If you’re a forensic supervisor juggling shift coverage, personnel requests, and case backlogs, you already know how often leadership asks for proof: Why do you need more staff? Why aren’t your KPIs improving? Why does this shift seem overworked?
It’s not enough to say, “We’re busy.” You need evidence. You need stats.
This blog post is a companion to one of our most practical and eye-opening episodes of the Forensic Supervisor Success Summit. If you haven’t watched the interview with Courtney Lozano yet, hit play below. Then come back here to dig into the actionable tips that can help you start using stats to improve forensic team performance today.
Watch the full podcast episode below, then scroll down to dive deeper into the discussion!
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Why Most Forensic Units Struggle With Stats
Let’s be honest: tracking stats doesn’t usually top a supervisor’s to-do list.
Courtney Lozano, Interim Manager at the Dallas Police Department and adjunct professor, opened up about her team’s former reality:
- Stats were hand-entered into Excel.
- The only reports generated were totals of violent vs. property crimes.
- No one tracked time of day, duration on scene, or call hold times.
Sound familiar? Most forensic units either don’t track data at all or are stuck in a loop of manual spreadsheets with no real insight into what the numbers mean.
And when upper leadership comes knocking with questions about forensic unit performance, you find yourself scrambling to dig through backlogs of activity sheets—or worse, giving an answer based on gut instinct.
The Wake-Up Call: When Leadership Asks for Numbers You Don’t Have
When Courtney’s department underwent a leadership change, the new chain of command started asking tough questions:
- Which shift needs the most support?
- What are your busiest days?
- How many calls are holding during shift change?
She had no data to back it up.
So she had to manually review two years of activity logs across 30+ employees just to generate basic stats.
“It was exhausting,” Courtney said. “We realized we were reacting to problems without ever seeing them coming.”
The team had to move quickly from a reactive position to a proactive strategy.
Start With the Stats That Matter
Getting started doesn’t require a software budget or fancy tech. Dallas PD built their new tracking system in Excel. You can, too. The key is knowing what to track.
Here’s what they started tracking:
- Call type
- Call volume per shift
- Time of day each call came in
- How long each call held before arrival
- Time spent on scene
- Follow-up requests by day
This simple data told a powerful story.
They discovered:
- Midnight shift had more complex scenes with longer time on scene.
- Monday and Tuesday were the busiest days—not Friday and Saturday as expected.
- Calls were holding during shift changes, and the next watch was taking the stat credit.
Action Step: Start your tracking system today
You can use Excel or Google Sheets. If you’re not sure how, phone a friend or search YouTube. Start simple:
| Date | Shift | Call Type | Time Called | Time of Arrival | Time on Scene | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6/21/2025 | B | Assault | 21:13 | 21:45 | 2h 10m | Held 32 mins |
Not All Calls Are Created Equal
Here’s the truth that changed everything: 1 call ≠ 1 call.
Some scenes take 15 minutes. Others take 4 hours.
Courtney realized this when comparing day and night shift stats. While days had more calls, midnight shift had more complex scenes and longer scene times.
So, what should you measure?
- Volume of calls is one thing.
- Duration and complexity is another.
This nuance allowed them to argue that higher volume alone doesn’t equal higher workload. They could back up staffing needs with context, not just counts.
Stats Help You Advocate for What Your Team Needs
When you have real data in hand, you’re no longer guessing. You’re not pleading. You’re proving.
Here’s how Courtney used stats to drive decisions:
1. Create a better shift schedule
- They moved to a 4 days / 10 hour shifts schedule.
- They eliminated downtime between shifts.
- Shift change now happens after the nightly surge in call volume.
2. Justify staffing requests
- No more “we feel busy.”
- Now they show which watch is busiest, when, and why.
3. Support pay studies and new positions
- They could show how much time was spent on scene vs. report writing.
- Stats supported the argument for additional resources.
“Now when I ask for something,” Courtney said, “I have the stats to back it up. And people listen.”
How Stats Help Resolve Internal Conflict
Ever had an employee say, “I’m pulling more weight than everyone else”?
Stats help you handle it fairly and factually.
Instead of responding emotionally or guessing, you can:
- Pull up individual stats.
- Compare call types, time on scene, or volume.
- See if claims hold weight.
It brings objectivity into the conversation and reduces tension between team members.
“One call doesn’t equal one call,” Courtney reminded us. “Stats help clarify that.”
Track Stats to Improve Forensic Team Productivity
Let’s be clear: this isn’t just about defending your team.
It’s about optimizing how your team works. Using stats to optimize forensic team performance means:
- Recognizing trends early
- Shifting resources to prevent burnout
- Planning for predictable surges
- Keeping morale high by balancing the workload
Here are 4 productivity boosters you can try:
- Analyze call trends by day to predict heavy days (not just weekends).
- Reassign shifts to reduce downtime during shift changes.
- Visualize scene duration to identify overworked units.
- Track follow-up volume to better support detective-driven work.
It doesn’t take a data science degree. It just takes consistency.
What If You Don’t Have Fancy Tools?
You don’t need them.
Courtney’s team did this with a DIY Excel sheet built by a fellow supervisor.
If Excel intimidates you, use Google Sheets. Ask a colleague. Start with a basic template. Get help from YouTube. The forensic world is full of people who’d love to help.
The key is to start.
“Just get started,” Courtney said. “It’s time-consuming at first, but the payoff is huge.”
Final Advice for Forensic Supervisors
If you want better staffing, stronger support, and less conflict, start using stats to improve forensic team performance now. It doesn’t have to be complex. It just has to be intentional.
Track what matters. Use it consistently. Let the data speak.
You’ll be amazed how quickly your requests start getting approved.
Ready to Level Up Your Stats Game?
If you’re ready to build a stats system that works for your team, we can help. Inside The Vault, you’ll find templates, workshops, and conversations with forensic leaders who are doing this every day.
Join The Vault for just $29/month and gain immediate access to:
- All 21 presentation replays from the 2024 Forensic Supervisor Success Summit
- The 2022 and 2023 summits
- Dozens of webinars, courses, worksheets, and more
Become a Vault Member today and start leveraging your leadership.
You don’t have to do this alone. And you don’t have to wing it anymore.
Start using your stats to tell a better story. Your team deserves it.
