Conclusions and the future direction of police research

This conclusion presents some closing thoughts on the concepts covered in the preceding chapters of this book. The book outlines the importance, challenge and benefits of conducting police research. It demonstrates that we continue to occupy a landscape where research is still very much needed and, in its infancy, when compared to other academic research fields. Researching inside the police organisation continues to pose challenges to police scholars. The continuation of the practice of police research is critically important for several reasons, we know that despite advances in generating new knowledge though research and an increased capacity for the police to engage with that research, issues remain. Policing continues to be a politically dynamic subject matter where both external and internal situations and events can impact quickly on the policy landscape and potentially their willingness to open themselves up to additional scrutiny that might come from research.