Incorporating Research Evidence into Academy and In-Service Training

Traditional academy and in-service curricula excel at building essential tactical skills—firearms, vehicle operations, report writing, and procedural compliance. However, evidence-based policing demands more than reactive response. Reducing crime, analyzing persistent hotspots, and building durable community trust require proactive, research-backed strategies. This requires incorporating evidence-based policing knowledge, skills, and techniques into both introductory and in-service training.

However, incorporating evidence-based policing (EBP) into existing training schedules can be challenging. Many agency instructors lack specialized backgrounds in empirical research, and tight training budgets often prevent agencies from hiring outside academic experts. To help with these barriers, the MDP team collaborated with leading police academies and practitioner organizations to build free instructional tools that agencies can use, including:

• Clear video introductions defining evidence-based policing and practical methods for weaving research concepts into everyday recruit and in-service training.
• Introductory and more advanced training sessions on the use and operationalization of crime analysis for evidence-based policing.
• The module also links to the demonstration project on Trust & Community Confidence, which also provides free introductory training materials for agencies that need it.