Author: Pat Nelson (Ph. D.)

Publisher:

Published: 2013

Total Pages: 154

ISBN-13:

In order to disseminate and exchange community intelligence with the local community, local law enforcement agencies must understand how to identify the appropriate points of contact within the community based on the community's social structure. Based on the research, no clear model has been used to identify the appropriate points of contact in the community, and this gap has led to distrust and misinformation between local law enforcement and community members. The purpose of this conversion mixed methods study was to understand the extent to which social network analysis can be a feasible model for identifying the points of contact in a Midwestern Somali community for the exchange of community intelligence. The theoretical framework for the study was social capital theory. Data were collected through 6 semi-structured interviews and were converted to binary, directed data for social network analysis. Data were then coded for thematic analysis to provide triangulation in testing the model against the research question. A cohesive, dense network, as well as key players or "points of contact" in the network, were identified. The key players were also identified in the thematic analysis as powerful, connected, and influential, which correlated the theoretical framework and social network analysis in the identification of the social structure of the community. The recommendation is to test the model in other communities to determine the feasibility of application of the model by local law enforcement. These findings have implications for positive social change for law enforcement, who may capitalize on the utility of social network analysis to identify appropriate points of contact, to collaborate on concerns, and to build a stronger trust relationship with their community.