Citation

Mann JP, Williams BD. J. Police Crim. Psychol. 2021; 36(2): 183-192.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s11896-020-09394-y

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, a series of focus groups were held with local law enforcement agencies in Southeast Texas to discuss the implementation of their emergency plans and challenges faced. The area suffered up to 60 in. of rain and flooding within three days. Their comments became prophetic when Tropical Storm Imelda swept through the area two years later dumping 42 in. of rain within a similar time frame. The purpose of this study is to present the lessons learned from a law enforcement perspective. A thematic qualitative design was used to identify key factors. Focus groups with the major law enforcement and local governmental officials in the Golden Triangle area of Southeast Texas revealed that prior existing relationships with other government entities, nonprofit organizations, and private industry are essential to address the challenges of coordination and system barriers that occur in the initial stages of response in the eye of the storm.

Language: en