Assessing the appetite for evidence based policing: A UK based study
| Published date | 01 June 2019 |
| Date | 01 June 2019 |
| DOI | 10.1177/1461355719838930 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Article
Assessing the appetite for evidence
based policing: A UK based study
Ian Palmer
(Forensic and Applied Social Sciences,) University of Central Lancashire, UK
Stuart Kirby
(Forensic and Applied Social Sciences,) University of Central Lancashire, UK
Rebecca Coleman
(Forensic and Applied Social Sciences,) University of Central Lancashire, UK
Abstract
Although evidence-based policing (EBP) has emerged in Europe, Australasia and the Americas, its level of implementation
has received little scrutiny. Using a questionnaire completed by 625 police staff employed by a major UK police force, this
study examines how police employees both view and use evidence-based practice. The study found that although the term
EBP was recognized widely, its use was less apparent. The findings specifically distinguished lower ranked officers from
senior police officers, and discriminated between warranted (sworn) officers and non-warranted (unsworn) civilian staff. It
showed that lower ranking officers (constables) were more likely to value exper ience over academic evidence and
collaboration, whereas senior ranks were much more likely to embrace EBP principles. Further, civilian staff were less
likely to view new ideas as a ‘fad’ and be more open to research experimentation and evaluation, albeit they had fewer
internal avenues to pursue professional development. In summary, it is argued that to develop an environment in which
EBP can thrive, explicit implementation plans that consider issues such as organizational culture, are helpful.
Keywords
Evidence-based policing, police organizational culture, EBP, policing, police survey
Submitted 24 Apr 2018, accepted 31 Jan 2019
Introduction
In recent years, an approach known as evidence-based
policing (EBP) has appeared across Europe, Australasia
and parts of North (and South) America (Knutsson and
Tompson, 2017). Sherman (2013: 337) defines EBP as ‘a
method of making decisions about “what works” in poli-
cing: which practices and strategies accomplish police
missions most cost effectively’. Its origins can be traced
back to the term ‘evidence-based medicine’ introduced by
Guyatt in 1992. This attempted to move clinical decision-
making from intuitive and unsystematic experience, to sci-
entific and clinically relevant research (Smith and Rennie,
2014). The evolution of EBP is further explained by the
College of Policing, a professional body formed in 2012 to
improve police staff skills and knowledge in England and
Wales. Describing itself as an organization that, ‘identifies,
develops and promotes good practice based on evidence’
(College of Policing, 2014:10), the College of Policing
argues that an EBP approach assists police officers and
civilian staff create, review and use the best available evi-
dence, to inform their decisions, policy and practice (Col-
lege of Policing, 2018). Here, ‘best evidence’ refers to the
most appropriate research methods and sources. This can
Corresponding author:
Stuart Kirby, Forensic and Applied Social Sciences, University of Central
Lancashire, Preston, PR1 2HE, UK.
Email: skirby1@uclan.ac.uk
International Journalof
Police Science & Management
2019, Vol. 21(2) 91–100
ªThe Author(s) 2019
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DOI: 10.1177/1461355719838930
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