“Well, there’s a more scientific way to do it!”: factors influencing receptivity to evidence-based practices in police organizations

ABSTRACT

Evidence-based policing (EBP) is a decision-making perspective noted for its effectiveness in enhancing organizational performance. However, police in North America have been rather slow in adopting such practices. Few attempts have been made to understand how police organizations become receptive towards EBP. Based on 38 in-depth interviews with police executives and senior civilian officers across Canada, and utilizing a model of innovation adoption, the present study examines how openness towards EBP develops in police organizations. The results highlight a number of factors in the agency’s external and internal environment that enhance receptivity to a decision-making perspective based on scientific evidence.

KEYWORDS:

• Evidence-based policing
• receptivity
• internal organizational context
• external organizational context
• openness to change

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. Inspector and above.

2. Researchers affiliated with police organizations.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Hina Kalyal

Hina Kalyal is a PhD candidate in sociology at the University of Western Ontario. She also holds a PhD in Business Administration. Her research interests include evidence based policing practices and management of strategic change in police organizations.