Advancing Knowledge and Practice in Policing: A Longitudinal Platform for National Research

Police leaders and researchers are frustrated by the lack of knowledge about police officers in America; the police organizations in which they work; and the effectiveness of programs, policies and practices. Hence, the current study proposes an unprecedented national research platform for advancing knowledge about police officers, agencies, and interventions. The defining characteristics of the platform include: (1) the collection of standardized longitudinal data on employees and organizations across a national sample of agencies; (2) the ability to drill down deeper than previous studies on key issues; and (3) the ability to support randomized experiments to test innovative training and operational initiatives. A national sample of agencies would be classified into three distinct tiers of data collection intensity'thus providing both national estimates and greater depth on topics of interest. This proposal calls for a demonstration of key components of the national research platform in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, three smaller jurisdictions, and a regional training academy that serves officers employed by several hundred agencies. At the core of the platform concept is a plan to follow the "career course" of police officers and supervisors. During the demonstration project, officer and supervisor self-reported behaviors and perceptions will be validated with survey data from peers, supervisors, community residents, and agency records. Tracking the "life course of agencies" is another key strength of the platform. This project will yield rich information on the dynamics that shape an organization's priorities, leadership style, performance, accountability systems, supervisory practices, police culture, street-level policing and other agency features. The platform provides a strong mechanism for the rigorous testing of innovations. The team will use experimental methods to evaluate innovative training provided to recruits and to supervisors. The project team will consist of the executives in each demonstration site and some of the leading police researchers in the field. The project will be housed centrally at the University of Illinois at Chicago, with field offices in Boston, Chicago, and Los Angeles. The demonstration project by itself will advance the field of policing and provide scientifically valid conclusions about new recruits, supervisors, organizations, and interventions.

ca/ncf