Research and Consultancy

Empowering Evidence-Based Policing Worldwide

What consultancy services do we offer?

At the Cambridge Centre for Evidence-Based Policing (CCEBP), we empower policing organisations globally to make better decisions, informed by the best available evidence. Our consultancy services are designed to adapt to organisational needs, whether that is evaluating new tactics or departments, creating or embedding a new policy, supporting organisational change, organising randomised controlled trials or assisting to improve force efficiency. We have a range of expertise to ensure a high standard of service.

Our clients

We have advised police services and international partners across the UK, Europe, Asia, North America, and South America. Clients include:

  • England and Wales policing constabularies

  • Home Office

  • College of Policing

  • Offices of Police and Crime Commissioners

  • Ministry of Justice

  • The Indian Police Service, South African Police, Brazilian Police

  • New York University, USA

  • Aarhus University, Denmark

Consultancy examples

We draw upon research and expertise to support organisations to use the best available evidence to improve their effectiveness and efficiency. Consultancy requests have included:

Evidence-based crime prevention

  • A review of the Home Office’s ‘Grip’ serious violence policing programme

  • Support in the creation of Problem Solving Plans designed to reduce crime and harm

  • Audits of a force’s ability to deliver Problem-Oriented Policing, with recommendations

  • Utilising randomised controlled trials and quasi-experimental methods

Policy design and evaluation

  • Independent evaluations of policies, programmes, and strategies

  • Cost-benefit and impact analyses to support decision-making

  • Policy design support aligned with the latest criminological research

Deployment of operational tools

Evidence-Based Investigation Tool (EBIT)

We have designed, tested, and built crime triage algorithms for volume crime types for Kent Constabulary, Dyfed Powys Police, West Yorkshire Police, and Avon and Somerset Police.  These algorithms use the force’s own data to identify which lower-level high-volume crimes tend to be solved. Then, using this data, we provide a triage in order to more accurately identify at an early stage what is, and is not, likely to be solved. This supports the force to triage fewer crimes, so officers can spend their time investigating crime rather than managing workloads. For crimes that are unlikely to be solved early, honest conversations are facilitated so that the force does not overpromise and underdeliver (which increases dissatisfaction), for resources to instead focus on relevant referrals and victim support.

Rapid Video Response (RVR)

Rapid Video Response is the use of face-to-face online investigation for certain categories of crime. We have supported its rollout for domestic abuse victims in Kent Constabulary and undertaken the evaluation of the implementation and rollout across seven forces in the South East. RVR can improve victim satisfaction, response times, and arrest rates.

Digital Investigation Toolkit (DIT)

We worked with Cumbria Constabulary and partners to design a Digital Investigation Toolkit (DIT) to increase domestic abuse investigation quality. We reviewed 500 closed domestic abuse crimes to identify missed lines of enquiry and identified where training and supplementary information would add substantial value to high-volume low-complexity digital enquiries. We then assisted in the creation of short instructional videos and supporting documents, to address gaps identified, subsequently running a randomised controlled trial to test the DIT’s efficacy (‘Operation Range’). It was rolled out as force policy (including in response team and new officer training) and the results were shared with the College of Policing (with our support) and the Police Science, Technology, Analysis, & Research (STAR) project.

Any questions?

Whether seeking to tackle a specific operational challenge or embed evidence-based practices across an organisation, we are pleased to offer our support. Please get in touch today:

Contact us