Innovation and Change Through Police Research and Development/Planning Units

Tuesday, October 22, 2024

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM ET

Location: 206AB

Submitter and Speaker(s)

Brenda Bond, PhD

Professor, Public Management
Suffolk University
Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Speaker(s)

Maria Cheevers

Director
Boston (MA) Police Department
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Michael A. Cox

Commissioner
Boston (MA) Police Department
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Ed Davis

President & CEO
The Ed Davis Company
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Jenna Savage, PhD

Deputy Director
Boston (MA) Police Department
Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Police agencies with research and planning staff report higher levels of innovative practices. These staff oversee grant writing, resource improvement, policy development, community surveys, partnerships, and other functions that support agency goals. Research shows that in agencies that serve more than 100,000 residents, 46% have research and planning units, while 77% have research and planning staff. Outcomes include grant awards, innovative community partnerships, and alignment between agency vision and strategy. This session will review police research and development/planning functions, highlighting successful units as examples. The session will provide a roadmap for how large and small agencies can create effective research and planning units in support of crime and safety goals.