Tales from the frontline: professionalisation, evidence-based practice and response policing

A key element of the professionalisation of UK policing was to make greater use of evidence-based practice (EBP). As part of this process, recruits would receive a degree on completion of training. Much has been written about the EBP journey over the past decade but there has been little opportunity to explore the prospects and limitations of EBP in situ. This study utilises an interpretivist multi-method approach to analyse the impact of the professionalisation agenda within the response policing function of one English police force. Findings suggest the progress of professionalisation and the embedding of EBP are hampered by structural barriers and the well-documented aspects of occupational culture. The research identifies a lack of organisational capability and capacity to upskill serving officers in matters such as EBP and demonstrates the limits to effectively embedding EBP into operational practice. This paper adds to the literature on the importance of implementation issues in the application of evidence-based practice and the use of broader methodologies in their assessment.