Service With A Customer Focus: An Assessment of Seattle Police Department Procedures, Tactics and Resource Factors

• In Event: Poster Session

Abstract

This research project evaluates the current procedures and tactics of the Seattle Police Department’s (SPD) service, with the intent to increase efficiency and responsiveness in ways to strengthen customer focus at an organizational level. More specifically, the project provides an assessment of the Seattle Police Department’s (SPD) customer service as it is related to specific resource factors: bicycle beats, foot patrols, precinct lobby clerks, and storefronts. Law enforcement customer service is redefined and analyzed as service with a customer focus. The study hypothesizes that the East Precinct of SPD’s customer service is on par with department standards, current practices from the literature, and the public’s ideals, as well as police officers' assessment of what "excellent service" looks like. Findings indicate that elements of SPD continue to be deficient with respect to service with a customer focus at an organizational level; however, at the individual level a number of specific resource factors do contribute to excellent daily interactions with the public. Implications of these findings will be discussed.

Author

• Billie Jean Davidson, Seattle University