Policing Academic Centre of Excellence

Lancaster Policing Academic Centre of Excellence (L-PACE) Lancaster University’s case to be recognised as a Policing Academic Centre of Excellence (L-PACE) is based on its world leading reputation for the application of social and behavioural sciences to policing Areas of Research Interest (ARI). Lancaster is already a member of the N8 Policing Research Partnership (N8PRP), a collaboration between 8 research-intensive universities and 11 police forces in the North of England include Cheshire, Cleveland, Cumbria, Durham, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside, North Yorkshire, Northumbria, South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire. In addition, L-PACE works with national forces including Police Scotland, the NCA, Counter Terrorism Police, Border Force and Immigration. This proposal showcases Lancaster’s strengths in policing research which is not only cross-disciplinary, but also built around expertise in the analysis of visual, linguistic and sensor data, and in partnership with organisations who are signed up to the Police-Industry Charter. L-PACE will demonstrate expertise in the two required Areas of Research Interest (ARI) (Enduring Challenges and Crime Prevention) and will highlight our strengths in two additional ARIs (Personal Safety and Surveillance and Sensing). In the Enduring Challenges ARI we have strengths in building and maintaining trust as well as future workforce and training. In the Crime Prevention ARI L-PACE has expertise in both safer physical and online public spaces, as well as new evaluation tools and approaches to risk mitigation. In the Personal Safety ARI, L-PACE specialises in research on the wellbeing of officers in a variety of contexts, and leads the first ever project seeking user perspectives on uniform design, usability and safety which will set 2025 objectives for the National Uniform Portfolio. In the Surveillance and Sensing ARI, L-PACE specialises in research on effective interviewing of vulnerable citizens; on the use of digital technologies in a practical, ethical and forensically informed manner; and on improving situational awareness, particularly in emergency contexts where interoperability is key. The L-PACE will deploy a range of mechanisms to support new activities during the lifetime of the Centre. These include a mix of smaller, data science mini-projects, partnership funding with larger Lancaster based networks like the £3.5M Network Plus for Analytical Behavioural Science (NABS+), collaborative small grant funding to provide proof-of-concept data for larger research bids, and a rapid response funding mechanism for responding to urgent and emergent concerns. L-PACE will also work with police forces and companies signed up to the Police Industry Charter (launched in March 2024) to inform product and service development through the highest quality evidence base. The aims of L-PACE include: increasing the number and range of academics involved in police ARI projects; fostering new relationships between academics and police forces; providing practical solutions to current policing problems; sparking new ideas that can be built into more substantial projects; tackling the policing skills and recruitment gap by creating a pathway for students consider a career in data related policing. L-PACE will be guided by a Steering Group of senior Lancaster academics with expertise across all areas of the ARI’s. L-PACE will also have an external Advisory Group, made up of senior current and former officers, industry representatives and data management experts, to ensure that the work remains focussed and relevant.