NIJ’s Law Enforcement Advancing Data and Science Scholars Program for Academics

The Law Enforcement Advancing Data and Science (LEADS) Academics program offers a unique opportunity for early-career academics to engage and partner with other NIJ LEADS Scholars, all of whom are mid-career police officers, civilians, and fellow academics dedicated to advancing the police profession through science.

The program has grown to over 130 sworn officers, civilians, and academics nationwide. Current and alumni Scholars represent a closely engaged network of individuals committed to using evidence and data to inform law enforcement policy and practice.

NIJ LEADS Scholars are champions and leaders of evidence-based policing. Frequently presenting and publishing their findings, LEADS Scholars have tested the effectiveness of a wide variety of policy and practice innovations, including violence reduction strategies in Delaware, drones as first responders in Maryland, automated license plate readers in California, patrol vehicle lighting schemes in Connecticut, and agency recruitment and retention programs in South Carolina. Scholars have conducted LEADS-supported research on body-worn cameras, GPS monitoring, and risk assessment tools. LEADS scholars have also studied ways to infuse evidence into everyday decision-making, including how to integrate high-quality research and evidence-based practices into police academy curricula.

Building relationships between researchers and practitioners is an important goal of the LEADS program. LEADS Academics develop partnerships with fellow LEADS Scholars in addition to working with the LEADS “implementation and development team” (the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the National Policing Institute) to help other Scholars understand and conduct research. LEADS Academics share their expertise in various research methods, analysis techniques, and ethical concerns associated with conducting research. Through participation in the LEADS program, Academics build their professional network of policing partners and their capacity to work with law enforcement agencies and practitioners.

Eligibility and Expectations

LEADS Academics must have been awarded their doctorate or equivalent terminal degree (e.g., J.D., M.D., Ph.D.) during or since the 2020 calendar year. LEADS Academics must have experience working directly with a law enforcement agency to conduct research using data provided by or collected for that agency. LEADS Academics must be full-time professors or research faculty of a university or college located in the United States that grants bachelor's or higher-level degrees. While a tenure-track position is not required, the applicant’s primary professional role must be research. Individuals whose only affiliation with a university or college is an adjunct appointment are not currently eligible for the program. NIJ encourages applicants from various academic disciplines including, but not limited to, social and behavioral sciences, technology, engineering, and math.

The LEADS Academics program acknowledges that participants are full-time professors and/or researchers at their university or college. The program is designed to be flexible, accommodating academics’ availability and the demands of their institutions and current workloads. There are, however, two meetings LEADS Academics are expected to attend that may require travel: the annual IACP Conference, including a pre-conference LEADS meeting and discussion (4-5 days), and the NIJ Summer Session in Washington DC (2-3 days). 

Program Activities

The LEADS Academics program is a three-year commitment and Academics have the opportunity to participate in a variety of additional activities, including:

• Programming at the IACP Annual Conference, beyond the expected participation in the pre-conference meeting and orientation day discussed above, including:
  • Attendance at the IACP Research Advisory Committee (RAC) and Police Research Advancement Section (PRAS) meetings.
• Collaborative brainstorming events between LEADS Scholars, NIJ science staff, IACP, and NPI.
• Opportunities to present and/or lead panels on research and findings at academic and law enforcement conferences and publish in academic and practitioner-focused magazines and journals.
• Integration into an online community of practice, moderated by NPI, that connects current and alumni Scholars, and serves as a forum for participant information sharing related to policing research.
• Participation in peer review of research applications submitted to NIJ.

NIJ covers all U.S domestic travel, accommodation, and per diem costs for Scholars’ event participation associated with the LEADS program. 

This program does not include direct funding to LEADS Academics to support original research. However, LEADS Scholars will receive notification of funding resources and programs, including from entities such as the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office).

Application Process

When NIJ is accepting applications, interested applicants must submit the following materials to [email protected] subject-line: LEADS Academics.

• Current CV, including date of receipt of doctoral or other terminal degree
• Letter of support from department chair or other supervisor (acknowledging the three-year commitment)
• At least one law enforcement practitioner reference and their contact information.
• Personal essay. Applicants should address the following questions in a 4-page (maximum) double-spaced document, using a standard 12-point font, with no less than 1-inch margins:
  1. Drawing on your experience working directly with a police agency, what do you believe makes partnerships most effective and productive? What challenges, if any, did you have, and how did you overcome them?
  2. How would you use that experience to collaborate with LEADS Law Enforcement and Civilian Scholars if you are selected for the program?
  3. Since the LEADS program is designed to build research capacity within law enforcement agencies, how do you view your role in helping police practitioners engage in and contribute to policing research?
  4. Why do you want to participate in this program, and how will your participation advance your career goals?
  5. What specific skills do you have that would benefit the NIJ LEADS Scholars? Please include examples of these skills and, if relevant, describe how you have used them in past work supporting a police agency.

Direct all questions to [email protected].