A force for change: a case study in leading and implementing change within a regional police authority

Purpose – With the appointment of a new commissioner of police, there was an understanding that this UK regional police authority's environment and expectations – and the way in which it needs to interact with the public – were changing. In early 2009, ASK was appointed as a key partner to offer a different perspective on change and transition, based on its experience of working with client organizations worldwide. This case study aims to examine the work carried out by ASK to help leaders deal with change more effectively. Design/methodology/approach – The resulting Leading and Implementing Change workshop program was both a strategic and an operational intervention, designed to ensure that participants gained a clear view of the approaches available to them in managing change at a senior level in the authority. The workshops were interactive events with scope for lively discussion. Command leaders had a valuable opportunity to assess how to pragmatically apply best practice to “close to home” change and transition issues relevant to them in the context of implementing the “Policing Pledge” – commitments made to the public on levels of policing services. Findings – A total of 96 percent of participants rated themselves as either more or much more effective as leaders of change and transformation as a result of the program; 78 percent felt the business impact of their achievements and improvements would be significant or very significant. Originality/value – Rigorous post‐event evaluation clearly confirmed the value of the Leading and Implementing Change workshop program in enabling those who participated to agree and design implementation of the Policing Pledge in ways that were genuinely workable and measurable in local environments.