ESRC Vulnerability & Policing Futures Research Centre Co-Director Professor Adam Crawford has taken part in a knowledge exchange event on evidence-informed policing.
10 February 2025
Held in Edinburgh, UK, the Research & Evidence Forum was organised by Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority. It featured several speakers from organisations including the College of Policing, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary in Scotland, The Police Foundation, the Scottish Institute for Policing Research, the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research, and the Vulnerability & Policing Futures Research Centre.
The workshop heard from Mark Evans and Bruce O’Brien of New Zealand Police on recent innovations and developments in advancing evidence-based policing in New Zealand.
The subsequent panel discussion that Professor Crawford joined debated key issues including what can be done to embed evidence-based approaches into practice, making research more accessible for practitioners, and improving data quality and the potential of connected data, among other topics.
Professor Crawford drew on the learning from the Vulnerability & Policing Futures Research Centre’s programme of research in the discussion. He emphasised the importance of place-based research that situates the understanding of multiple vulnerabilities; how they combine, concentrate and compound in particular settings, as well as the ways in which vulnerable populations interact with diverse service providers.
Professor Crawford advocated a whole-system approach that locates policing within a wider ecosystem of public safety, and recognises the limits of the role of the police in responses to vulnerabilities.
He highlighted the challenges in shifting a police culture to embrace organisational learning from research and the need to up-scale innovations in problem-oriented policing.
The panellists also discussed the importance of bringing researchers and the police more closely together to co-develop research agendas and include ‘less-heard’ and ‘marginalised’ communities in shaping research agendas. There was a strong emphasis on partnerships between the police and other public sector organisations, notably health, in delivering more preventive approaches.
Professor Adam Crawford said “It was a really interesting day to discuss some important issues within evidence-informed policing with Scottish colleagues as well as hearing about New Zealand’s recent developments and Police Scotland’s 2030 Vision and three-year plan.”
The event was also attended by Centre Deputy Director Professor Dan Birks and Co-Investigator Professor Liz Hughes who contributed to discussions and forged new links with Scottish colleagues.