Evidence-Based Policing Is Here to Stay: Innovative Research, Meaningful Practice, and Global Reach

Research Question: In the context of important advances as well as global reach, what more is needed for evidence-based policing to bridge the divide between academic research and police practice? Data: We draw on 18 case studies reported in The Globalization of Evidence-Based Policing: Innovations in Bridging the Research-Practice Divide (Piza and Welsh, 2022). These accounts of innovations provide a range of qualitative evidence on the integration of scientific research in contemporary policing. Findings: The case studies describe some plausible causal links in four key processes: (a) transferring scientific knowledge to the practice community; (b) empowering officers to conduct police-led science; (c) aligning the work of researchers and practitioners; and (d) incorporating evidence-based policing in daily police functions. Conclusions: While there is much work to do to achieve population-level impacts, many innovative efforts at bridging the research-practice divide in policing are becoming embedded enough to make that happen.