Emerging technology: a narrative research study of police officers making sense of their experiences with technology tools.

• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2047/D20319831

Today's emerging technologies have reshaped how we disseminate information, collaborate, report news, and interact with each other at home, school, and in our workplaces. How we as observers, consumers, and reporters of crime have reshaped the nature of our law enforcement officers' role in our community. New technologies have been introduced to help make choices more transparent, increase report credibility, and provide greater access to information. However, little research has been conducted on this topic that may be reshaping the police officers' role in solving crime, how they communicate, and their approach to job tasks. This narrative study purpose was to understand how police officers make sense of their experiences with emerging technologies in their role as law enforcement agents; and to what extent tenure may affect these perceptions. To fully understand and gain insight into this issue, Karl Weick's theory of sensemaking was utilized to provide a conceptual lens for comprehension. The study focused on nine police officers from three different range of service groupings: 15 or more years of service, 7 to 15 years of service, and under 7 years of service. Narrative content was analyzed through sensemaking theories seven principles of thematic examination. Through this method, seven conclusions emerged from the study. First, all the police officers interviewed, regardless of years of service, see value in implementing technology tools into law enforcement and all years of service groups saw some negative aspects to technological tool enactment. Second, all police officers interviewed believed technology would be a part of their future success. Third, all police officers interviewed indicated that technology tools help them perform their jobs more efficiently and effectively. Fourth, police officers in the Experienced group were very adamant that the safety and well-being of themselves and their colleagues were most important. The police officers having less service time were more focused on improvements of technology tools and the functions of making arrests. Fifth, police officers having less service time had a more seamless transition to engaging in utilizing the tools of emerging technology than police officers having more than 15 years of service time. Sixth, police officers in the Novice group were more likely than police officers in the Experienced and Proficient groups to approach supervisors with new technology tool ideas for the organization. Seventh, technology is in the hands of everyone; cell phones, social media, and the rise of the instantaneous citizen reporting have effects on law enforcement. From these conclusions, several recommendations were revealed and proposed. Key words: Police training; Compstat (Computer Statistics); crime data