Date

10-14-2026

Department

Helms School of Government

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Criminal Justice (PhD)

Chair

Vincent A. Giordano

Keywords

officer wellness, law enforcement administrators, police wellness programs, local government collaboration, Lewin's change theory, qualitative descriptive study, peer support, psychological safety, organizational decision-making, Orange County, California

Disciplines

Leadership Studies | Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to describe how law enforcement administrators in Orange County, California, in collaboration with the governments they serve, make decisions regarding the development, implementation, and evaluation of officer wellness programs. Lewin's Change Theory guided the study and framed the movement from unfreezing to changing to refreezing. Ten administrators participated in semi-structured interviews. Each administrator had at least five years of experience and held decision-making authority over officer wellness initiatives. The data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis. Screening and demographic questionnaires, field notes, and member checking were also used to support the research process. Seven themes were identified across the three research questions. The administrators explained that wellness programs were not developed by agency leaders alone. Municipal authority, budget approval, and internal committee reviews also influenced the process. Supervisor support served an important role in whether officers used a program after it was approved. Administrators relied on officer feedback and their performance, while the department's culture often shaped decisions about wellness programs. Challenges often included budget constraints and funding issues. Additionally, officers were less likely to participate when they did not believe their information would remain private. When these problems occurred, administrators usually reduced the size of a program or made changes to it instead of abandoning it. Overall, the findings showed that collaboration, supervisor support, and officer trust affected whether a wellness program worked after approval. The findings reflect the experiences of administrators from the 10 participating agencies and may not apply to agencies in other regions.

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