Police officers giving evidence: Understanding the enablers and challenges of performance
| Date | 01 December 2019 |
| Published date | 01 December 2019 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X19828407 |
| Author | David Brian,Dr Andrew Cruickshank |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Article
Police officers giving
evidence: Understanding
the enablers and challenges
of performance
David Brian
UCLan Policing, School of Forensic and Applied Science, University of
Central Lancashire, Preston, UK
Dr Andrew Cruickshank
School of Sport and Wellbeing, University of Central Lancashire, Preston,
UK
Abstract
This paper aimed to improve understanding of police officers performing as witnesses.
Data was obtained by conducting semi-structured interviews and identified factors which
enable and challenge an effective performance. Findings revealed specific appearance,
behavioural, and cognitive enablers which underpin effective performance. Specifically,
that performance is challenged by inconsistencies in police systems, poor training and
preparation, anxiety, anticipation, and courtroom dynamics. These results indicate that
police performance in court could be improved by producing appropriate systems to
effectively manage anxiety and negative organisational narrative, as well as those that
develop the appearance-, behaviour- and cognitive-based characteristics needed to
achieve optimal performance.
Keywords
Witness effectiveness, performance under pressure, police training, emotional
regulation
Corresponding author:
David Brian, University of Central Lancashire, Leighton St, Preston PR1 2HE, UK.
Email: djbrian@uclan.ac.uk
The Police Journal:
Theory, Practice and Principles
2019, Vol. 92(4) 360–383
ªThe Author(s) 2019
Article reuse guidelines:
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DOI: 10.1177/0032258X19828407
journals.sagepub.com/home/pjx
Introduction
The police service in England and Wales is currently experiencing a process of trans-
formation from an occupation based on artisanship to a profession (Holdaway, 2017).
However, the term ‘professional’, in relation to policing, remains ambiguous, with some
suggesting it is characterised by developments in practice, accreditation and support
from scientific research (Holdaway, 2017; Lumsden, 2017). Despite ambiguity in the
term, one notable consequence of this shift is expressed in the aim of the College of
Policing (COP). Specifically, the college anticipates that police officers will ‘receive
professional development throughout their ca reers’ (COP, cited in Holdaway, 2017:
595).
Despite this aspiration, some argue that the police service has focused on developing
management and leadership skills at the expense of developing competence in specific
‘areas of professional practice’ (Stelfox, 2011: 19) or the development of practice,
accreditation and supporting research across the spectrum of role demands (Holdaway,
2017; Lumsden, 2017). Failure to address these issues may result in the police service
facing criticism of its competence, which some argue will take a decade of sustained
development to remedy (Neyroud, 2011). Others suggest that to develop into profes-
sional organisations, whatever the definition, police forces need to achieve a greater state
of ‘heightened self-awareness’ (Williams et al., 2016).
Within this context, the present study focused upon one ‘area of professional practice’
which seems to have received limited attention to date (Stelfox, 2011: 19): the effective
preparation and performance of police officers giving evidence in court. Specifically,
this study is situated within the development of effective practice, accreditation and
supporting research in this area. Indeed, some have long argued that criminal investiga-
tion has suffered from a lack of systematic training or evidence-based research (Neyr-
oud, 2011). Accordingly, this study builds on previous studies, which have suggested
that, despite some general awareness training, police officers are often ill-prepared to
perform effectively as witnesses in court, in contras t with improvements in witness
preparation elsewhere (Brian and Cruikshank, 2016; Stockdale and Gresham, 1995).
This suggests that officers are falling behind in the development of their professional
skills in a key area of policing, unsupported by academic research or apparent organisa-
tional backing.
Accordingly, this paper responds to calls for research that sheds light on the expec-
tations of police officers in court, the characteristics that exemplify effective perfor-
mance, factors that challenge effective performance and, finally, how officers can
prepare effectively to deliver that performance and meet expectations.
Aims
The aims of this study were to develop a greater understanding of police officers per-
forming as witnesses in court by obtaining and analysing the specific perceptions and
experiences of informed individuals working within the courtroom. This approach was
taken to address a gap in the existing literature (cf. Brian and Cruickshank, 2016), to
fulfil the aims of the College of Policing (COP, cited in Holdaway, 2017: 595) and to
Brian and Cruickshank 361
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