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First Sign® Early Intervention

A Reform-Minded EIS —
Profound in Impact

Now is the time for you to take a closer look at how your agency can make a fundamental, forward-thinking difference in the way you approach transparency and accountability in policing.

Benchmark has developed a non-disciplinary, non-punitive officer support system that will help you serve your community more effectively. Our revolutionary EIS is designed to align all stakeholders – police officers, supervisors and chiefs, union members, city councils and citizens alike – on the direction of reform within your agency.

Data is the “fuel” that feeds any early intervention system. Therefore, Benchmark offers three research-driven platforms — with the most effective, custom-tailored solution based on your agency’s structure and inventory of performance records. What’s more, every platform can be modified and configured to meet the specific needs of your organization.

Benchmark Has an EIS Platform for Every Agency

  • First Sign Baseline™ for
    Streamlined Smaller Agencies
  • First Sign PeerView™ for
    More Layered
    Mid-Sized
    Agencies
  • First Sign 360™ for
    Complex Larger Agencies

First Sign Baseline is created specifically for agencies with a straightforward, clear-cut organizational structure which capture and store basic officer performance data. This advanced EIS platform:

  • Goes well beyond assigning arbitrary number counts to performance indicators that flag officers for possible at-risk behavior
  • Utilizes the robust body of Benchmark research to truly understand the impact and relationship between different activities
  • Engages a multivariate, weighted platform to collectively analyze different types and levels of activity to determine risk potential
  • Establishes a baseline that more accurately identifies level of officer at-risk behavior — alerting supervisors to the potential need of intervention and support
  • Provides intervention management tools and proven courses of action to help officers who have fallen off track get back on track
  • And, allows you to expand your officer performance data imports via integration with BMS — Benchmark Management System

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First Sign PeerView is developed for agencies with a broader, more diversified structure which maintain a multi-dimensional officer performance database. In addition to providing insights into individual officer behavior, this evolutionary EIS platform:

  • Takes the context in which an officer works into account and analyzes “at risk” behavior in relationship to the officer’s immediate peer group
  • Compares peer officers with similar job assignments or specializations, geographic divisions, deployment times, watches, units, etc.
  • Identifies “at-risk” behavior patterns that deviate from the norm and assigns a rate of occurrence from five categories — Very Low to Very High
  • Alerts supervisors to the potential need of individual officer/peer group intervention and support
  • Offers recommended courses of action and intervention management tools to help officer(s) that have fallen off track get back on track
  • And, allows you to expand your officer performance data imports via integration with BMS — Benchmark Management System

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First Sign 360 is designed and engineered for agencies with a large, more complex organizational structure which maintain an extensive personnel data repository. Working with your robust officer performance database, this all-encompassing EIS platform:

  • Draws from our massive officer performance database of 20 million+ records to create an analytically advanced, custom-tailored holistic EIS for your agency
  • Utilizes predictive risk modeling and algorithms identifying patterns of conduct that lead to problematic behavior — developed with the University of Chicago
  • Pinpoints data variables that truly matter in alerting “at-risk” behavior — designed to limit false positives and flag interventions in time to take preventative action
  • Provides enhanced, sophisticated insights via iterative machine learning that ensures your EIS evolves — getting smarter and more efficient over time
  • Recommends courses of action with intervention management tools – supported by The Joyce Foundation – to help officers that have fallen off track get back on track
  • And, allows you to expand your officer performance data imports via integration with BMS — Benchmark Management System

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Our All-in-One,
Multi-Dimensional EIS Solution

First Sign is the only early intervention system built on six key pillars of success:

Grounded in our partnership with the world-renowned University of Chicago — leveraging the high volume of data, research, analytics and longitudinal studies in the field of law enforcement.

  • Features over a decade of in-depth research into detailed historical data about officer behaviors in policing
  • Includes a team of 20+ data scientists who have created a series of predictive models and algorithms that identify patterns of conduct that can lead to problematic behavior
  • Pinpoints the factors that truly matter in alerting potential problematic behavior — significantly reducing the number of “false positives” associated with existing early warning programs
  • Represents the world’s largest multi-jurisdictional officer performance database with over 20 million records

First Sign offers you the ONLY research-driven, evidence-based EIS available in policing today.

Facilitated by the dedicated work of the National Police Early Intervention and Outcomes Research Consortium — led by the University of Chicago.

  • Includes support of The Joyce Foundation to accelerate research and best practices for early invention of police misconduct
  • Draws on data from Benchmark Analytics covering virtually every aspect of police operations — including organizational structure, training, violations, arrests, use of force, complaints, discipline and more
  • Focuses on leveraging data captured to drive change and help inform outcomes, policies and processes
  • Assesses current interventions for effectiveness, behavior modification and recommended improvements

Uniquely positioned with three provisional patents filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

  • Preserves key features of our groundbreaking EIS based on decades of evidence-based research in policing
  • Ensures proprietary analytics, predictive models and technological innovations are safeguarded
  • Promotes customer confidence in our advanced, first-in-class and proven EIS platforms

Provided by ongoing, cumulative analytics of all partner data to ensure the First Sign platforms evolve — getting smarter and more efficient over time.

  • Uncovers trends and highlights best practices
  • Provides new insights and directs technological advancements
  • Supports recommended actions and platform modifications
  • Continues to optimize risk management and reduce exposure to rising liability costs

Configured to help police agencies comply with major law enforcement organization directives, recommendations and standards.

  • Supports agencies seeking accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA)
  • Includes best practices and elements of the ethics toolkit developed by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)
  • Aligns with performance guidelines on officer conduct recommended by the Department of Justice (DOJ)

And, facilitates the implementation of ever-evolving state and municipal measures to institute meaningful reforms in policing.

Offered by C.A.R.E. — our innovative, proactive police officer support platform developed to help officers who have fallen off track get back on track.

  • Facilitates support plan with a template of actionable steps, guidelines and goals for implementation
  • Features research-based management modules for officer-specific interventions
  • Provides “benchmarks” of best practices proven to be most effective for different levels of intervention
  • Fully automates critical tracking points and follow-up measures to help secure successful support outcomes
1Research Legacy

Grounded in our partnership with the world-renowned University of Chicago — leveraging the high volume of data, research, analytics and longitudinal studies in the field of law enforcement.

  • Features over a decade of in-depth research into detailed historical data about officer behaviors in policing
  • Includes a team of 20+ data scientists who have created a series of predictive models and algorithms that identify patterns of conduct that can lead to problematic behavior
  • Pinpoints the factors that truly matter in alerting potential problematic behavior — significantly reducing the number of “false positives” associated with existing early warning programs
  • Represents the world’s largest multi-jurisdictional officer performance database with over 20 million records

First Sign offers you the ONLY research-driven, evidence-based EIS available in policing today.

2Academic Credibility

Facilitated by the dedicated work of the National Police Early Intervention and Outcomes Research Consortium — led by the University of Chicago.

  • Includes support of The Joyce Foundation to accelerate research and best practices for early invention of police misconduct
  • Draws on data from Benchmark Analytics covering virtually every aspect of police operations — including organizational structure, training, violations, arrests, use of force, complaints, discipline and more
  • Focuses on leveraging data captured to drive change and help inform outcomes, policies and processes
  • Assesses current interventions for effectiveness, behavior modification and recommended improvements
3Scientific Legitimacy

Uniquely positioned with three provisional patents filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

  • Preserves key features of our groundbreaking EIS based on decades of evidence-based research in policing
  • Ensures proprietary analytics, predictive models and technological innovations are safeguarded
  • Promotes customer confidence in our advanced, first-in-class and proven EIS platforms

4Iterative Learning

Provided by ongoing, cumulative analytics of all partner data to ensure the First Sign platforms evolve — getting smarter and more efficient over time.

  • Uncovers trends and highlights best practices
  • Provides new insights and directs technological advancements
  • Supports recommended actions and platform modifications
  • Continues to optimize risk management and reduce exposure to rising liability costs
5Compliance Ready

Configured to help police agencies comply with major law enforcement organization directives, recommendations and standards.

  • Supports agencies seeking accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA)
  • Includes best practices and elements of the ethics toolkit developed by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)
  • Aligns with performance guidelines on officer conduct recommended by the Department of Justice (DOJ)

And, facilitates the implementation of ever-evolving state and municipal measures to institute meaningful reforms in policing.

6Reciprocal Officer Support

Offered by C.A.R.E. — our innovative, proactive police officer support platform developed to help officers who have fallen off track get back on track.

  • Facilitates support plan with a template of actionable steps, guidelines and goals for implementation
  • Features research-based management modules for officer-specific interventions
  • Provides “benchmarks” of best practices proven to be most effective for different levels of intervention
  • Fully automates critical tracking points and follow-up measures to help secure successful support outcomes

How First Sign Works . . . Your 24/7 Analytic Machine

First Sign is preventative by design: we know intervention based upon simple, threshold-based triggers is not the most effective strategy — context, patterns of problematic behavior and officer history are what matter most.

First Sign instantly analyzes cumulative officer data collected on an ongoing basis — the only holistic EIS that tracks over 20 event markers that evidence-based research indicates can lead to truly problematic behavior.

Specified supervisors receive real-time alerts as out-of-policy or at-risk events occur by officers on their team. And from the First Sign dashboard, they can manage and review all aspects of the platform chosen to work most effectively for their agency — modifiable to meet the specific needs of your organization.

Why First Sign Works Better

Captures the data points most important to officer performance and behavior — supported by evidence-based research into the relationships between critical data variables. Proactively notifies you at the “first signs” of a real need to intervene, support and help an officer who has fallen off track get back on track.
Takes into account total productivity relative to signs that an officer may be engaging in problematic behavior . . . which can result in fewer false positives. Advances police reform and transforms risk management in policing by significantly reducing your exposure to rising liability costs.

With First Sign, there is no need for you to constantly query the system to determine when a real problem exists . . . and no need to worry about when to intervene with a support plan and course of action designed to make a significant, positive impact.

Most importantly, take pride in knowing that your agency is taking an important step in restoring the honor of the badge — and reclaiming the trust of the community you serve.

How First Sign Works . . . Your 24/7 Analytic Machine

First Sign instantly analyzes cumulative officer data collected on an ongoing basis. It allows supervisors and commanders to review and compare data for individual officers, units — even watches. Additionally, they can assign intervention actions for problematic behavior in need of correction . . . as well as make recommendations for exceptional performance deserving of recognition.

All your officer data in one system.

What’s more, First Sign is designed to allow police department administrators, supervisors and commanders to review data, analyses and progress over designated periods of time . . . from a week or several months, to a year or more.

Beyond Simple Trigger Systems

What’s important to understand is that most other early intervention systems available today for police departments:

  • Utilize simple, threshold-based triggers that flag behavior that doesn’t necessarily signal a real problem requiring intervention
  • Include review processes that are not only unnecessary and time consuming — but can be extremely demoralizing to police officers doing a good job
  • Feature systems that don’t have the sophistication or research backing to differentiate what data truly points to problematic conduct

First Sign is supported by evidenced-based research and sophisticated, advanced analytics to provide you with a more proactive, preventative and powerful early intervention system.

First Sign Gets Smarter and More Efficient Over Time


As a Benchmark partner, you essentially become a member of our research and development team. The First Sign platform evolves and gets smarter over time as we uncover new insights, lessons learned, innovative practices and technical advancements from our research consortium, technology group and collective partner base.

Benchmark is committed to sharing information and incorporating enhancements to ensure the First Sign analytic tool continues to optimize risk management and reduce your exposure to rising liability costs — for your department and the officers on your team.

C.A.R.E. | Case Action Response Engine®

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