All levels of law enforcement are currently experiencing a shift in policing paradigms from an informal, communication-based approach in community policing to a more formal and analytic-based approach of intelligence-led policing. As a result of the attacks of September 11, 2001, the 9/11 Commission Report, and gaining momentum in approximately 2004, intelligence-led policing has emerged so rapidly that little is known about its conception and application - thus creating difficulties for adoption. With no quantitative basis for comparison, the current study seeks to explore factors that facilitate the adoption of intelligence-led policing. The literature on this new policing philosophy is spare at best; however drawing from community policing and organizational behavior research a conceptual framework for exploring intelligence-led policing will be presented. This framework includes an exploration of organizational diffusion, structure, context, and performance evaluation as anticipated facilitators of both an operationalized measure as well as a self-reported measure of intelligence-led policing adoption. Data used for this study are from a larger project that consists of 272 state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies in the United States. For the operationalized measure of intelligence-led policing adoption, results indicate agencies that are aware of potential civil liability are more likely to have successful adoption and achieve adoption primarily through informal communications with peer law enforcement agencies. From a structural perspective, agencies that are guided by more formal policies and have an intelligence unit indicate more positive adoption. In terms of organization context, commitment to the intelligence-led policing philosophy and the ability of intelligence personnel to carry out a variety of tasks increase adoption. Self-reported adoption of intelligence-led policing was predicted by the agency's familiarity with the intelligence-led policing concept, informal communication with peer law enforcement agencies, training, and commitment. When compared, agencies' self-reported perception of adopting intelligence-led policing differs from an index measurement of intelligence-led policing adoption. Lastly, agencies that employ higher quality performance evaluation methods indicate more successful adoption. The findings establish an empirical foundation for future research on law enforcement intelligence as well as identify organizational factors that contribute to successful adoption of intelligence-led policing.
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