A Model for Public Issues Management in the Police Force Based on a Participatory Governance Approach: A Mixed-Methods Study

Saeed  Ehsani; Kambiz Hamidi; Mohammad Azim  Khodayari; Ameneh  Malmir

Authors

Saeed Ehsani Department of Management, Ha.C., Islamic Azad University, Hamedan , Iran Author https://orcid.org/0009-0000-0165-1567
Kambiz Hamidi Department of Management, Ha.C., Islamic Azad University, Hamedan , Iran Author https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5888-5786
Mohammad Azim Khodayari Department of Management, Mal.C., Islamic Azad University, Malayer , Iran Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4042-8170
Ameneh Malmir Department of Management, Far.C., Islamic Azad University, Farahan , Iran Author https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6390-8022

Keywords:

public issues management, participatory governance, police force, social capital, citizen participation, smart systems, digital media literacy

Abstract

Citizens’ expectations have highlighted the necessity of reconsidering traditional approaches to public issues management within the police force. The present study aimed to develop a model for public issues management in the police force based on participatory governance. Philosophically, the study was grounded in the pragmatist paradigm, and methodologically, it employed a mixed-methods approach with a sequential exploratory design. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with experts and specialists in policing and public management, and thematic analysis was used to identify the dimensions, components, and indicators of the public issues management model. In the quantitative phase, the extracted model was tested using questionnaire data obtained from 250 respondents. Quantitative data were analyzed through structural equation modeling using SmartPLS, and the reliability, convergent validity, explanatory power, and model fit were assessed. The qualitative analysis resulted in the identification of seven main dimensions: enhancement of social capital and public trust with an emphasis on family-centeredness; empowerment of women, children, and adolescents in public issues management; participatory management of emerging crimes and social harms; development of participatory mechanisms and policies within the police; management of social challenges and opportunities in citizen participation; technology, innovation, and smartening of citizen participation in public issues management; and lived experience of digital media literacy in interactive environments. The quantitative results also showed that the study constructs possessed satisfactory reliability and convergent validity. The coefficients of determination for the endogenous constructs ranged from 0.77 to 0.989, indicating high explanatory power. Moreover, the Goodness-of-Fit index was calculated as 0.884, demonstrating a very strong fit for the proposed model. The findings indicate that effective public issues management in the police force requires a transition from a traditional, reactive, and organization-centered approach toward a participatory, preventive, network-based, and technology-oriented approach. According to the proposed model, strengthening trust and social capital, empowering social groups, expanding family and citizen participation, promoting intersectoral collaboration, utilizing emerging technologies, and attending to digital media literacy can enhance the effectiveness, accountability, and social legitimacy of the police force. The model may serve as a context-specific framework for policymaking and planning in the field of participatory public issues management within the police force.

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