Policing: An International Journal, Ahead of Print.
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of professional commitment and job satisfaction on leave intention considering alternative job opportunities as a moderator. Design/methodology/approach The authors collected data from 147 patrolling police officers on the basis of convenience sampling using a questionnaire-based survey. Findings The study noted that professionally committed and satisfied police officers are less likely to leave their organization. In addition, alternative job opportunities strengthen the negative association of professional commitment and job satisfaction with leave intention. Research limitations/implications This study was conducted at one point of time and the majority of the respondents were male, therefore, the results might be gender biased. This study has implications for policymakers and HR managers. Practical implications Law enforcement agencies and organizations should develop and sustain workplace environments where professional commitment and job satisfaction can positively influence the leave intentions of their employees. More specifically, it provides insight to the managers to retain talented and commitment employees in their organizations. Originality/value This study adds to the scant literature on professional commitment and alternative job opportunity in the context of police.