Intention is not method, belief is not evidence, rank is not proof

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to argue that police research has reached a level of acceptance such that executive management has an ethical obligation to their communities to use evidence-based practices. Design/methodology/approach Using an Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) framework the authors apply an ethical-based decision-making model to policing decisions. EBM does not allow physicians to ignore research when giving guidance to patients. The authors compare the two professional approaches to decision making and argue policing has reached a level of research that if ignored, just like medicine, should be considered unethical. Police interventions can potentially be harmful. Rather than do no harm, the authors argue that police managers should implement practices that are the least harmful based on the current research. Findings The authors found policing has a substantial amount of research showing what works, what does not, and what looks promising to allow police executives to make decisions based on evidence rather than tradition, culture, or best practice. There is a deep enough fund of knowledge to enable law enforcement leadership to evaluate policies on how well the policies and procedures they enforce prevent crime with a minimum of harm to the communities they are sworn to protect and serve. Originality/value Policing has yet to view community interventions as potentially harmful. Realigning police ethics from a lying, cheating, stealing, lens to a “doing the least harm” lens can alter the practitioner’s view of why evidence-based policing is important. Viewing executive decision from an evidence-based ethical platform is the future of evaluating police executive decisions.

The Structure and Delivery of Police Use of Force Training: A German Case Study

“…At a micro-level the results also showed evidence of a traditional linear learning model. These linear models of learning are characterised by: (a) "ideal models" and the existence of single solutions of skills-to-be-learnt (Moy et al 2016;Orth et al 2018;Seifert et al 2019); (b) ideal techniques are demonstrated by the coach and repeated by learners in isolated drills before put into application within the performance context (Metzler 2017;Moy et al 2014Moy et al 2016; (c) complex skills are split into smaller parts (Metzler 2017); training consists of highly structured teaching sequences (Moy et al 2016); and (e) detailed prescriptive instructions and corrective verbal feedback provision by the coach (Correia et al 2018). Highly structured sequences were observed in the current study, especially in the training of selfdefence and arrest, and firearms.…”

“…Generating and applying the best available evidence to police policy, practice and decision-making is an integral constituent in the process towards the professionalisation of the police (Brown et al 2018;Mitchell and Lewis 2017). However, in the context of police training, research has indicated that practice based on tradition rather than empirical evidence is common (Basham 2014;Birzer 2003;Cushion 2020).…”

#Defund or #Re-Fund?: Re-Examining Bayley’s Blueprint for Police Reform

“…This process ultimately leads us to an understanding of what does or does not 'work' in policing, knowledge of which can also be transferred and/or adapted for use in other jurisdictions (Neyroud, 2015;Sherman, 1998). The result of knowing what works in policing is that it encourages the police to discontinue strategies, policies, or practices that are deemed ineffective or harmful, thus leading to a more effective and efficient use of police budgets and resources, as well as the reduced potential of harm for members of the community (Huey & Ricciardelli, 2016;Mitchell & Lewis, 2017;Sherman, 2013).…”

“…In this light, Bayley (p. 152) argues that police budgets could instead "represent an aggregation of local needs, based on evaluations of local effectiveness." In doing so, the police would not only be forced to dispose of practices that are not substantiated by the evidence -what Mitchell and Lewis (2017) term a turn to more ethical policing -but would permit more efficient use and allocation of police budgets (see also Nix & Wolfe, 2020). Consequently, the police, public and policymakers could engage in more productive discussions around police budgets in order to determine if there are excess funds that could be reallocated elsewhere outside of policing, or if there is a need to refund the police in order to expand their ability to develop and engage in evidence-based practices.…”

“There must be an ideal solution…”Assessing training methods of knife defense performance of police recruits

“…Since especially knife attacks on police officers have been a recurring topic in the public and policing debate in Germany for years, in this explorative field study, knife defense performance of German police recruits against different types of knife attacks has been compared: one group was taught using the currently predominant linear approach and the other using key principles of nonlinear pedagogy. By assessing the impact of two available approaches, the article provides evidence-based orientations for an informed decision-making of police trainers as well as for the further professionalization of police (self-defense) training (Mitchell and Lewis, 2017).…”