Sidebar to the article Using Research to Move Policing Forward, by Captain James Nolette, published in NIJ Journal issue no. 276.
To support the professional development of research-minded law enforcement officers, NIJ and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) launched the Law Enforcement Advancing Data and Science (LEADS) program in 2014. Under LEADS, NIJ awards merit-based scholarships to sworn, mid-rank officers who have either partnered on a research project or infused research into policy development at their agency.
Through LEADS, NIJ and IACP are helping to develop the next generation of law enforcement leaders. LEADS scholars attend the IACP Conference and Expo, where they network with law enforcement leaders, learn about the latest research, and see how other agencies and jurisdictions operate. The LEAD scholars can then take back the information they've gleaned from the conference to their own agencies to strengthen policy and practice. Scholarship recipients also attend NIJ's IACP Conference research track, titled "What Works and What Matters in Policing"; participate in private roundtable events with NIJ, Office of Justice Programs and IACP leadership; and participate in the IACP Research Advisory Committee.
NIJ used the insight gained from the first year of the LEADS program to guide development for 2015 and to ensure that we continue to identify rising leaders in law enforcement and nurture their professional growth. Furthermore, the Institute is arranging activities that allow for collaboration between the 2014 LEADS recipients and 2015's incoming class. NIJ hopes that through LEADS, we can ensure that future law enforcement executives use evidence-based research to advance criminal justice.
About the Author
Theodore D. Robinson is an editorial assistant at the National Criminal Justice Reference Service.
About This Article
This article was published as part of NIJ Journal issue number 276, published January 2016, as a sidebar to the article Using Research to Move Policing Forward, by Captain James Nolette.