Police Innovations & Structure of Informal Communication

PROJECT SUMMARY FOR GRANT 2003-IJ-CX-1002 This study examines the role of informal communication between police agencies. The first part of the examination is to focus on the network of informal communications to better understand the pattern of informal contacts between police planners. The second part of the study, is to examine closely innovation, in particular the innovation of community policing and computer use. The purpose is to better understand innovation by seeing if particular contacts in the informal communications network, along with characteristics of the agencies, influence the adoption of innovation by police organizations. This study will extend previous research on informal communications and police innovations, and provided an improved guide for policy makers interested in encouraging adoption of police innovations. Three data sets will be used in this study; the Communication of Innovation in Policing in the United States; and the 1997 and 1999 Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS). CA/NCF