The safety of our communities is the core responsibility of every police leader. We hear political leaders express it as being important, but the police are responsible and accountable for it. We will do whatever we can to ensure that our residents are safe.

With that in mind, we are always looking for solutions to the problems that manifest into crime. This leads us to trying strategies to address the root causes. We will use whatever we can to protect the public. This mission is certainly honorable, and the effort is usually appreciated. But the reality is we try many things simply because we think they will work. What if, instead, we had a playbook of the best efforts that are proven to have measurable impacts? Imagine the success we would have!

Consider some of the most impactful and successful policing practices over the past several decades. The reason we know they have been impactful and successful is because of the research that was done. If we take the time to partner with researchers, to build assessment on the front end, include measurement during the effort, and then report the outcomes, we create something that not only provides us with a record of the effort but also creates a roadmap for all of policing. Regardless of the outcomes of a particular project or strategy, the result is evidence that informs us about what may or may not work. A true empirical, unbiased research project on a great idea, regardless of where it comes from—a seasoned police leader, a new police officer, a tenured researcher, a graduate student, or a concerned community member—could become the impetus for the next wave of impactful, practical policing.

An example of how research and policing work together to inform strategies can be found when considering recent reform efforts. Many legislatures have focused on passing laws for harsher punishments to prevent crime. On its face, this seems practical and appropriate. Keeping violent criminals off the streets is something we in policing strive to accomplish; if they are locked up, they can’t commit more offenses. The evidence, however, provides a different perspective. An emerging understanding based on the research looks at clearance rates. Emerging research indicates that it makes more sense to focus on and invest in those things that help in identifying, catching, and entering a suspect into the system first. Maybe after we increase our success in this area, we can then better understand the impact of harsher punishment. Please keep in mind that the situation here is not an either-or proposition. It really comes down to the “horse and cart” analogy. If we don’t catch those committing the crimes—the “horse”—then the harsher punishment—the “cart”—doesn’t matter. We should not put the cart (punishment) before the horse (capture). The current research supports the understanding that certainty of capture has a significant impact on the decision to commit an offense. Thus, certainty of capture is the key to prevention, not the severity of the sentence. This is just one example of the value of research to understanding legal system practices.

There are many researchers seeking opportunities to partner with police agencies to assist in discovering what works. As police leaders we must be willing to embrace the opportunity to discover the true impacts of our efforts.

The IACP has excellent resources available in this space and can assist in connecting departments to those who can walk you through the process of either finding things that are proven to work or setting up an evaluation and assessment effort for a new effort. The IACP Police Research Advancement Section and Research Advisory Committee are the operational arms of the IACP that provide opportunities in this sphere. Additionally, the IACP Center for Police Research distributes one-page briefs that synthesize complex research and give police leaders insights on how to operationalize evidence-based findings, as well as conducting original research designed to answer the most pressing questions in policing. The IACP is particularly fortunate to have Dr. Jerry Ratcliffe as our scientific advisor. Dr. Ratcliffe regularly shares his insights with IACP staff and members, and his publications and podcasts share the “why” in a way that makes sense for policing.

We don’t have all the answers yet, and probably never will. Our job is to create safety for humans, and people and society are unpredictable and constantly changing. Understanding what is causing criminal behavior and what works in containing and most importantly, preventing it is the secret to safety. As we understand from Sir Robert Peel’s Nine Principles for Policing, prevention is our paramount responsibility. We can and must continue to work toward finding answers for what works now. That is what a good researcher can provide to a good police leader. The IACP is the conduit to discovering success and building valuable collaboration in this domain. The articles in this edition of Police Chief will give some insights into the importance of this effort.d

Please cite as

David Rausch, “The Importance of Collaborative Police Research,” President’s Message, Police Chief 92, no. 12 (December 2025): 6–7.