Police Performance Research Lab

The Police Performance Research Lab (PPL) engages in studies of police officer decision-making and performance with emphasis on the effectiveness of various policies and training programs in shaping officer behavior. Using traditional research methods combined with cutting-edge technology (e.g., virtual reality and artificial intelligence), the PPL works to better understand officer decision-making and performance. By developing an understanding of what policies and programs help to shape this performance and decision-making, researchers in the PPL aim to make police departments and their communities safer.

The PPL values practitioner-driven research and emphasizes the importance of the inclusion of police practitioners in the design of research projects. While data collection and analyses will always be run by the PPL to ensure the integrity of research findings, agencies working with the PPL can expect to be active participants in driving research questions and giving feedback on design issues. The PPL also strives to provide regular reports back to the agency on its findings with an emphasis on the practical value of the findings and how they might be integrated into agency operations.

A full list of our current projects can be found on the Projects page, however, below are some working manuscripts from our latest projects.