Better policing through better evidence
From new professionalism to better remedies
Peter Neyroud CBE QPM
Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge
And
Molly Slothower, University of Maryland
Confidential 1
Coming up
‣ The Old policing profession – the old evidence
and its consequences
‣ From the Old, to the New
‣ Evidence. Myths. Legends
‣ Politics and Police
‣ Developing the New policing professionalism
supported by science
‣ Turning Point and the community remedy
Confidential 2
Coming up
‣ The Old policing profession
‣ From the Old, to the New
‣ Evidence. Myths. Legends
‣ Politics and Police
‣ Developing the New policing professionalism
Confidential 3
O. W. Wilson
1900-1972
 Rapid response
 Deterrent patrol
 Investigations
 Police science degrees
... the “Clinical Professor”
Chief of Wichita
and Chicago
Confidential 4
O. W. Wilson
1900-1972
“the determination of the level of
operational manpower to carry
out police tasks..[is made by]
(a) guesswork
(b) comparison [to others]
(c) a calculation of the
number of men to be added to
compensate for an increase in
crime…” (Wilson and McLaren,
1976: 363)
Chief of Wichita
and Chicago
Confidential 5
O. W. Wilson
1900-1972
“An impression of omni-presence
is created by frequent and
conspicuous patrol at every hour
and in all sections of the
community..” (Wilson and
McLaren, 1976: 363)
Chief of Wichita
and Chicago
Confidential 6
The 3 Rs of the ‘old’ professional era
Approach
Objective
Random patrols
To deter
Rapid response
To prevent
Reactive detection
To reduce
Confidential 7
Coming up
‣ The Old policing profession
‣ From the Old, to the New
‣ Evidence. Myths. Legends
‣ Politics and Police
‣ Developing the New policing professionalism
Confidential 8
The end of the ‘old’ professional era
Approach
Objective
Random patrols
To deter
Research
Outcome
Not effective
Rapid response
To prevent
Not effective
Reactive detection
To reduce
Not effective
Confidential 9
The end of the ‘old’ professional era
or
Random Patrol
Confidential 10
Community Policing
‣ Seeking mission beyond crime fighting
‣ Building upon Goldstein’s problem-solving model
‣ Majority of police activities were not related to crime
Confidential 11
Intelligence-led Policing
Confidential 12
Compstat
BIG DATA
CONFIDENT
Evidence
Crime Fighting
Cops on the dots
TACTICS
Confidential
13
Evidence-led Policing
Place
Areas of high crime rates
People
Most harmful and persistent
Protection
Most vulnerable
Persuasion
Legitimacy
Confidential 14
Coming up
‣ The Old policing profession
‣ From the Old, to the New
‣ Evidence. Myths. Legends
‣ Politics and Police
‣ Developing the New policing professionalism
Confidential 15
50 years of research.
Is policing based on researched facts?
Confidential 16
5 Popular Myths
Confidential 17
1
Myth
Fact
Focus on hotspots = crime 
Confidential 18
2
Myth
Targeting
=
Displacement
Fact
Targeting
=
Diffusion
Confidential 19
3
Myth
Court Prosecution
=
Deterrent
Fact
Formal Processing
=
Negative Impact
Confidential 20
4
Myth
Community Policing
=
Crime Prevention
Fact
Community Policing
=
Legitimacy
Confidential 21
5
Myth
‘Traditional’ Policing
=
Crime Reduction
Fact
Science
=
Success
Confidential 22
Why do myths matter?
Confidential 23
Confidential 24