While Dr. Anne Li Kringen is a nationally renowned expert in the field of U.S. law enforcement, she started her career working hands-on as a police officer. It was her time as a front-line police officer that inspired her to grow her knowledge and expertise in order to truly effect change in the profession. Dr. Kringen currently leads the Austin, Texas, Police Department’s (APD) Training Academy Division where she works to establish mutual goals with officers and the community. Her interpersonal skills compliment those of the sworn and civilian training academy staff. Her collaborative, multidisciplinary approach to on-site work continues to bridge gaps between the front-line workforce and those who study the system. 

Dr. Kringen has dedicated herself to policing and diversification. Her expertise is sought out by local, state, and federal government agencies across the United States. She is a nationally recognized subject matter expert on critical perspectives on race and gender in policing and policy, and her recent research includes categorizing variation in foot patrol strategies, considering the impact of civil service rules and agency-specific hiring guidelines on women and individuals of color, and developing an evidence-based process that increases the recruitment and retention of diverse candidates.   

Dr. Kringen is using her position at APD to work with external researchers, revamp the cadet curriculum, grow the advanced officer training program, and provide ongoing assessment and evaluation. Her work highlights the tremendous potential of bringing academics into the executive-level fold of public safety agencies. Dr. Kringen is also a Steering Committee member for the APD 30 by 30 Initiative through which APD is committed to recruiting practices that achieve 30 percent or greater female cadet participation by 2030 and currently serves on the Research Advisory Committee for the IACP.  

“I have a passion for helping others and am driven to mold minds, model behavior, scrutinize everything, and create [a] work product that will move the field forward.”