Solve a strategic issue in law enforcement using the following nine-step process.

1. What are the opportunities, challenges, or problems that make this an issue?

2. What information do we know about this issue (scientific data, trends, demographics, economic, technological, etc.)?

3. What assumptions have been made about the issue and are they valid or acceptable (does the data support the assumptions)?

4. Why is it an issue: What in terms of the mission, mandates, or environmental scan makes it an issue?

5. What would be the consequences of not addressing the issue?

6. For whom is it an issue? What other entities are working to address this issue and what are they doing?

7. Can the organization affect the issue? Is there general agreement that the issue is significant?

8. Is the issue broad enough to guide the organization's budgetary and legislative priorities?

9. Is the issue, as it is currently written, clearly stated, understood by the planning team, and understandable by someone not familiar with the issue?