Entrepreneurial Policing, proclivity, and the impact of stressors for Senior Investigating Officers (SIOs) within the police service in the UK
Dimelow, M.
Dimelow, M.
Publication Date
2025-10-02
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Abstract
Policing in the UK (and globally) is at a crossroads as numerous political, social, and technological developments impact police operational effectiveness. Against this backdrop, the authors introduce a ‘new’ approach to police culture – Entrepreneurial Policing. Public entrepreneurship and police reforms have developed in tandem, but the links between the two remain limited and superficial. This chapter, therefore, critically discusses Entrepreneurial Policing through a model of proclivity – innovation, risk-taking, and proactivity, factors that influence public entrepreneurship, and impact the internal and external reform of UK policing. Through this lens of proclivity, the importance of adaptive learning and increased performance are identifiable core components of police organisational and cultural reform.
Focusing on previous research by one of the authors on Senior Investigating Officers (SIOs), the authors illuminate adaptation to a multitude of stressors to offer a snapshot of internal challenges to overcoming these. At a practical policing level, Entrepreneurial Policing involves refusing to accept the status quo of organisational performances and capabilities. It involves seeking to improve effectiveness and working practices by better use of available time and resources, necessitating the empowerment of employees at all levels within policing to take ownership of the problems they respond to. This chapter argues that a positive ‘can do’ mindset brings results, and while Entrepreneurial Policing is not ‘new’ the authors present an argument for its resurrection in light of current thinking on how to evolve policing internally and organisationally.
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Addidle G and Dimelow M (2025) Entrepreneurial Policing, proclivity, and the impact of stressors for Senior Investigating Officers (SIOs) within the police service in the UK. In: Liddle J and Shutt J (Eds) Cases on Public Sector Entrepreneurship. Elgar Cases in Entrepreneurship. Northampton, MA, USA: Edward Elgar Publishing. Pp 44-62.
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