Organizational Change Decisions: Exploring and Institutionalizing Decision-Making Approaches for Law Enforcement Executives

A growing body of research on problem-solving in policing has built a robust empirical base for how and why problem-solving works to affect crime and disorder on the street. However, less is known about problem-solving at the organizational level where leaders navigate organizational change decisions. Through qualitative interviews, this study explores the views of U.S. law enforcement executives as problem-solvers for organizational change and how law enforcement executives confront challenges and adapt organizational policy and practice. Findings reveal three themes that law enforcement executives consider: two-way communication, transparency and accountability, and organizational structure. In addition, a model for decision-making is proposed that cycles through steps of assessing the need for change, collecting data and feedback, analysis, weighing available options, making and communicating a decision, and evaluating and revising their approaches. The results suggest a pathway to begin standardizing and institutionalizing decision-making approaches for law enforcement executives.