Police officer decision-making in stressful, ambiguous and potentially violent situations

Researchers and practitioners have long recognised the need for decision-making theory to form the basis of police officer discretion. Despite this, the policing sector continues to receive little attention by means of generating an applicable and holistic theory of decision-making. Forty-four, one-on-one interviews were conducted with Victoria Police members. Results indicated the presence of multiple interactions between organisational sociology, situational ambiguity and individual characteristics in the decision-making process. From this, a critical analysis of police leadership as the basis for operational, organisational, and professional development is provided. Implications for policy, training and future training are also discussed.