Lancaster Policing Academic Centre of Excellence (L-PACE) will create a step-change in the ability of Lancaster’s social and behavioural sciences to have a practical and operational impact on policing Areas of Research Interests (ARI). The aims of L-PACE include: increasing the number and range of academics involved in police ARI projects; fostering new relationships between academics and police forces; providing practical solutions to current policing problems; sparking new ideas that can be built into more substantial projects; and tackling the policing skills and recruitment gap by creating a pathway for students considering a career in data related policing.

ARIs and related specialisms

Building and maintaining public trust

• Police legitimacy and procedural justice
• Public perceptions of police use of technology, AI and data

Crime prevention

• Cyber, online and virtual reality safety
• Risk assessment and mitigation
• Safe spaces
• Violence against women and girls and gender-based violence

Personal safety

• Officer and staff wellbeing
• Organisational culture and leadership
• Uniform and wearable technology

Identification and tracing

• Forensic linguistics
• Interviewing

Surveillance and sensing

• Digital surveillance
• Interviewing of vulnerable populations
• Situational awareness