The Transition – Police Officer to Advanced Police Practitioner

• In Event: Roundtable: Drawing Lessons and Learning From a Merseyside Based Police Service and University Co-Production Research Partnership

Abstract

The College of Policing are at the forefront of a concerted effort to embed evidence-based thinking in policing policy making practice in England and Wales. The Police Knowledge Fund - and this roundtable discusses one of fifteen projects nationally under this programme - represents an attempt by the College to encourage police professionals and academic institutions to work together to generate innovative ways to co-produce research activity.
Within the context of models of co-production the presentation here reflects on the role of the Advanced Police Practitioner and the transition(s) encountered by an experienced police inspector undertaking an 18-month secondment to the University. The presentation shares the experience of moving from a police environment that is hectic, operational, dynamic and based on threat, harm and risk to an academic environment of consideration, discourse, and research. The discussion considers the potential of evidence based practice research to shape and influence decisions within the police service and considers the ability of academia to contribute to this process. The opportunity to guide officers to develop ideas and learning that will direct policy underpins the role and is one which varies from a transactional style of leading policing incidents, workload and performance.

Author

• Karen Dowden, Liverpool John Moores University