ISLAMABAD: In a departure from the past, the capital police high command has introduced a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) to evaluate its officers for nominating for the ‘Cop of the Month’ award - one for each wing of the police department.

Though senior police officers will continue recommending the officer worthy of the award, they will take help from digital technology in evaluating performance because Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has decided to hand out the award personally, and on merit, sources told Dawn.

“They see problems for themselves if anyone challenges their recommendation as favoritism,” said an officer.

Like in other government departments, promotions and rewards recommended by the inspector general of police, his deputies and subdivisional police officers sometimes gave rise to heart burnings and accusations that their choices were influenced by their personal likes and dislikes. Jealousy that it created poisoned the ranks and also demoralised the professional and result-oriented officials, according to police sources.

“Such complaints simmered for long and often led senior officers to satisfy the complainants in other ways. But now KPI will shield them from such situations,” said one police officer.

SP Mohammd Ilyas of the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) visualised the concept of KPI and it has been implemented in that unit first.

Police sources pointed out that the SIU comprised Anti-Car Lifting Cell, Investigation Wing and Crime Investigation Agency and every wing is subdivided into further units consisting of an average of five officials, headed by an upper subordinate. The system provides real-time assessment of performance evaluation at the SIU wings and units.

Because of the specialised nature of the task, the reward system works on the basis of allocation of points to a unit as a whole, which is the lowest denomination at the SIU, the sources said. As many as 16 performance indicators had been set for the award of points in view of approved completion of tasks as reflected in case files.

According to the sources, the system is capable of generating three types of reports - summery, detailed and comparative - automatically and distributed to the respective wings and units for perusal and analysis of performance. SP investigation will hold fortnightly meetings where performance would be discussed based on these reports.

The top performing unit of each wing would be awarded certificates and rewards while show cause notices would be served to the lowest performing unit of each wing, said the sources. Fairness and accuracy of the evaluation have been ensured by automating the award of points through software, they said. That will promote healthy, competitive environment, transparent and informed performance assessment for all stakeholders, acknowledgement of high achievers and peer pressure/departmental proceedings for under achievers.

They promised motivation for upper subordinates to perform with minimum clerical support and futuristic design for seamless adoption of the system for police organisation and selection for nomination of cop of the month on tangible criteria.

Published in Dawn, March 18th, 2016