Police Academy of the Netherlands


Research Programme "Police and ICT"


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General Introduction

Current Research Projects

Publications



Introduction

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Quality of labour (1985-1990)

The research programme "Police and ICT" started in 1985, before the massive introduction of computer equipment in police stations. The first subject of interest was the effect of computerization on the quality of labour of police officers (a hot topic in those years but no more then a non-issue today). Between 1985 and 1990 research has been carried out in command and control rooms in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Den Haag in connection with the introduction of Command and Control systems (MKS and FMS), and in several police districts all over the Netherlands, this time in connection with the introduction of Police Record Management Systems (BPS and X-Pol mainly). Also in several police forces research was carried out in connection with the introduction of Management Information Systems.


Police Patrol Work (1990-2008)

In the end of the eighties and the early ninetees the focus of the research programme shifted from the effect of computer use on the quality of labour towards the effect of the use of computerized information systems on the police officers doings. In other words, the focus shifted from an internal organizational matter to a police external subject: the effect of computer information on the nature of police patrol work. The first series of observational studies (in four Dutch cities) were carried out between 1990-1993. The second series of another four observational studies were carried out in 2001. This line of the research programme "Police and ICT" has developed into an international comparative observational study (Policing the Streets in Europe) currently carried out in five different countries (DK, D, B, N and NL).


Widening the Scope (2000-)

In the course of the ninetees the police discovered the internet. Cybercrime, especially the fight against child pornography on the web, also got the attention of the research programme. Nevertheless the main focus of the programme remains on the question how (under what conditions) the police can use information technology to their advantage. Consequently also CCTV became a matter of interest, as well as the use of databases with information on forensic materials (the development of a 'national forensic database'). In cooperation with the NHL University of Applied Sciences a research is being prepared in the sphere of information technology and police detective work.



Current Projects

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Policing the Streets in Europe

Currently the main project within the framework of the research programme 'Police and ICT' is Policing the Streets in Europe. This international comparative observational study focusses on everyday police patrol work. The main question is what local police work consists of, in terms of police activities. What do police officers do while patroling their district and how do they deal with the different situations? Point of special interest in this research project is police and information use, especially the use of digital information sources. The role that computer information plays in police patrol work, will be analysed in the broader context of all police activities and all other possibilities the police offices have to get the information they need.


Policing the Streets in the North of the Netherlands

In the Netherlands the research for "Policing the Streets in Europe" has been carried out in the cities of Groningen, Leeuwarden and Assen. The research findings will also be published separately.


IT and Police Detective Work

In cooperation with the NHL University of Applied Sciences a research is being prepared in the sphere of information technology and police detective work.



Publications
"Police and ICT"

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