Abstract
We explore the conditions under which informal collaborations between street-level bureaucrats (SLBs) emerge and the motivations for them. From our analysis of 68 interviews with law enforcement officers from 26 law enforcement agencies in a large metropolitan area in Texas, we identified four themes, representing a mix of altruistic and self-interest considerations: 1) ineffective formal collaboration practices, 2) personal and institutional trust, 3) the balance of power between the collaborators, and 4) a supportive management. We contribute to the literature by demonstrating how informal ‘bottom-up’ practices allow SLBs to overcome the constraining ‘jurisdictional divide’ and achieve better work outcomes.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 224-242 |
Number of pages | 19 |
Journal | Public Management Review |
Volume | 25 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2023 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2021 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Keywords
- Street-level bureaucrats
- informal collaboration
- law enforcement
- police administration
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Public Administration