Police College runs Workshop on
Research
Methods in Policing
In a bid to promote good research practices within the Force, Police College held a five-day Workshop on Research Methods in Policing from November 7 to 11.
In the face of a changing social environment, crime technology, rising public demands and social accountability, it is most important for the Force to formulate policies through evidence-based research.
According to Sherman (1998), evidence-based policing is defined as the use of the best available research on the outcomes of police work to implement guidelines and evaluate agencies, units and officers. Evidence-based policing allows police organisations to be reflexive and smart and continuously improve police work with empirically tested outcomes. The figure below illustrates how evidence-based policing research works.
The Force has accumulated a large volume of research findings, produced during policy research, course syndicate work and academic studies. The findings are frequently used to formulate guidelines and policy.
Workshop on
Research Methods
In a bid to provide officers with the knowledge and skills to make quality policing research, Police College invited the Director of Centre for the Advancement of Social Sciences Research (CASR) at Hong Kong Baptist University, Dr Agnes Law, to conduct the Workshop on Research Methods in Policing. The workshop covered the philosophies of social science research, quantitative and qualitative research methods, statistical techniques, use of computer programmes such as the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and nVIVO, writing research reports and discussion of police research papers selected from various international policing journals.
The objectives of the workshop were allowing the participants to:
(i) understand various qualitative and quantitative research methods and analysis tools;
(ii) apply appropriate research skills in police policy research;
(iii) prepare quality research proposals and research reports;
(iv) professionally manage and conduct research projects;
(v) effectively carry out qualitative and quantitative data analysis; and
(vi) understand and critically evaluate data and research findings.
The Head of Police College's Research Centre, Woman Superintendent Cheung Hoi-yan, who is an ardent supporter of lifelong learning, agrees with the concept of and rationale behind the research training workshop. "It's very clear we need a thinking police force and a knowledge-based police service in the 21st Century. The police must be able to think, analyse, anticipate, and see and smell what goes on in society and be able to give advice on matters of safety, both to citizens and government. It is all about evidence-based research," she said.
The workshop attracted 25 officers at the ranks of Inspector to Chief Inspector. Police College hopes the workshop would provide them with a solid foundation in research skills and culture, which would ultimately help improve research standards at all levels within the Force.
Note: Sherman, L. (1998). Evidence-Based Policing. Ideas in American Policing. Police Foundation and Lawrence W. Sherman.
URL: http://www.policefoundation.org/pdf/Sherman.pdf
(Source:
Sherman,
1998)