Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there are significant differences in levels of authority among California community college police chiefs when responding to active shootings on campus. Methodology. A Delphi study was conducted with a statewide expert panel of twenty-two California community college police chiefs who had knowledge of and/or experience with emergency response protocols to active shooting incidents on campus. Data were collected using e-mail and fax. All experts returned all three rounds of data. The mean, median, and mode ranges were reported. Findings. Experts identified fifteen strategies California community college police chiefs could use to overcome barriers that could impede their ability to lead successfully during emergencies, including responses to active shooting incidents on campus. Conclusions. The study showed significant disparity in levels of authority among California community college police chiefs relative to active shooter responses. The autonomy of community college districts influenced levels of standardization and ultimately the role and/or authority of a California community college police chief. Future research. Conduct a follow-up study to determine levels of authority among California community college police chiefs regarding active shooters on campus.