Perspectives of police leaders on traffic law enforcement: insights from semi-structured interviews with key informants

This study aimed to provide insight into the perspectives of police leaders concerning traffic law enforcement (TLE). Combining a key informants approach with a qualitative descriptive research design, semi-structured interviews with 20 police leaders in Ontario, Canada, explored methods for prioritizing and implementing road safety initiatives, perceived effectiveness of road safety measures, and support for and barriers to TLE from different stakeholders. Interview transcripts were thematically analyzed. Findings highlighted that police leaders view TLE as effective at enhancing traffic safety and as a key policing priority. Leaders acknowledged diverse viewpoints of TLE among frontline officers, citing several reasons for those less engaged with TLE and emphasizing the important role played by supervisory officers. Most police leaders perceived support for TLE from relevant stakeholders including municipal representatives, Ministry of Transportation Ontario, and the judicial system. Even the general public was viewed as supportive, though several exceptions were cited. A shift toward evidence-based policing and data-driven TLE was noted. Challenges to TLE included competing policing priorities and limited financial resources. Police leaders cited a clear need for additional equipment used for TLE activities, more officers to conduct these activities, and more training for these officers. Together, this research addresses an important gap in the road safety literature and offers actionable insights to enhance TLE in Ontario and similar jurisdictions. Recommendations for future research are also provided.