpose
        Dallas Police Department drops college requirement for police...
        Small Texas town left without a police force after firing its last...
    • Tech
      • The future is here
        How local police departments can combat cybercrime
        Your website is your front desk
        Telegram investigations
        Florida sheriff’s office deploys cutting-edge forensic tool to...
    • Training
      • Using critical thinking to crack the case
        Navigating cultural and language barriers
        Why you should pocket carry
        The future is here
        Training for tomorrow
    • Policy
      • California lawmakers push mask ban for officers, raising safety...
        Proactive policing: What it is and how to do it
        California makes police misconduct records publicly available
        A bold idea for reducing homelessness in America
        No degree, no badge?
    • Health/Wellness
      • A golden key to suicide prevention
        The urgency to protect those who protect us
        Wellness for warriors: C.O.P.S. can help
        When knowing isn’t enough
        The mindfulness practice of conscious awareness to enhance resilience
    • Community
      • A bold idea for reducing homelessness in America
        Operation Brain Freeze keeps community cool
        Turning over a new leaf
        Bridging the Gap Between Cops and Kids
        An unexpected reunion
    • Offbeat
      • Not eggzactly a perfect heist
        Pizza … with a side of alligator?
        Wisconsin man charged with impersonating Border Patrol agent twice in...
        Only in California?
        Durango, Colorado, police hop into action after unusual 9-1-1 call
    • We Remember
      • York County ambush leaves three officers dead, others critically...
        Honoring the Fallen Heroes of 9/11
        Team Romeo
        National Police Week 2025
        Honoring Fallen Heroes
    • HOT Mail
      • The War on Cops Continues Unabated
  • On the Job
    • A winding road
      Law enforcement responds to tragic Texas flooding
      I brought home a dog
      Six Mexican cartels designated as terrorist organizations
      Police chief: Officers likely prevented further violence in Minnesota...
  • Labor
    • Building positive media relations
      LEO labor and community outreach — make the haters scoff
      Racing with a purpose
      Dallas Police Department drops college requirement for police...
      Small Texas town left without a police force after firing its last...
  • Tech
    • The future is here
      How local police departments can combat cybercrime
      Your website is your front desk
      Telegram investigations
      Florida sheriff’s office deploys cutting-edge forensic tool to...
  • Training
    • Using critical thinking to crack the case
      Navigating cultural and language barriers
      Why you should pocket carry
      The future is here
      Training for tomorrow
  • Policy
    • California lawmakers push mask ban for officers, raising safety...
      Proactive policing: What it is and how to do it
      California makes police misconduct records publicly available
      A bold idea for reducing homelessness in America
      No degree, no badge?
  • Health/Wellness
    • A golden key to suicide prevention
      The urgency to protect those who protect us
      Wellness for warriors: C.O.P.S. can help
      When knowing isn’t enough
      The mindfulness practice of conscious awareness to enhance resilience
  • Community
    • A bold idea for reducing homelessness in America
      Operation Brain Freeze keeps community cool
      Turning over a new leaf
      Bridging the Gap Between Cops and Kids
      An unexpected reunion
  • Offbeat
    • Not eggzactly a perfect heist
      Pizza … with a side of alligator?
      Wisconsin man charged with impersonating Border Patrol agent twice in...
      Only in California?
      Durango, Colorado, police hop into action after unusual 9-1-1 call
  • We Remember
    • York County ambush leaves three officers dead, others critically...
      Honoring the Fallen Heroes of 9/11
      Team Romeo
      National Police Week 2025
      Honoring Fallen Heroes
  • HOT Mail
    • The War on Cops Continues Unabated
  • About
  • The Magazine
  • Events
  • Partners
  • Products
  • Contact
  • Jobs and Careers
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
Search

Labor

Dallas Police Chief introduces algorithm-based personnel intervention system to assess officer behavioral risk, raises concerns that it could be used to punish officers

APB Team Published November 1, 2021 @ 12:00 pm PDT

iStock.com/Kirkikis
Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia (Dallas Police Department)

The Dallas Police Chief introduced the department’s tentative new personnel intervention system to the city council, which will assess officer behavioral risk and allow supervisors to intervene and manage officers flagged for atypical behavior patterns.

While the chief defended the system developed by law enforcement technology company Benchmark Analytics as a means to help officers with their productivity without punishing them, police union officials are concerned it will be used rather as a means to label and punish officers.

Chief Eddie Garcia argued that the new alert system will help restore the community’s trust by identifying officers who need greater supervision. He told the city’s public safety committee that the goal of the system is to intervene in a “nonpunitive” way to help officers have a successful career.

Officials say the system focuses on improving officers’ interpersonal skills, such as time management, respectfulness, leadership, community engagement and conflict resolution.

“Regardless (of) the caliber of officer on day one, sometimes that caliber of officer in year five, year six, year seven is a different individual based on things that occurred in his or her career,” García said.

The Benchmark Management System (BMS) aggregates data about an officer and compares it with data from an officer’s peers. For example, it evaluates an officer’s use-of-force background, external and internal complaints, traffic stops, arrests and other information, and compares that with data from colleagues of similar rank and level of experience.

According to The Dallas Morning News, the system then calculates a risk assessment for each officer based on the data, quantifying how far their behavioral patterns stray from the norm. Officers with activity patterns outside the norm and who are determined to be at risk are “flagged,” which alerts supervisors to implement “advisory or actionable intervention.” Supervisors then meet with the officer to discuss their behaviors, actions and well-being, as well as determine areas for improvement.

Deputy police Chief William Griffith said the system is already being used by some metropolitan cities like Phoenix, Arizona, adding that its research-based approach can proactively help officers before adverse events occur.

Nick Montgomery, chief research officer with Benchmark Analytics, said an average of 4 to 6% of Dallas’ officers – roughly 126 to 189 – will be flagged over the course of a year based on the algorithm.

Some council members, like Cara Mendelsohn, raised concerns about the system’s punitive nature, as it generates a list of “flagged” officers rather than a list for supportive outreach. She also was wary about evaluating officers based on an algorithm.

“What I’m concerned about is that officers are going to be identified by an algorithm that we don’t even know what’s part of it, sounds a little like Facebook to me, and we’re going to have no input on,” Mendelsohn said.

Garcia assured that the system will not be used for disciplinary action but for proactive career support.

“This is not necessarily going towards a disciplinary action, this is to save our officers and to save their careers and to save the integrity and professionalism of the Dallas Police Department,” García assured. “And to try to find ways to intervene sooner rather than later.”

However, some police union officials are not convinced, arguing that such a system could infringe on officers’ rights.

Dallas Police Association president Mike Mata called for greater transparency, and criticized the system for keeping “a record of officers and circumvents any type of due process,” as well as labeling officers without “properly looking at the situation.”

“They need to be a little bit more transparent with the rank and file on how this is exactly going to be implemented before anything goes into actual use,” Mata said.

Police officials at the council meeting said that transparency is built into the system since supervisors must send their decision up the chain of command for approval.

Mata said he will closely observe the system’s reports to ensure they’re being carried out fairly.

“We’re going to keep very close eyes on it and if there’s any abuse or improper labeling of officers we will take whatever means necessary to address it,” he said.

Categories: Labor Tags: Benchmark Analytics, management, labor, officer behavior, punitive, Dallas Police Association, City Council, Dallas Police Department, Eddie Garcia, personnel intervention system

Primary Sidebar

Recent Articles

  • National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund launches 2025 Bid for the Badge online auction
  • National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund announces “Restoring the Ranks” conference on recruitment and retention
  • York County ambush leaves three officers dead, others critically wounded
  • California lawmakers push mask ban for officers, raising safety concerns
  • A golden key to suicide prevention
  • Building positive media relations
  • The urgency to protect those who protect us
  • Wellness for warriors: C.O.P.S. can help
  • When knowing isn’t enough
  • Honoring the Fallen Heroes of 9/11

Footer

Our Mission
To serve as a trusted voice of the nation’s law enforcement community, providing informative, entertaining and inspiring content on interesting and engaging topics affecting peace officers today.

Contact us: info@apbweb.com | (800) 234-0056.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Categories

  • Editor’s Picks
  • On the Job
  • Labor
  • Tech
  • Training
  • Policy
  • Health/Wellness
  • Community
  • Offbeat
  • We Remember
  • Jobs and Careers
  • Events

Editor’s Picks

The future is here

The future is here

August 21, 2025

A winding road

A winding road

August 20, 2025

Do you know your emotional intelligence?

Do you know your emotional intelligence?

August 17, 2025

Law enforcement responds to tragic Texas flooding

Law enforcement responds to tragic Texas flooding

August 11, 2025

Policies | Consent Preferences | Copyright © 2025 APB Media, LLC | Website design, development and maintenance by 911MEDIA

Open

Subscribe

Close

Receive the latest news and updates from American Police Beat directly to your inbox!

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.