ABSTRACT
Before starting any serious research or investigation, you must decide which angle to explore, or what lens to use for looking at cop culture. There is a worldview referred to as “constructivism,” which simply means a way for understanding the world in which we live and work.1 This perspective also relies on the participants’ (special operations groups [SOG] operators) views of the situation. The process of qualitative research is largely inductive, with the inquirer generating meaning from the data collected in the field. I am using this worldview to interpret and understand the dynamics of law enforcement’s socialization process.
