An investigation into experimentation as a means to encourage a police service to work more effectively

Abstract

The research to be considered is an investigation into experimentation as a means to encourage a police service to work more effectively. The research aims in more details are: • To understand contemporary literature on ‘police learning methods’. • To understand contemporary literature on ‘delivering effective policing and improvement’. • To investigate the current approach to experimentation in Cheshire Police. • To analyse the impact of experiments in developing police practice. • To draw conclusions around the factors which act as contributors or blockers to successful experiments in policing practice. This qualitative phenomenological analysis of experimentation seeks to review a sample of case studies within Cheshire Police. Taking the learning from the limited literature around experimentation in policing the research seeks to analyse the impact that learning and recognised success factors and barriers and blockers have on the ability of the organisation to develop operational effectiveness. The research demonstrates evidence of learning and an understanding of the success factors and blockers and barriers, but draws the conclusion that often there is no evidence of improved operational effectiveness. The evidence shows improved effectiveness in management understanding and at a time of recognised austerity, an ability to effect structure change. However the focus to achieve operational delivery of ‘what works’, Neyroud (2011), still requires greater focus in experimentation within the organisation.