399 - Addressing the Production of Ignorance in Policing (APIP)

We will develop,  share and embed approaches to 'undoing ignorance' in policing organisations that support reductions in racism, misogyny and homophobia, and other manifestations of organisational silence through generating psychological safety to call out inappropriate behaviour, reduce the avoidance of uncomfortable knowledge and support organisational learning.

The end goal is to contribute to sustainable change in policing organisations that reduces disproportionality in engaging with communities, improves the working life of the many good people in policing  organisations and addresses the inattention to egregious misbehaviour that led to missed opportunities to identify the risks posed by serving officers who have gone on to commit serious crimes including rape and murder.

We will do this through collaborative research with a major policing organisation, building on our prior research, to co-create and evaluate interventions and sustainable approaches to change aimed at reducing structural conditions that contribute to the production of ignorance. We will broaden the impact of this work though engagement with the wide range of forces represented in the membership of the OU's Centre for Policing Research and Learning (CPRL), with His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary Fire and Rescue Services and with the College of Policing.