Organizational Change in the Norwegian Police: A qualitative investigation of how the police investigators perceive change

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate what the police investigators are concerned with in relation to change in the Norwegian police, and further, how they perceived change to affect the quality of investigation. The majority of the participants recognized the need for change in the Norwegian police, and they saw opportunities with it. Through thematic analysis, six main themes were discovered. An inductive model of organizational change in the Norwegian police was developed to visualize how the themes were interrelated according to the participants of this study. External changes, consisting of societal and criminal development and technological development, are perceived to create a need for change within the organization. A suggested change in structure and organization, more precisely a merge of police districts, is perceived to create larger learning environments, enhance the investigators competence, lead to more efficient work methods, and a more strategic use of resources, amongst others. All these elements may influence the quality of investigation in the Norwegian police. Implementation of an organizational change in the police was also discussed. The findings of this study may be a contribution to the Norwegian police when future changes are to be implemented.