Webinar Review: The ROI of Applied Research in Law Enforcement

In a recent webinar, Steve Brewer of Benchmark Analytics and Chief Greg Weber explored how data-driven approaches—similar to baseball’s “Moneyball” revolution—can transform law enforcement agencies and improve officer wellness, reduce injuries, and lower liability claims.

The Moneyball Analogy in Law Enforcement

Just as the Oakland Athletics revolutionized baseball by using outcome-based metrics instead of conventional wisdom, law enforcement agencies can benefit from focusing on performance outcomes rather than just activities. Traditional metrics like citation counts or arrests are being supplemented with more meaningful data-driven policing measurements such as proportionality of force and injury rates per interaction.

“Conventional wisdom, if we want to challenge that for a few moments today, is that if we do our jobs well in risk management, we will be avoiding claims. And because we’re avoiding claims, therefore, we can’t measure this,” explained Brewer. “I can tell you with certainty that measuring avoided claims is possible.”

Evidence-Based Practices That Work

According to Chief Weber, after-action reviews represent one of the most powerful evidence-based practices agencies can implement. “When you find people doing the right thing and showcase them doing the right thing and market that to the whole department… they’re going to emulate what they’re told or what’s reinforced or what’s rewarded,” he observed.

This approach creates a culture of learning in which departments identify not just what went wrong but also what went right in each situation. The practice is highly scalable and works for agencies of all sizes.

Data-Driven Policing Culture

Chief Weber noted that law enforcement has already embraced data analysis in crime-solving: “We utilize crime analysts in the performance of our duties. Why would we not do that when it comes to officer performance? It’s really kind of utilizing the same principles.”

This data-focused mindset helps agencies demonstrate value to both their officers and communities. As Weber explained, “I think people are actually pleased to see that organizations really are doing a deeper dive into how they run their organization.”

Measuring ROI Through Research

Benchmark’s approach involves designing hypotheses about what programs will improve outcomes, capturing operational data before and after implementation, and measuring the results. Their research shows that some programs work better for certain sizes of agencies than others.

For agencies interested in implementing these approaches, the process is straightforward: “You produce a loss run, which most pools have out of their standard systems… Send us a loss run. That’s it,” explained Brewer.

By applying these research-based methods, law enforcement agencies can achieve measurable improvements in officer wellness, retention, and risk reduction—ultimately creating safer communities and more sustainable departments.