University helps secure more than £1.9m to improve research into policing

The University of Derby, in collaboration with a number of police forces, other universities and agencies, has helped to secure more than £1.9m from the Police Knowledge Fund to help improve research into policing.

The College of Policing, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and the Home Office launched the £10m Police Knowledge Fund earlier this year to encourage closer working between police forces and academia to increase evidence-based knowledge, skills and problem solving approaches within policing.

Kedleston campus

Staff from the University of Derby’s College of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences, helped put forward two bids to the fund:

This bid was led by the University of Northampton and its collaborating partners are the University of Derby, De Montfort University, Loughborough University, Nottingham Trent University, University of Lincoln, University of Leicester as well as five police forces, including Derbyshire Constabulary.

The bid was led by the University of Nottingham and its partners include the University of Derby, University of Birmingham as well as Skills for Justice, Crest Analytics and 13 police forces.

Dr Philip Hodgson, Head of Criminology at the University of Derby, said: “These successful bids build upon the growing reputation of staff in policing and investigative research at the University of Derby and assist in establishing its position as a key research institution in the policing arena.

“Recent developments in policing at the University of Derby have included a launch of a new Policing degree, a new Masters programme in Police Leadership, new Policing Professorial appointments, the continued successful delivery of the UK’s only university accredited Cadet Policing Programme and the expansive portfolio of international policing work.”

Academic institutions, in partnership with police forces and other agencies, were able to bid for a slice of the £10m fund. Fourteen bids, involving 39 forces and the British Transport Police, have been awarded funding.

Rachel Tuffin, Director of Knowledge, Research and Education at College of Policing, said: “We received 72 excellent bids and it was great to see the appetite out there for improving policing through research and evidence-based practice for officers and staff.

“The successful bidders have presented a wide range of ideas and initiatives aimed at building the evidence base in policing to help frontline officers and staff develop their skills and knowledge, and covering topics from digital forensics to improving the response on mental health.

“I’m looking forward to seeing these 14 bids put into practice and continuing to develop and promote what really works in policing and crime reduction.”