Results
The results should not only bring about new insights for the scientific discussion and help to develop theory but also bring about practical improvements for the conception, planning, organisation and implementation of change processes at European police forces.
To do so, dedicated work packages are responsible for scientic coordination, the dissemination of the results in the relevant police communities and the implementation of a consulting and training program. Additionally, the project will set up a European Police Monitor that aims at systematically collecting change processes within the European police and to share the results in a user friendly fashion.
Comparative Police Studies in the EU
The research project COMPOSITE aims at studying change processes in different European police organisations to understand if and how cultural and organizational aspects support or hinder the chance for success of change processes. Central to the research is to determine important factors that trigger change processes, impact the implementation and determine the chance of success. As a first step, the project therefore studies external challenges that police forces face and, as a second step, focuses on the internal capabilities of the police forces to counter these challenges. Other work packages will research communication structures and practices, technological trends and central organisational and cultural variables as well as the dominant management philosophies and practices.
Studying Technology Adaptation
In the frame of the project, Fraunhofer FIT leads the work package Technology Adaptation performing research on the adaption of digital information and communication technologies (ICT) by European police forces from a socio-technical perspective.
Research Activities
In the beginning, expert interviews on current and planned projects at police organisation that deal either with introducing and enhancing ICT to support police work or with the changes posed by ICT adaptation of the general public will be conducted in 10 European countries.
The focus is thereby on projects that have a noticeable impact on police work. From the project reports and a market study that will be conducted in parallel, a European trend analysis will present ICT related change processes at European police forces.
Based on these trends, workshops will bring together experts from the different police organisations to discuss and describe best practices. As the project continues, the work package will research the interaction between ICT at police forces and the general public.
