Evidence-based police education and training in the United States

Abstract

The achievement of evidence-based policing is presumably dependent on a foundation of evidence-based education and training. This paper considers whether that foundation is in place in the United States. The extremely fragmented structure of American policing makes it difficult to draw firm conclusions but the picture is mixed. On the higher education side there is a strong commitment to research and academic values, but it is spread all across criminal justice without much focus on policing, and there is little commitment to pedagogical effectiveness. On the training side there is more focus on effective teaching and learning methods, but less commitment to making sure that the content that is taught conforms to the best available scientific evidence.