Receptivity to research in policing: Results from a survey of Canadian police professionals
| Published date | 01 June 2023 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/14613557231156752 |
| Author | Ariane-Jade Khanizadeh,Brittany Blaskovits,Craig Bennell,Laura Huey |
| Date | 01 June 2023 |
| Subject Matter | Original Research Articles |
Receptivity to research in policing:
Results from a survey of Canadian
police professionals
Ariane-Jade Khanizadeh
Department of Psychology, Carleton University, Canada
Brittany Blaskovits
Department of Psychology, Carleton University, Canada
Craig Bennell
Department of Psychology, Carleton University, Canada
Laura Huey
Department of Sociology, University of Western Ontario, Canada
Abstract
Previous surveys have demonstrated that not all police professionals are open to the idea that research can play an important
role in policing. To examine how Canadian police professionals view this issue, we conducted a survey of 598 civilian and sworn
police professionals from seven Canadian police services. The survey responses allowed us to gauge receptivity towards
research and determine what factors predict receptivity. We also examined factors that differentiate the most receptive police
professionals from others. Compared with previous surveys, our respondents were more receptive to research. Furthermore,
having higher education, holding a more senior rank, and being exposed to research (e.g., attending conferences) were asso-
ciated with higher levels of receptivity to research. The results from this study can potentially be used to increase receptivity to
research among police professionals, which may help police services become more efficient and effective.
Keywords
Evidence-based policing, receptivity to research, survey, police officers, civilians
Submitted 17 Mar 2022, Revise received 1 Dec 2022, accepted 2 Dec 2022
In Canada, the rising cost of public policing has led to dis-
cussions about how to increase efficiency within the
policing sector (Duxbury et al., 2018). In 2013 and 2015,
two Summits on the Economics of Policing were held in
Canada. During these summits, the importance of research
and academic–police partnerships were emphasized as an
important step in ensuring that policing strategies are
informed by research (Public Safety Canada, 2013, 2015),
thereby helping to improve efficiencies and reduce expendi-
tures (The House of Commons Standing Committee, 2014).
The current article addresses this issue by examining factors
that predict Canadian police professionals’openness to the
role of research in policing.
For some, relying on research within policing is synonym-
ous with the field of evidence-based policing (EBP).
1
As ori-
ginally conceptualized, EBP relates to the use of research to
develop policing practices, programs, and/or policies that are
Corresponding author:
Ariane-Jade Khanizadeh, Department of Psychology, Carleton University,
1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, Canada.
Email: ariane.khanizadeh@carleton.ca
Original Research Article
International Journal of
Police Science & Management
2023, Vol. 25(2) 133–147
© The Author(s) 2023
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DOI: 10.1177/14613557231156752
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