The Society of Evidence Based Policing (SEBP) is a national organisation with several thousand members made up of police officers, police staff and research professionals.

Our collective aim is to make evidence-based methodology a fundamental corner stone of everyday policing in the UK.

By making decisions that are grounded in empirical research, the objectivity of our decision making will increase, leading to greater public confidence, police legitimacy and public value. SEBP have 3 clear objectives:

Increased use of best available research evidence to solve policing problems

• Raise awareness of the value of evidence-based practice.
• Provide access to research tools and guidance.
• Advocate evidence-based practice across all policing bodies.
• Provide a forum for police professional researchers.

The production of new research evidence by police practitioners and researchers

• Support police practitioners to undertake research projects.
• Support police practitioners to access research expertise.
• Support researchers to access police data.
• Facilitate awareness of ongoing police research projects.

Communication of research evidence to police practitioners and the public

• Disseminate police-based research to different audiences.
• Present the implication of research findings for policing practice.

Membership of the society is open to any member of police staff or researcher who is committed to making a positive impact in the community through using the best available research evidence. SEBP is now also a registered charity and is currently looking at partnering with the Youth Endowment Fund to further our collective goals.

Membership of the society is free and gives access to: reduced prices at conferences, reduced subscription to the journal of experimental criminology, and the ability to network & learn from other practitioners.

Every year SEBP holds a national conference according to a topical theme, to bring together the policing community to share cutting edge research practice. The title of this years conference is ‘The Importance of Focus: How EBP can Drive Precision Policing.’ 

The conference is on 9th – 10th November 2023 and this year is being held at the College of Policing, Ryton. There are a fantastic range of speakers and presentations including police officers and police staff of a variety of ranks and roles, and world-renowned research professionals.

Topics range from looking at the work regarding focussed deterrence with regards serious and organised crime, assessing procedural justice in stop search encounters, through to a discussion of EBP from Professor Larry Sherman looking at where EBP started, where it is now and where it needs to go.

SEBP members get a huge discount for the conference – you can view the conference programme, book a place, or join SEBP here.