Build a High-Trust Culture with Performance Reviews That Actually Work

Every command staffer knows this situation: Paper packets of performance reviews circulate, checklists get misplaced, deadlines slide, and by summer, someone discovers a missing review. Retired Deputy Chief Anthony Addante knows this well, as he shared a similar story in our recent webinar, “How to Tackle Annual Reviews Without the Stress,” and explained how he recognized the need to turn things around if annual reviews were to be taken seriously and foster growth within his agency.

The immediate cost of a broken review system is time. The larger cost is cultural, which can quickly spread across your agency. Incomplete or inconsistent evaluations undermine trust, fuel grievances, and weaken the agency’s risk posture.

Modernizing this process with better strategy and technology is not about replacing leadership. It is about giving leaders the tools and shared view they need to coach people well and document it consistently.

“We would miss a review, and then I get that pit in my stomach the following June and go, ‘My goodness, we don’t have that review.’ And so then, as a leader, you own it, but then you have to find a way to fix it… And my solution was partnering with Frontline.”

Deputy Chief Anthony Addante (ret.)

What great reviews look like in policing

The recent webinar explored what review systems should look like for law enforcement agencies. A great review cycle should capture a complete picture for every officer, dispatcher, or team member while reducing administrative burden.

Technology can help to bring this standardization across your agency, as explained by speakers Mike Celano and Deputy Chief Anthony Addante (ret.).

Here are six ways to create a strong review cycle that encourages growth, compliance, and readiness:

1) Consistent, role-specific standards. Patrol, probationary officers, detectives, sergeants, and civilian staff do different work. One generic form cannot fairly capture performance. Agencies need tailored criteria and definitions for each role to create standardization and make success clear.

2) Continuous feedback, not an October surprise. The annual document should summarize a year of conversations, not introduce new concerns. A performance review platform should provide a way for supervisors to log noteworthy events, coaching moments, and commendations during the year, making the final review faster and far more accurate.

3) Clear workflows and deadlines. Reviews should move through the chain with automatic routing, due dates, and nudges. Everyone can see the status at a glance, which prevents bottlenecks when a signer is on leave or running behind on due dates.

4) Goals you can track. Goals are often forgotten and undermanaged in public safety. Creating concrete, time-bound goals aligned to agency priorities gives officers a target and gives supervisors a coaching cadence.

5) Campaigns at scale. When review season hits, supervisors should receive their assigned people and correct forms automatically. That upfront clarity eliminates year-end scramble and “who am I evaluating” confusion.

6) Integration with conduct and training records. A fair evaluation reflects the whole picture, including training completions, commendations, complaints, and use of force thresholds. Centralizing this data strengthens documentation and reduces liability exposure.

“With a system like Performance Tracker, or like an evaluation system, having everything in one place means that those reviews don’t get lost anymore. We’re able to stay on schedule, keep data fed in throughout the year, and really give you a full story about that employee’s performance throughout the year.”

Mike Celano, Frontline Account Executive

Vector Solutions

Why this matters for readiness and risk

Evaluations are not just paperwork. When done well, they are an effective early intervention and talent development system. They help create a culture of consistent improvement that can fuel agency and officer growth and provide a platform for high performers to shine. Consistent documentation also creates legally defensible records, supports promotional decisions, and helps catch performance issues before they become critical incidents. Transparent conduct tracking with approval workflows and audit trails further strengthens fairness and accountability across the agency.

What to look for in a solution

What should you be looking for in a performance tracking solution like Frontline’s Performance Tracker? Celano and Addante broke it down into the key pieces that bring performance tracking to the next level with technology. Here’s what they believe your tech should have:

• Role-based, fully customizable forms and scoring definitions
• Year-round activity logs and goal management with reminders
• Automated routing, signatures, due dates, and supervisor-level dashboards
• Bulk assignment campaigns for rapid rollout
• Integrated training and conduct history to support fair evaluations
• Strong reporting for compliance and legally defensible records

If you want performance reviews to actively protect wellness, morale, and retention, pair evaluations with technology that promotes positive recognition. That combination turns performance management into a true culture builder.

Key takeaways for chiefs and command staff

So, what should chiefs and command staff take away from the recent conversation between Addante and Celano? Here are the main takeaways as shared by the webinar speakers:

• Paper processes erode trust, delay development, and increase risk.
• Role-specific, year-round evaluations create fairness and clarity.
• Automated workflows and campaigns eliminate missing reviews.
• Integrating training and conducting data strengthens documentation and readiness.
• Early intervention plus positive recognition accelerates culture change and retention.

Ready to learn more about how a performance tracking tool can support your agency in creating compliant, streamlined performance review cycles?

Check out our full webinar recording, How to Tackle Annual Reviews without the Stress, for additional best practices, more insights from former Deputy Chief Addante, and an in-depth view of Frontline Performance Tracker.

View the webinar recording here.