East Midlands universities and police forces secure funding in regional partnership

​A consortium of seven universities, five police forces and five Police and Crime Commissioners (PCC) across the East Midlands have been awarded £862,620 from the College of Policing, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and the Home Office Police Knowledge Fund.

The East Midlands Policing Academic Collaboration (EMPAC) will implement a regional programme of policing-related research and strengthen relationships across universities and police forces in the East Midlands.

The funding will help to improve understanding of crime and policing issues, develop new ways of policing and innovatively translate research findings into practice. EMPAC will also work closely with existing regional policing organisations and the Scottish Institute for Policing Research.

Alan Charles, Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner, commented:

“This is fantastic news which will allow us to move forward with a strategic programme of research. This will formally combine expertise across universities and police forces in the East Midlands. It provides a real opportunity to make a difference to policing and the lives of those living in our communities by carrying out new, ground-breaking research and translating this into practice”.
Assistant Chief Constable Phil Kay at Leicestershire Police added:

“This is a great opportunity for us to work in partnership with the regional universities and police forces. The funding will enable us to undertake research and adopt evidence based practice so we can better protect communities.”
The Institute for Public Safety, Crime and Justice, based at the University of Northampton coordinated the bid on behalf of the collaboration. Laura Wood, Institute Manager said:

“We are thrilled to have been awarded this funding on behalf of the collaboration which will drive forward policing research and knowledge exchange.

“The result is testament to the commitment and enthusiasm shown by all partners. We are looking forward to continuing working with other universities and forces in the region.”
Professor Simon Denny, Director of Research, Impact and Enterprise at the University of Northampton said:

“The Institute for Public Safety, Crime and Justice is a unique joint venture between the Northamptonshire Police and Crime Commissioner and the University of Northampton.

We are bringing together the expertise of the police and the academic world to carry out research that makes a real difference to society.

It is fantastic that the Institute is working with EMPAC so we can all deliver positive change throughout the region.”
The group of universities that have received funding are: The University of Northampton; De Montfort University; Loughborough University; Nottingham Trent University; University of Derby; University of Leicester and University of Lincoln.

The Police Forces include: Derbyshire Police; Leicestershire Police; Lincolnshire Police, Northamptonshire Police and Nottinghamshire Police.

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioners for Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, and Nottinghamshire also received funding.

Find more information regarding the Police Knowledge Fund. For further information regarding the University of Northampton’s Institute for Public Safety, Crime and Justice, visit their website.

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Pictured left to right: Julie Wilkins (Lincolnshire Police), Dr Karen Lumsden (Loughborough University), Sergeant Dylan Boddy (Nottinghamshire Police), Dr Iain Britton (Northamptonshire Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner), Peter Ward (East Midlands Collaborative HR Services), Assistant Chief Constable Phil Kay (Leicestershire Police), Jim Holyoak (Leicestershire Police) Dr Rebecca Thompson (University of Northampton) and Keiley Freeman (Nottinghamshire Police).