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Conceptualizing and measuring public value presents many challenges for researchers, particularly in those cases where the program being evaluated has visible expenses and hard to quantify outputs or outcomes. Program stakeholders might not even recognize the public value (PV) they are creating. PV theory lacks empirical research and faces the possibility of theoretical stagnation. Efforts at measuring PV have not yielded consensus. This study employs ethnography to investigate how an external observer sees the PV being created by the school resource officer (SRO) program. This paper reports the key findings from a case study into the value delivered by a controversial public program, a co-operative initiative between a regional police service and the region's educational system. This evaluation comprised ten ride alongs with SRO program officers over a five-month period. Forty-one stories of PV being created were observed, which were then grouped into six themes/focused codes. In addition to the program's desired outcome of building safer schools, this paper identifies five other types of PV creation. These outcomes represent important contributions to the public and allow for the potential comparison of how tax dollars are spent, informing future allocation of funds and potentially saving good programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on an analysis of data released through Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, Canadian researchers have suggested that Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams are no longer exclusively deployed to resolve high-risk incidents but now frequently respond to routine calls that do not necessitate their involvement. Given concerns about these conclusions, we submitted the same FOI requests to the 14 police agencies examined by Roziere and Walby [2020. Special weapons and tactics teams in Canadian policing: legal, institutional, and economic dimensions. Policing and society, 30 (6), 704–719] and worked with the FOI analyst from each agency to ensure that the data were being interpreted correctly. Based on our re-analysis of the FOI-released data, we report on two problems with the conclusions reached by Roziere and Walby: the conflation of incidents where any SWAT officer responds to calls with full SWAT team deployments and the masking of potential risk factors in calls when relying on call type categories. Our findings illustrate the value of police agencies disclosing relevant contextual information to researchers when possible and they reinforce the necessity of collaborating with FOI analysts to better understand the data being released. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has suggested that tactical officers across North America commonly respond to calls characterized as 'routine,' which has raised significant concerns. However, most of this research relies on de-contextualized data, such as the broad call category (e.g., domestic), to ascertain the nature of the incidents that receive a response from tactical officers. To provide a more nuanced understanding of these incidents, we were provided access to one year's worth of operational data from the Winnipeg Police Service and conducted a content analysis on incidents that received a response from tactical officers (n = 1652). Overall, we found that the primary role of tactical officers was responding to high-risk calls in which violence (n = 599) and weapons (n = 820) were reported. Furthermore, our findings highlight that the initial call type is not a reliable indicator of the risk posed to public or officer safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community-oriented policing (COP) is a policing philosophy that focuses on the co-production of public safety by police officers and the community members they serve. This paper utilized the extreme context presented by the COVID−19 pandemic to test the theoretical assumptions on which COP is based. The data presented in this paper were collected from 32 community police officers (CPOs) from a Canadian police service who attended six focus group sessions during the fourth wave of the pandemic (July to November 2021). We summarize key findings and insights from these focus groups and provide insights relating to the underlying mechanisms essential to the delivery of effective COP programs. Future studies should continue to examine COP in diverse contexts to understand its benefits and challenges more fully. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Questions surrounding the display of pins and patches by police officers are receiving tremendous attention in Canada. However, no known research has explored how such accessories may impact public perceptions. To inform this discussion, we examined how 524 Canadians perceived an officer wearing various pins and patches. Participants rated eight photographs of the officer, once without any pins or patches and once when wearing each of the seven different pins or patches, on nine items (e.g., approachable, calm, competent). The results suggest that, compared to when wearing no pin or patch, the officer was perceived more positively when wearing the Breast Cancer Awareness pin, a Poppy, or the Gay Pride patch, but more negatively when wearing the Black Lives Matter or Punisher patch. We observed no significant effect for the Fallen Officer pin or the Thin Blue Line patch. We discuss our results with respect to research, policy, and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the risk of adverse outcomes during non-fatal encounters with subjects exhibiting features of Excited Delirium Syndrome (ExDS). Data for the study was collected over a five-year period through standardized reporting in a large Canadian law enforcement agency. Consistent with previous research, the presence of six or more of the ten features of ExDS was used to identify a probable case. Force was applied on 10,718 subjects, 197 (1.8%) of which were probable ExDS. Logistic regression were used to model the odds that use of force (UoF) interventions used on subjects in a state of probable ExDS resulted in adverse outcomes. Probable ExDS was one of the most important predictors of adverse outcomes in UoF encounters, even after controlling for associated risk factors. There were significantly higher odds that UoF was ineffective on subjects exhibiting more features of ExDS, resulting in an increased amount of force applied. In contrast, there were significantly lower odds of injury from UoF for individuals exhibiting probable ExDS. Officers, however, were at a higher risk of injury when dealing with those displaying a greater number of features. These results underscore the risks inherent to incidents involving cases of probable ExDS. A greater understanding of such risks may improve response strategies and promote public and police safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research suggests that certain characteristics of police uniforms and equipment influence how the public perceives police officers. The current study expanded on this research by examining how various features related to police militarism (e.g., weaponry) are perceived by the public. Approximately 2000 community members from across Canada were shown a series of photographs of officers that were manipulated to alter their attire and armament. Participants rated each officer on: (1) personal qualities, (2) skills they likely possess or behaviours they are likely to exhibit, and (3) behavioural intentions on the participant's part towards the officers. Findings suggest that the public harbours significant negative perceptions of certain officers donning militarized attire with regards to approachability, trust, and morality, among other qualities. However, these officers are also perceived to be stronger, confident, and more prepared for threatening behaviour/dangerous situations. Given current trends toward equipping officers with tools to deal with emerging threats, public judgments based on officer appearance have important implications for community relations and officer safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is important to understand how uniforms influence public perceptions of the police. The current study utilized a randomized design in which undergraduate students at a Canadian university were exposed to a series of photographs of officers wearing different uniform configurations (i.e., special duty vs. traditional uniform, dark vs. light shirt, dishevelled vs. tidy uniform, and uniform trousers with and without a stripe). Participants rated each officer on numerous scales including: (1) the officer's personal qualities (e.g., helpfulness), (2) abilities or behaviors that the officer is likely to display (e.g., excessive force), and (3) the behavioral intentions of the participant toward the observed officer (e.g., willing to confide sensitive information to them). When controlling for general perceptions of police legitimacy, results suggest that, compared to the control conditions (i.e., normal operational uniform), introducing the uniform manipulations significantly influenced ratings on items related to community relations, professionalism, and officer safety. The current study speaks to the complicated relationship between the police appearing approachable and professional to the public, while also considering possible officer safety concerns associated with their uniform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given their potential to reach a large audience, online recruitment videos are likely a useful way for police services to recruit applicants. To increase the likelihood of people applying, these videos should focus on issues potential employees consider when making career decisions. A literature review revealed six job factors that people consider when contemplating a potential career. A coding framework focusing on these factors (and their respective sub-categories) was developed and applied to all available recruitment videos created by Canadian policing organizations (N = 37). The coding dictionary could be applied reliably and it revealed that only 23% of the job factors that emerged from the literature review are addressed in the videos and when they are, they are not particularly salient. Ways of using this study to develop more effective, data-driven, police recruitment videos are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research conducted in the United States (U.S.) suggests that many police professionals are unaware of, or resistant to, empirical research, and see little value in adopting evidence-based approaches for tackling policing issues. To determine whether similar views are held by Canadian police professionals, 598 police professionals (civilians and officers) from seven police services across Canada were surveyed. The survey was designed by Lum and Telep (n.d. Officer receptivity survey on evidence-based policing. Fairfax, VA: Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy, George Mason University) to determine respondents' knowledge of, and support for, evidence-based policing (EBP). Using their survey allowed us to compare our results to the data they collected in the U.S. Although Canadian respondents had similar concerns regarding EBP as those in the U.S., in several ways, Canadian police professionals were more open to the idea of EBP. The results are encouraging, but still suggest a lack of buy-in from some police professionals in certain regards. Potential reasons for the cross-national discrepancies, and the consequences of the findings, are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strategy implementation is the most challenging aspect of strategic management. In the case of police organizations, failure to effectively carry out a strategy results in loss of organizational resources and employee commitment. The present study is an attempt to explore the reasons behind failure of new strategies by drawing upon qualitative survey responses from 353 police officers and civilian employees from seven agencies across Canada. The results reflect mostly negative sentiments towards strategy implementation efforts, with failure attributed to issues ranging from leadership incompetence to lack of organizational resources. These concerns must be taken into account by police leaders in order to address challenges associated with strategy implementation in their organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some researchers suggest that police professionals see little value in adopting evidence based approaches to tackle policing challenges. To examine this issue, 586 Canadian police professionals were surveyed. We explore responses to one particular question, which caused 353 respondents to reflect on whether they think their agencies enact evidence based policing (EBP) principles in daily operations; specifically, the principles of targeting, testing, and tracking the implementation of new policing strategies. Mixed views were expressed by respondents in relation to their agency’s ability to target high priority policing problems and to test strategies for fixing these problems. However, views were overwhelmingly negative when respondents reflected on how well they thought their agencies track the effectiveness of strategies over time. If these views accurately describe how agencies target, test, and track the implementation of policing strategies, they underline potential challenges associated with the adoption of EBP in Canadian police organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study examines whether a distance decay function calibrated for a particular crime type results in more accurate geographic profiles compared to default functions that are not calibrated for one specific crime type. Decay functions were calibrated for three different types of serial crime (residential burglary, theft, and auto theft) collected from the same geographic region (Glendale, AZ, USA). The two default functions used for comparison purposes (truncated negative exponential and negative exponential) came fromCrimeStat(v. 3.1), a computerized geographic profiling system. The hypothesis that calibrated functions would possess more predictive power than default functions was not supported. Potential explanations for these findings are provided and implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the absence of physical evidence, investigators must often rely on offence behaviours when determining whether several crimes are linked to a common offender. A variety of factors can potentially influence the degree to which accurate linking is possible, including the similarity coefficient used to assess across-crime similarity. The current study examines the performance of two similarity coefficients that have recently been compared to one another, Jaccard's coefficient (J) and the taxonomic similarity index (Δs), using samples of two crime types, serial homicide (N=237) and serial burglary (N=210). In contrast to previous research, the results indicate that Δs does not significantly outperform J with respect to linking accuracy. In addition, both coefficients lead to higher levels of linking accuracy in cases of serial homicide compared to serial burglary. Potential explanations for these findings are presented and their implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

University students, police professionals, and a logistic regression model were provided with information on 38 pairs of burglaries, 20% of which were committed by the same offender, in order to examine their ability to accurately identify linked serial burglaries. For each offense pair, the information included: (1) the offense locations as points on a map, (2) the distance (in km) between the two offenses, (3) entry methods, (4) target characteristics, and (5) property stolen. Half of the participants received training informing them that the likelihood of two offenses being committed by the same offender increases as the distance between the offenses decreases. Results showed that students outperformed police professionals, that training increased decision accuracy, and that the logistic regression model achieved the highest rate of success. Potential explanations for these results are presented, focusing primarily on the participants' use of offense information, and their implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a recent narrative review and meta-analysis of the criminal profiling (CP) literature, Snook, Eastwood, Gendreau, Goggin, and Cullen (2007) found that self-labeled profilers and/or self-labeled profilers/experienced detectives did not decisively outperform lay individuals in their ability to produce accurate profiles. Combined with their finding that the CP literature is based largely on commonsense rationales, they cautioned police officers about using CP in investigations. In a recent issue of this journal, Kocsis, Middledorp, and Karpin (2008) (KMK) challenged some of the methodological decisions of Snook et al. and questioned their interpretation of their meta-analytic findings. In addition, KMK suggested that the work by Snook et al., and that of Bennell, Jones, Taylor, and Snook (2006) is based not on a desire to move profiling research forward but on a hidden agenda to promote an investigative psychology (IP) approach to profiling. In response, we argue that KMK have failed to consider important issues of knowledge cumulation when criticizing the meta-analysis by Snook et al. and that KMK's views with respect to IP have no basis in our previous research. Instead of trying to find a nonexistent hidden agenda in our work, we suggest that efforts would be better directed toward conducting high-quality CP research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Claims have been made that critical thinking is a necessary skill for constructing accurate offender profiles. However, in studies purporting to demonstrate this, critical thinking ability amongst participants has never been adequately assessed, making it impossible to draw any valid conclusions about the importance of this skill for profiling. In order to empirically examine the relationship between critical thinking ability and profile accuracy, participants (n=36) in the current study completed a mock profiling exercise and the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal - Form S (WGCTA-S). Profile accuracy scores were calculated for each participant and correlated with his or her scores on the WGCTA-S. Although the majority of participants were found to be adequate critical thinkers, no significant relationship was found between critical thinking ability and profile accuracy. Potential explanations for this finding are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geographic profiling predictions can be produced using a variety of strategies. Some predictions are made using an equation or mechanical aid (actuarial strategy) while others are made by human judges drawing on experience or heuristic principles (clinical strategy). We review research that bears directly on the issue of whether clinical strategies can produce geographic predictions that rival those produced by actuarial strategies. Although there are certain advantages associated with actuarial strategies, we argue that clinical predictions based on fast and frugal heuristics are useful. We support this argument with results from a meta-analysis of existing geographic profiling research. We conclude by outlining our position on the relative merits of clinical and actuarial strategies, and by proposing an agenda for future research that involves examining the relative performance of profiling strategies in operational settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The suicide note is a valuable source of information for assisting police forces in equivocal death investigations. The present study endeavored to develop statistical prediction rules to discriminate between genuine and simulated suicide notes. Discriminant function analysis was performed on a sample of 33 genuine and 33 simulated notes to identify variables that serve as best predictors of note authenticity. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was then applied to validate these models and establish decision thresholds. The optimal model yielded an accuracy score of ⋅82, with average sentence length and expression of positive affect being particularly effective at discriminating between the notes. Theoretical implications are discussed as are the practical advantages of applying receiver operating characteristic analysis in the investigation of equivocal deaths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]