Dr Alistair Henry (SIPR)Dr Simon Mackenzie (SCCJR)

Understanding community policing: knowledge transfer and police perspectives

OutlineOutline

1.1. Why knowledge transfer with the Why knowledge transfer with the police (and how does it differ from police (and how does it differ from research)?research)?

2.2. Main themes from our literature Main themes from our literature review, and how these are brought review, and how these are brought out in the data generated by the KT out in the data generated by the KT processes.processes.

3.3. Emerging themes from the KT Emerging themes from the KT which are new and/or interesting. which are new and/or interesting.

The projectThe project

3 years (2009-11)3 years (2009-11) Funded by the Arts and Humanities Funded by the Arts and Humanities

Research CouncilResearch Council Focus on community policing in L & BFocus on community policing in L & B Detailed schedule of police-academic Detailed schedule of police-academic

engagement activitiesengagement activities Greater than average focus on Greater than average focus on

dissemination as a form of dissemination as a form of communicationcommunication

Aims and objectivesAims and objectives1. To build a workable system of KT between the partners 1. To build a workable system of KT between the partners

that can continue beyond the funded life of the project.that can continue beyond the funded life of the project.

2. For this system of KT to include:2. For this system of KT to include:

a. A conduit for the transfer of academic research a. A conduit for the transfer of academic research findings and theoretical developments into community findings and theoretical developments into community policing practice, andpolicing practice, and

b. A conduit for the transfer of operational community b. A conduit for the transfer of operational community policing experiences, successes, failures and policing experiences, successes, failures and constraints into the academic research database.constraints into the academic research database.

Also Also four initial key themesfour initial key themes::- institutional memoryinstitutional memory- appreciation of the roleappreciation of the role- relationship between particular initiatives and long-relationship between particular initiatives and long-

term visionterm vision- measuring the benefits.measuring the benefits.

Why KT?Why KT? KT relatively new for criminologyKT relatively new for criminology Our KT model is a collaborative form of Our KT model is a collaborative form of

research in which participants perform research in which participants perform some of the research taskssome of the research tasks Researcher and researchedResearcher and researched Evaluation, documentation, monitoring of Evaluation, documentation, monitoring of

good practicegood practice Efficiency in researchEfficiency in research

Enables open ended research, without Enables open ended research, without the constraints of pre-decided research the constraints of pre-decided research questions and methodsquestions and methods Directly responsive to police experiencesDirectly responsive to police experiences New ground-up research questionsNew ground-up research questions

MethodsMethods

Literature reviewLiterature review Focus groups and workshopsFocus groups and workshops

Strategic command levelStrategic command level Chief inspectors and sector inspectorsChief inspectors and sector inspectors CBOsCBOs

Diary: diary-interviewDiary: diary-interview Shadowing and virtual shadowingShadowing and virtual shadowing Systematic self-observationSystematic self-observation

Research and practice: Research and practice: understanding CP from the understanding CP from the

literature and the KT literature and the KT processprocess

Overview of the academic literature Overview of the academic literature reviewreview

The ambiguity of CPThe ambiguity of CP Challenges of CP in the literature and Challenges of CP in the literature and

from the KT process (Specificity vs. from the KT process (Specificity vs. fluidity of definition; valuing difficult-to-fluidity of definition; valuing difficult-to-measure work; partnership working; the measure work; partnership working; the challenge of ‘community engagement’)challenge of ‘community engagement’)

Overview of the academic Overview of the academic literature reviewliterature review

Historical development of the Historical development of the concept of ‘community policing’concept of ‘community policing’

Defining community policingDefining community policing Comparative perspectives and the Comparative perspectives and the

Scottish experienceScottish experience The international ‘what works’ The international ‘what works’

literatureliterature Key challenges to implementing CPKey challenges to implementing CP

The ambiguity of CPThe ambiguity of CP““(T)he concept (of CP) itself was very (T)he concept (of CP) itself was very difficult to pin down. Rather like trying to difficult to pin down. Rather like trying to catch hold of soap in the bath.” (Williamson, catch hold of soap in the bath.” (Williamson, 2005: 153)2005: 153)

““CP is not a set of specific projects; rather, it CP is not a set of specific projects; rather, it involves changing decision-making involves changing decision-making processes and creating new cultures within processes and creating new cultures within police departments. It is an organizational police departments. It is an organizational strategy that leaves setting priorities and strategy that leaves setting priorities and the means of achieving them largely to the means of achieving them largely to residents and the police who serve in their residents and the police who serve in their neighbourhoods. CP is a process rather neighbourhoods. CP is a process rather than a product.” (Skogan, 2006: 5)than a product.” (Skogan, 2006: 5)

Broadly agreed features of CP:Broadly agreed features of CP: Decentralisation of responsibilityDecentralisation of responsibility Partnership with other public Partnership with other public

agenciesagencies Community engagementCommunity engagement Proactive and problem-solving Proactive and problem-solving

orientation of the police organisationorientation of the police organisation Philosophy of CP as ‘real’ police workPhilosophy of CP as ‘real’ police work

(See: Skogan, 2006; Alderson, 1979; (See: Skogan, 2006; Alderson, 1979; Friedmann, 1992; Tilley, 2008)Friedmann, 1992; Tilley, 2008)

Challenges of CP in the Challenges of CP in the literature and from the KT literature and from the KT

processprocess Specificity vs. flexibility in CPSpecificity vs. flexibility in CP

- - tensions in the literaturetensions in the literature (see Skogan, (see Skogan, 2006) – recognised value in being clear 2006) – recognised value in being clear about what CP is/is not - without reducing it about what CP is/is not - without reducing it to a pre-set list of products/prescriptions to to a pre-set list of products/prescriptions to be deployed be deployed - - tensions noted in KTtensions noted in KT – recognition of – recognition of “individual community needs” - “one size “individual community needs” - “one size does not fit all” – CP requires “imagination does not fit all” – CP requires “imagination and creativity” – “we can give them general and creativity” – “we can give them general guidelines…but I don’t think we can be guidelines…but I don’t think we can be prescriptive”prescriptive”

Valuing difficult to measure workValuing difficult to measure workLiterature:Literature: it’s difficult to measure the it’s difficult to measure the success of preventative strategies success of preventative strategies (Pease, 2002; Tilley, 2001); deployment (Pease, 2002; Tilley, 2001); deployment of PIs in organisations can result in low of PIs in organisations can result in low status being given to tasks that are not status being given to tasks that are not easily measured (Hough, 2007; easily measured (Hough, 2007; Fitzgerald et al, 2002)Fitzgerald et al, 2002)

KT:KT: “It’s difficult to measure what a “It’s difficult to measure what a CBO does, in a target driven CBO does, in a target driven organisation like the police, where organisation like the police, where everything’s got to have a number everything’s got to have a number attached to it.”attached to it.”

Partnership workingPartnership working

Literature and KT:Literature and KT:

- partnership is an essential component of - partnership is an essential component of CPCP

- nature of community problems and quality - nature of community problems and quality of life issues requires ‘joined-up’ responsesof life issues requires ‘joined-up’ responses

- problem-orientated cooperation amongst - problem-orientated cooperation amongst partners ensures ‘something gets done’partners ensures ‘something gets done’

KT:KT:

Extensive and creative partnership working Extensive and creative partnership working at multiple levels in L&B and Edinburgh: at multiple levels in L&B and Edinburgh: Edinburgh Capital; NAUs; Community Edinburgh Capital; NAUs; Community Safety; joint patrol schemes; TAC meetingsSafety; joint patrol schemes; TAC meetings

The challenge of ‘community The challenge of ‘community engagement’engagement’Literature:Literature: - problem of ‘the usual suspects’ - problem of ‘the usual suspects’ (Crawford, 1997; Myhill, 2006; Herbert, (Crawford, 1997; Myhill, 2006; Herbert, 2006) – less of a problem where beat 2006) – less of a problem where beat areas are small enough for residents to areas are small enough for residents to probably share concerns (Skogan, 2006); probably share concerns (Skogan, 2006); - difficulty of accessing ‘hard to reach - difficulty of accessing ‘hard to reach groups’ (Jones and Newburn, 2001)groups’ (Jones and Newburn, 2001)- limited evidence of CP enhancing - limited evidence of CP enhancing community capacity (Tuffin et al, 2006) – community capacity (Tuffin et al, 2006) – evidence it’s needed for real community evidence it’s needed for real community engagement engagement

KT:KT:

- problem of ‘the usual suspects’- problem of ‘the usual suspects’

- “It’s the same people all the time”- “It’s the same people all the time”

- “We need to get them to tell us what - “We need to get them to tell us what theirtheir priorities are - instead of me priorities are - instead of me going ‘well, your priorities must be going ‘well, your priorities must be ASB, drinking and vandalism, therefore ASB, drinking and vandalism, therefore I’m going to solve that’”I’m going to solve that’”

- police take the lead on things and - police take the lead on things and make them happen – but better if the make them happen – but better if the community have more capacity to be community have more capacity to be proactiveproactive

Emerging themesEmerging themes

1.1. Individual factorsIndividual factors- ‘‘Fluidity’ and ‘discretion’ manifest in Fluidity’ and ‘discretion’ manifest in

much individual-level local creativity in much individual-level local creativity in best practice best practice

2.2. Organisational factorsOrganisational factors- Employment conditionsEmployment conditions- Difficult fit with conventional PIsDifficult fit with conventional PIs

3.3. Cultural factorsCultural factors- A role which is highly valued in some A role which is highly valued in some

senses, but not in otherssenses, but not in others- Emotional labour and the personal Emotional labour and the personal

investment in being a CBOinvestment in being a CBO

Going forwardGoing forward

Website for dissemination: Website for dissemination: http://police.sccjr.ac.uk/

Simon MackenzieSimon Mackenzies.mackenzie@lbss.gla.ac.uk

Alistair HenryAlistair Henrya.henry@ed.ac.uk