One of Bratton's first initiatives was the institution in 1994 of CompStat, a comparative statistical approach to mapping crime geographically in order to identify emerging criminal patterns and chart officer performance by quantifying apprehensions. The implementation of CompStat gave precinct commanders more power, based on the assumption that local authorities best knew their neighborhoods and thus could best determine what tactics to use to reduce crime.
Bratton's initial action was to introduce CompStat in 1994, a statistical method for analyzing crime patterns geographically to identify emerging trends and assess officer performance through apprehension rates. This move gave precinct commanders more authority, assuming that local officials were best positioned to understand their neighborhoods and develop targeted strategies to reduce crime.