Evidence to Action
What Works. What Doesn’t. What’s Emerging.
Welcome to the IACP’s Evidence to Action Hub – your go-to resource for fast, accessible, and actionable summaries of research that matters to policing leaders.
Each document on this page translates complex studies into concise, 1-page briefs designed for immediate use by police executives, command staff, and practitioners. Whether you’re preparing a crime strategy, looking for an evidence-based approach to programing, or just trying to stay ahead of the curve, these briefs put research into your hands – minus the academic jargon.
Mapping Crime by Space and Time: A Smarter Way to Target Violence in Cities
Rethinking Crisis Response: Challenges and Strategies for Police-Led Multidisciplinary Teams
Service Via Video: Reducing Response Times, Lowering Costs, and Improving Public Trust
What You'll Find Here
- 1-Page summaries of emerging and foundational research
- Action-oriented takeaways for policy, training, supervision, and practice
- Accessible language tailored for police professionals
- Evidence-based guidance on topics like recruitment, community trust, hot-spots policing, and more.
Want Help Translating Research?
Are you a police practitioner trying to get to the bottom line of a complex research article or idea? Or a scholar hoping to connect your findings with the field? Our team can help your ideas come to life in future Evidence to Action briefs.
Why It Matters
Too often, policing research remains stuck in academic journals – valuable, but inaccessible to practitioners. The IACP’s Center for Police Research and Policy is committed to bridging that gap. This Hub is where evidence meets action.
These briefs are designed to answer three key questions:
1. What does this research say?
2. Why does it matter?
3. How can I use it today?
No fluff. No filler. Just the facts, and the path forward.
Limitations and Responsible use of Evidence
Each Evidence to Action brief is crafted to help police leaders access relevant findings quickly and effectively. These summaries represent our best effort to translate emerging research into actionable insights that may inform policy, supervision, or operational decisions.
However, it’s important to acknowledge that all research has limitations. Some studies may involve small sample sizes, rely on localized data, or use methods that affect how broadly their conclusions can be applied. As such, findings may not be fully generalizable to your agency or jurisdiction. Furthermore, there are many areas of policing about which very little research exists.
Still, sharing the best available evidence—even when it is imperfect—is essential to advancing the profession. These briefs are offered as starting points for thoughtful consideration, not prescriptive mandates. We encourage leaders to use them as part of a broader decision-making process that includes local context, community needs, and professional judgment.
For more information, contact the research team by emailing [email protected].
