Matt Bland highlights examples of evidence-based innovation on the front line, and what policy professionals across the Civil Service can learn from this experience
In 2021, Kent Police faced a pressing challenge shared by all forces across the UK: how, in the face of increasing numbers of reports, to provide timely, meaningful support to victims of domestic abuse. The traditional response – sending someone in person – sometimes meant those not in immediate danger waited hours, or even days, to speak to an officer.
Enter Rapid Video Response (RVR), an innovative idea developed by Stacey Rothwell, a civilian working in Kent Police’s Innovation Task Force (Stacey won the Government Science and Engineering Award for Best Innovation in 2024, and is also presenting at Civil Service Live in July 2025).
RVR offered victims the option of an immediate video call with a trained officer – providing fast reassurance, safeguarding advice and the opportunity to capture evidence immediately. But what set RVR apart was not the technology – it was the method of its introduction. Rather than being rolled out on instinct or precedent, it was tested first through a randomised controlled trial (RCT), designed and evaluated in partnership with the University of Cambridge.
The results were compelling: response times dropped from over 30 hours to just 3 minutes; satisfaction among female victims rose by 11%; anxiety fell by 16%; and officers were able to achieve these results in two-thirds of the time spent on traditional visits.
RVR is not an isolated example – and Stacey is far from alone. Across the UK, police officers, staff, analysts and researchers are quietly reshaping the way policing innovates: testing rather than assuming, measuring impact and learning from what doesn’t work as well as what does. They are part of a growing movement supported by the College of Policing, the National Police Chiefs’ Council, university partners, and a small but influential grassroots charity: the Society of Evidence-Based Policing (SEBP).
Stacey Rothwell (left): developed Rapid Video Response to help victims of domestic abuse
What is evidence-based policing?
Evidence-based policing (EBP) rests on a deceptively simple idea: that police decisions – like those in medicine or education – should be informed by the best available research evidence. This means evaluating policies and practices to understand what works, for whom and in what context, rather than relying solely on tradition, personal experience or reactive judgment.
At its core, EBP is the scientific method applied to public safety. It’s about forming hypotheses, testing them in the real world, measuring impact and adapting practice based on the results. Importantly, it doesn’t demand perfection. It demands humility – the willingness to question assumptions – and the discipline to find out what’s actually making a difference. Nor does it mean the end of professional judgment and discretion. It’s a tool designed to augment those foundations.
Such an approach matters for at least three reasons. First, policing operates in complex, emotionally charged environments. Decisions carry high stakes – not just for public safety, but for legitimacy and trust. Second, resources are limited. With rising demand and flat or shrinking budgets, there’s a premium on doing what works and avoiding what doesn’t. Third, policing affects everyone – so the quality of its decisions is, ultimately, a public interest issue.
A bridge between research and practice
The Society of Evidence-Based Policing was created by police officers who saw that important research wasn’t habitually reaching the front line. One of them, Alex Murray – then a superintendent, now Director of Threat and Leadership at the National Crime Agency – was struck by how little of his policing career had been guided by tested evidence. After a revelatory postgraduate course at Cambridge, he and colleagues launched SEBP to change that.
Today, SEBP is a registered charity which supports more than 6,000 members (a mix of police officers, staff, academics, students, charities, businesses and policy professionals). Through open-access events, regional coordination and digital platforms, it helps practitioners access, generate and apply evidence – not just as users of research, but increasingly as its producers.
SEBP’s strength lies not in top-down mandates but in horizontal connections: it brings together people facing similar challenges and gives them the tools to test and share what works.
PC John Porter: a frontline officer with an idea
Taking root – but still taking shape
Across UK policing, evidence-based approaches are taking hold.
Hotspot policing, long supported by experimental studies, is now widely used. Restorative justice, focused deterrence and out-of-court disposals are gaining traction, backed by evaluations on outcomes, cost-effectiveness and legitimacy. National bodies such as the College of Policing, the Home Office and the Youth Endowment Fund are championing evidence-based practice.
Every new constable entering via the degree apprenticeship or Police Now receives training in research methods. The mindset is spreading but barriers remain. Too often, research is locked behind paywalls or clouded by jargon. Time-poor practitioners may struggle to find or apply the evidence – even when they want to; promising pilots risk fading away without long-term support or sharing.
That’s where SEBP comes in: not to replace official systems, but to support and energise them with a grassroots network of curiosity, credibility and collaboration.
Policing with precision and compassion
In South Yorkshire, Police Constable John Porter – a seasoned search adviser and the son of a dementia patient – faced another dilemma shared by many forces: repeated high-risk missing person incidents involving people living with dementia.
Motivated by personal experience and professional insight, he trialled the use of GPS trackers for 50 individuals with a known risk of wandering. With advice from a human rights barrister and funding secured through the force’s innovation fund, he launched a one-year pilot.
The impact was extraordinary: high-risk missing episodes fell from 84 to just 1. Families were able to respond themselves on 40 occasions, often preventing harm before police involvement was needed.
Porter has had no research training. He partnered with an academic to evaluate the project and published results in a peer-reviewed journal. His work was undertaken without a single mention of EBP but this is evidence-based policing in action: a frontline officer with an idea, a method to test it and a network to amplify it.
How to build evidence-based practice
For policy professionals across the public sector, here are four key questions to ask when considering whether a practice is truly evidence-based:
- Is the problem clearly defined and supported by data?
Evidence begins with understanding the issue. Be specific. Who is affected? What’s the scale and context? - Has this approach been tested – or is there relevant research elsewhere?
Not everything needs a new study. Look for systematic reviews, “what works” centres or insights from other sectors. - Is there a way to measure whether it works?
Randomised controlled trials are great but not always feasible. Alternatives include before-and-after analysis, comparison groups, or time-series data. The key is a reasonable counterfactual. - What will be done with the findings?
Learning, not success, is the goal. Share what worked, what didn’t and what might be worth refining.
A model for the public sector?
Policing is not the only service under pressure. Health, education and social care face similar demands – growing need, finite resources, and urgent calls for legitimacy and trust.
The lesson from evidence-based policing is that meaningful innovation often starts not with radical reinvention, but with the tools and culture to let practitioners lead. SEBP’s model – of equipping public servants to test, learn, and share – is one that could work anywhere.
This is not a finished revolution. But it is a movement gaining ground – and one well worth watching. If you are curious to find out more, why not come and see EBP in action?
This summer, SEBP is curating a season of events designed to inspire, connect and equip those working across policing and public service:
- Global Societies of Evidence-Based Policing Conference | Cambridge, 21-22 July
Featuring leading criminologists and police reformers from around the world. - The UK National EBP Conference and National EBP Awards | Huddersfield, 10-11 September
A uniquely applied event, showcasing practitioner-led innovation and tested ideas. - Webinars and regional events throughout the UK
Designed for frontline officers, policymakers, researchers and suppliers alike.
For more information or to get involved, visit www.sebp.police.uk or connect with the Society on LinkedIn @SocietyEBP.
Matt Bland is Chief Operating Officer, Society of Evidence-Based Policing, and Associate Professor in Evidence-Based Policing, University of Cambridge.
