13th Research and Science Working Group Meeting

The 13th Research and Science Working Group meeting was hosted by the Carabinieri at the Center for Excellence for Stability Police Units (CoESPU).

Two new members were welcomed: Joachim Kersten (German Police University) and Pascal Cheylan (French Gendarmerie).

The topics discussed included:

• The group discussed the strategic perspectives in regard to CEPOL Research and Science products in view of enhanced cooperation with Europol on knowledge sharing;
• The CEPOL budget for 2010 and 2011 was discussed and the implications for the Research and Science activities;
• Future cooperation with the European Crime Prevention Network and the Fundamental Rights Agency;
• The groups input towards the CEPOL Work Programme 2012.

The group discussed the meaning of the term ‘symposium’, to signify a certain type of delivery format within the CEPOL calendar. As the group came up with a proposal for a general definition to be submitted to the Training and Research Committee for further consideration, a need was foreseen to review the labelling of the 'Research Symposia'. The suggestion was to in future distinguish between a 'Research Projects Workshop', targeted for people engaged in empirical research projects on a certain topic, and a 'Research Implementation Symposium', where researchers and practitioners will meet to consider the transferability of research findings into police training and police practice.

The group also discussed the Research and Science Bulletin and how they will produce a report for the Governing Board about the sustainability of the project.

A fresh approach for the initialisation of a European Handbook/Encyclopedia of Police Science was another major matter of the meeting.

The 14th Research and Science meeting will take place on 6-8 October 2010 in Bramshill and will be the final one for the current Chair, Janos Fehervary.