Response

I am not sure of the research that I will conduct for my final applied research project. Currently, I am leaning towards focusing a research problem on strategic leadership and its function within law enforcement. I must address how to define and articulate a model of strategic leadership that would guide law enforcement from focusing on a hierarchal system of leadership based upon the authoritarian system to a newer model that addresses the leadership decision making of throughout the organization.

I would need to address several areas of current practices within law enforcement and compare those practices with a new framework of strategic leadership. The project will address the concepts of strategic leadership and the principles related to a successful strategic leadership program. Another part of the research project will address a qualitative research methodology to use and report my findings in various ways to how strategic leadership works. This portion of the research project will need to break down the elements of strategic leadership. The final portion of the research project will be the development of a new model of strategic leadership within law enforcement analyzing it from the lens of a practitioner juxtapose to viewing this new model through a lens of theory. There are many elements to consider when developing a new model to include but not limited to: conceptualization, interacting with people, articulation, and implementation.

There are subtopics that will need to be explored and addressed such as enabling and adaptive leadership principles. Enabling leadership is composed of a set of collective practices that allow top-down notions of strategy to be connected to emergent initiatives from lower level managers and professionals (Lusiani & Langley, 2018). These principles are important in developing and connecting the new model of policing throughout the entire organization.

The research project will review the current trend in law enforcement management and describe the need for a new model for 21st Century Policing as a strategy. Strategy involves taking a series of decisions that shape the direction of the organization. The research will have to expound upon how a new strategy will assist a paradigm change for law enforcement leaders to solicit greater efforts from its workers towards the goal of gaining greater voluntary compliance of its citizenry.

I will further explain the current success and failure of current methodologies related to social compliance. This project will address the changing value systems of past, present and future professionals working in the field of law enforcement. I will need to draw a comparison of value systems of baby boomers, generation-X and millennials. Understanding the motivating factors associated with working in the field of law enforcement has changed over the years. I propose that many of these factors has a direct or indirect effect on the strategic plan of governing these new professionals. In this research I will review the Strategic, Tactical and Operational Command philosophy of law enforcement (Drummond-Smith, 2018). Exploring how the hierarchal system of law enforcement affects decision-making skills throughout the organization.

This paper will address the changing view of courts concerning employment law. One example is the use of Fair Labor Standards Act, which provides twelve weeks of maturity leave for employees for a plethora of reasons. Twenty years ago, you never heard of a male officer taking twelve weeks off for the birth of a newborn. However, in today’s society it is highly unusual for a male employee not to take twelve weeks of leave. The use of this leave affects the strategic plan and mission of the law enforcement organization. Understand these types of issues and building a culture whereby, employees will not abuse these laws is vital to the success of community safety.

I will incorporate the role that technology currently plays in law enforcement and how the role of technology may affect future outcomes. Social media has emerged as a leading tool of communications between law enforcement and the public. Additionally, technology has developed into one of the primary instruments in solving crimes. Many decisions are based upon technology. The day to day operation of law enforcement officers depend on technology.

Simultaneously, technology has created additional challenges for law enforcement. Technology has weakened the personal interactions of police with citizens. Building a strategy that addresses both issues must be created to assist in providing positive law enforcement interactions between internal and external customers.

The resources this researcher will need to address many of these questions of this project is unknown in its entirety. Some of the resources must come from previous research projects concerning strategic leadership, data from the Bureau of Justice Administration. Identify a sampling group that could be interviewed or receive questionnaires that would address many of the questions facing the research problem. This researcher will need assistance from Liberty University faculty in the development of scholarly research in addressing the strategic function with the leadership function of this new model