The best police force in the world

Learning at all cost…

Edinburgh, September 2nd 2008

Scottish whisky? Tartan army? Golf courses? Cuisine? is/ are considered to be one of the world's most refined

and elegant

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Twente has the best police force of the Netherlands, is the conclusion of the Interior

Minister, based on a comparison of the results of the Dutch 26 police forces. Twente police scored 68 out of a total of 80 possible points for matters such as “satisfaction amongst the population”, number of arrests and speed of

working

The Netherlands

Obstacles to knowledge development

• Impractical research far removed from daily practice.• No real input or involvement from within police forces.• Idea “with us, it’s different”• Idea that thinking and reflection undermine hierarchy

or discipline• Idea that thinking and reflection undermine the need

for action • Idea that spending time on knowledge is not “real

work.”• More comfortable to hold on to a cherished opinion• Lack of time, opportunities and resources

Dealing with conflict

situations

From “Omgaan met conflicten”, in coop with Nicolien Kop, Henk Ferwerda,Johan Heijnemans, Wilfried Olde Nordkamp, Peter de Paauw & Kees van Woerkom

Use of “goal – approach analysis” (N = 64)

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Request assistance

Request additional information

Communicate about plan

Formulate plan

Verify possibilities

Verify authority

Estimate risks

Formulate goal

Before

During

The split-second syndrome(Fyfe, 1998)

• No two situations are alike: there are no general principles for the way in which dangerous situations should be dealt with.

• The only way to manage dangerous situations is to train officers to react as quickly as possible to emergency situations and to think up solutions as quickly as possible.

“What works”(Sherman e.a., 1997)

1. correlational research2. pre- and post measurement without control

group3. quasi-experimental design with control group4. experiments where other variables are

controlled5. randomized experiments

Incidents

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Euro 2004 Euro 2000

% o

f sa

mp

les

Euro 2004: Stott & Adang Euro 2000: Adang & Cuvelier

Points of departure

• Wherever possible: direct observations of what happens in real police practice

• Involvement of police researchers, police teachers, police students and police practitioners

• Co-operation• No borders• Utilisation focused• Comparative approach: not just focusing on

incidents

What do you mean quiet?!

New Year’s EveIncrease in annoyance, arson, vandalism, violence

compared to an average day

  30-12 31-12 1-1 2-1

Annoyance 3,9 5,1 2,3 1,0

Arson 3,6 17,0 14,2 2,7

Vandalism 1,3 3,1 4,8 3,4

Violence 1,0 1,0 2,8 1,0

Research, practice and education

• Agenda setting• Inventory of good practices• Number of recommendations• Direct input for practice:

– Exchange between (and within) police forces– Preparation for next New Year’s Eve

• Input for education (involvement of teachers and students)

• Interior minister appoints dedicated task force

The best police force in the world