Modern law enforcement faces complex and evolving challenges that demand innovative solutions. High-profile incidents, such as the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Eric Garner, have intensified public scrutiny, leading to significant swings in perception and policy. To navigate this turbulent environment, integrative frameworks offer the most promising path forward. By addressing deep-rooted issues and promoting sustainable change, these frameworks provide the necessary tools for transformative progress in policing.

In this wide-ranging roundtable discussion, the Institute of Applied Metatheory’s Josh Leonard hosts three leading experts in the field of integral policing to explore how applying big-picture, integrative frameworks could help address the complex challenges facing modern law enforcement.

The three panelists for this conversation are Chris Orrey, a retired police lieutenant from California, Gestur Palmason, a former police officer from Iceland, and Ryan Johansen, the current Chief of Police for San Bruno, California. Together, they explore the current landscape of policing from a big-picture perspective and demonstrate the potential for integral metatheory to drive transformative change in one of the most critical and challenging issue areas of our time.

The discussion delves into the powerful pendulum swings in public perception and policy that often follow high-profile incidents like the murder of George Floyd in 2020, and how an integral approach could help transcend these reactive cycles through a dialectical integration of opposing social pressures.

Key leverage points for transformation that emerge from the conversation include:

1. Training police leadership in the Integral Four Quadrants model as a powerful sense-making tool for navigating complexity,
2. Emphasizing officer wellness and resilience programs to support the healthy interior development of individual officers,
3. Rethinking police metrics and KPIs to more holistically assess the success and health of police departments across all four quadrants,
4. Fostering a culture of ongoing learning and development that empowers officers to adapt and grow with the increasing complexity of their roles.

While the path to a more integral future for policing is far from clear, the remarkable results and breakthroughs shared by Chief Johansen offer an inspiring glimpse of what’s possible when these big-picture integrative frameworks are put into practice with tact and vision.

The roundtable also reflects on the critical role of developmental leadership in shepherding this transformation. As more mature leaders begin to recognize the power and potential of integrative frameworks to help them better navigate the complexities of modern policing, we could be on the cusp of an exciting new wave of innovation and evolution in the field.

Join us for this thought-provoking and timely discussion as we explore how integrative metatheory could hold the key to ushering in a new era of policing — one that fosters greater trust, effectiveness, and resilience for officers and communities alike.

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
7:18 The Current Context of Policing
11:14 Recruitment and Retention Issues
16:04 Integral Approaches to Officer Wellness
19:28 Navigating Polarities in Policing
25:21 Challenges in Police Reform
33:32 Innovations in Policing
38:01 Community Engagement and Education
43:00 Legislative Pressures on Policing
49:35 Identifying Leverage Points
1:02:26 Practical Applications of Integral Metatheory
1:12:30 Measuring Success
1:24:57 Integrating Green in Policing