This thesis proposes several recommendations for the overall learning strategies of the proposed learning organization. The first recommendation is to establish an overall strategy and purpose for the state law enforcement learning organization endeavor. There are proven strategies that have been presented to organizations that will assist with the task. For example, Senge (1999) offers seven strategies to meet the challenge of strategy and purpose:
1. Use scenario thinking to investigate blind spots and signals of unexpected events.
2. Combine scenario thinking and explorations of organizational purpose.
3. Develop stewardship as an organizational ethic and practice.
4. Engage people continually around organizational strategy and purpose (explain the internet forum idea).
5. Expose and test the assumptions behind the current strategy.
6. Focus on developing better strategic thinking and ethical thinking capabilities.
7. Learn to pay attention to subtle shifts in the sense of possibility. (pp. 496–
503)
Senge’s strategies can assist the learning organization to develop its mission and vision statements. State, local, and tribal law enforcement personnel should engage counter-radicalization issues ethically as a central tenant to this effort. The development by law enforcement of better strategic thinking methods will be key. The second idea this thesis recommends for the law enforcement learning organization is to foster and nurture
an environment of creativity and imagination within the learning organization community. This should be expected of the organization from the beginning.
Senge (1999) describes learning:
The basic meaning of a learning organization—an organization that is continually expanding its capacity to create its future. For such an organization, it is not merely to survive. “Survival learning” or what is more often termed “adaptive learning” is important—indeed it is necessary. But for a learning organization, “adaptive learning” must be joined by “generative learning,” learning that enhances our ability to create. (p. 14)
Creativity and the ability to adapt will be essential components of the counter-radicalization effort. If the radical adversaries are creative, the personnel tasked to provide countermeasures should be as well. One of the goals for the project is to create healthy and effective SLT law enforcement dialogue on the counter-radicalization mission. This will be a challenge, as Crowley (2012) points out:
In America, we tend to overlook the “presence of strife, envy, faction” in our daily intercourse. “Argument” has a negative valence in ordinary conversation, as when people say “I don’t want to argue with you,” as though to argue generates discord rather than resolution. In times of crisis, Americans are expected to accept national policy without demur. (Kindle location 80)
Recommendation three is for the learning organization is to create the access rights and infrastructure for the state law enforcement learning organization. It is necessary for the organization to have a secure website with screened access as the venue in which to present information to law enforcement agencies. Andresen (2009) asserts there are two distinct OAD mechanisms he has found to be very important in an asynchronous OAD forum “the role of the instructor and achieving deeper/higher learning” (p. 250). It will be important for the LE CVE learning organization to be aware of these two mechanisms. With respect to the role of the instructor, Andresen (2009) contends, “the instructors felt that the virtual classroom, including the asynchronous discussion forum became more intimate” and “instructors found that their teaching involved deeper cognitive complexity (cognitive role)” (p. 250). Thus, having a secure website would facilitate both of these instructor (facilitator) roles to some degree. With
respect to achieving deeper/higher learning, Andresen (2009) referred to the work of Zhu (2006). Zhu (2006) “has found that high levels of interconnectedness between learners leading to higher levels of knowledge construction must be explicitly built into the discussion assignment and nurtured by the instructor” (p. 252). The SLT LE learning organization facilitators will need to be selected for not only their knowledge base; they must also be competent in fostering discussion.
The majority of communications for the learning organization are expected to be at the unclassified for official use only (U/FOUO) and law enforcement sensitive (LES) classifications. Facilitated discussion among those who are performing and/or planning for the counter-radicalization mission is critical in the process of participant learning. Part of creating infrastructure for the learning organization is the creation of discussion boards for personnel to share information and ask questions of fellow agencies across the country so as to identify best practices for preventing violent extremism. These discussion boards will be a staple of the organization. Additionally, participants and facilitators will be able to post up-to-date news, links, and information related specifically to counter radicalization and prevention violent extremism as new information is gathered and processed.
The fourth recommendation this thesis has for the learning organization is to gather baseline data from the SLT learning organization participants as to what their current counter-radicalization efforts are, what works well, and what does not work. This endeavor would compile data as to what strategies and policies, if any, SLT law enforcement agencies, intelligence fusion centers, and state homeland security offices are currently using. Additionally, having the baseline data will allow the organization to follow trends and accelerate the learning curve and mitigate mistakes in the counter-radicalization mission. Furthermore, the exploration and analysis of successful multi-disciplinary models employed by the SLT law enforcement agencies and other organizations (e.g., fire service, emergency medical services, the healthcare community at-large, Muslim clerics, and Muslim community leaders) will be of substantive value to the organization at large.
In addition to these recommendations, the learning organization will need to seek funding streams and best budgetary practices for the endeavor. These issues will be important to explore as future financial forecasts for state and local government continue to be grim. Staffing and personnel issues should be part of the consideration as well.