Bridging the gap: Advancing policy process theory through the study of policing subsystems

Abstract For more than forty years, giants in the field have argued that the study of policing can deepen our understanding of key concepts in the policy process literature. Despite this, there remains a noticeable gap in policy‐driven policing research. This article revisits that gap—not solely to integrate policing into policy process research, but to show how policing subsystems offer unique opportunities for researchers to test and refine core policy theories. To do so, we explore how several concepts central to contemporary theories of the policy process—issue networks, policy diffusion, interdependence, and critical theory—can be applied to policing. By comparing policing subsystems to more frequently studied domains (such as environmental arenas), we highlight how this research enables policy scholars to expand, refine, and/or challenge core concepts and themes.