This study investigates police officers’ perceptions and attitudes toward Evidence-Based Policing (EBP) through qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews. The research focuses on officers’ understanding of EBP, their use of research and data in daily work, openness to collaboration with researchers, and perceived challenges to institutionalizing EBP. Findings reveal that most officers were unfamiliar with the concept of EBP and rarely applied research findings in practice. Although internal statistics were occasionally used to inform decisions, such data use was limited to short-term adjustments and did not result in structural or policy-level changes. Nonetheless, participants expressed generally positive attitudes toward researcher collaboration, emphasizing the value of objective and systematic research over direct field experience. Many also acknowledged the potential of EBP to enhance police legitimacy and professionalism. Concerns about workforce shortages, heavy workloads, and organizational constraints were cited as obstacles to EBP implementation. The study highlights the importance of adopting long-term, incremental strategies to enhance institutional capacity, including improved working conditions, formal educational programs, and sustained partnerships between practitioners and researchers.
Park et al. (Tue,) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: