Public confidence in policing: supporting ‘seldom heard’ groups

Join Police Scotland and the Scottish Institute for Policing Research for an information sharing session.

Police Scotland and the Scottish Institute for Policing Research (SIPR) invite academics, researchers and practitioners with an interest in ‘seldom heard’ groups to an information sharing event on Wednesday 19 May at 2.30pm – 4.30pm.

The term ‘seldom-heard groups’ refers to under-represented people who may be less likely to engage with Police for a variety reasons (such as race, religion, sexuality, disability, age and communities isolated through geography or deprivation). A focus on understanding seldom heard groups will place more emphasis on Police Scotland and our collaborators to connect with these communities ensuring their voices are heard, their needs are met, and their perspectives are understood.

Police Scotland is keen to explore areas for further research that would help meet genuine evidence gaps, towards enabling policing to further enhance its support to ‘seldom heard’ communities and as such, we invite all interested parties (academics, researchers, practitioners, service users, third sector and support workers) to explore public confidence in Police Scotland for these communities.

The event will be chaired by Assistant Chief Constable John Hawkins and co-hosted by Dr Megan O’Neill (SIPR Associate Director and Lead for Police-Community Relations Network). Police Scotland will present its strategic direction, existing research evidence, identified research gaps and commitments to understand and enhance public confidence from seldom heard groups in Scottish policing.

Funding available

The aim of the event is to stimulate diverse thinking, ideas and opportunities for research and innovation into how Police Scotland can serve communities in the most appropriate and supportive ways. Police Scotland and SIPR have committed to co-creating a grant which will fund activities seeking to address key issues identified throughout this session.

Given this, following this event we invite all attendees to develop proposals for activities which will support improved engagement between Police Scotland and ‘seldom heard’ groups. This grant may fund a variety of activities including small research projects, training programs, events, literature reviews, knowledge exchange, etc. Further details on the available funding and the application process for this grant will be provided during the event. Researchers will thereafter be invited to develop and submit research proposals by 1st July 2021.

You can register for the event using this link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/152773350203 (this link will take you away from our website). 

If you have any questions, please contact Monica Boyle, SIPR Knowledge Exchange and Business Manager: m.boyle@napier.ac.uk

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